Puzzled look paired with a funny expression Azaiah couldn’t name came through her uncle’s expression. Her mother had this look of indifference. She looked stable, unfazed with the visitor she saw. She gave Alcuin a smile. Her eyes present her gaze of being engrossed to the next thing that will happen. Azaiah knew it, it’s in the way her mother gave her the look.
She untangled her hair, removing the elastic band from being tied to it. She was itching to remove it while she was posing for the camera. Her hair was tied too tightly. Now that the shoot is over she can finally let hair breathe.
She grinned, before giving out her full smile towards Alcuin. There is an unnamed expression that is shown on his face- something Azaiah is unfamiliar with. A cough was heard and her gaze went to stare at her uncle.
“Let them be, Antuan.” It came from her mother.
“I’d excuse myself for a while. Mom” She gave her mother a look. “Uncle.” She added before she walked her way towards Alcuin.
She gently gave his sleeve a tug, before they exited the scene. Pulling him while her fingers are still on Alcuin’s sleeve, they headed outside. She immediately slid her fingers off the fabric.
“You’re early.” She said. She took a step back to give her and Alcuin some space.
They’re too standing too close to each other.
Alcuin’s eyes followed her movements. Her mannerism must’ve put a wrong implied move that Alcuin might misunderstand. Her eyes viewed Alcuin’s face. Alcuin smiled. His eyes had this shimmer, it was strongly obvious for her to not notice it.
“Uhm.” She started.
“You look pretty today.” He told her. “I mean- you’re always been pretty.”
Azaiah didn’t know what to do. Alcuin looked happy when he spoke a compliment. She swing her arms before she force herself to stand still. She totally cannot match the reaction she is seeing from Alcuin at the moment. She withdrew her gaze from meeting his eyes.
“I meant it. Azaiah. You’re pretty.” Alcuin sounded confident with his remark.
It was an unquestionable fact that is imminent- Azaiah looked beautiful. She even looked more beautiful with the dress she wore. He wasn’t flashy giving someone especially a girl a compliment. But upon staring at Azaiah looking dainty with her delicate make up and her crimson dress and. Her refined expression couldn’t be ignored. Deluding himself into trying to prove that he felt nothing. He will be just deceiving himself with that kind of idea.
Azaiah appreciated the praise. She even liked the way it sounded, the way Alcuin voiced it out. It was a fixed one. What makes it even true was the way he looked so sure, his face showed her a defined look of having that belief in what he is saying.
“Are you ready?” Alcuin professed suddenly.
They were talking yesterday. She mentioned on how she wanted to go downtown. She was excited to view the newly-opened flower shop located in the heart of downtown Nantucket. It’s a living gift for her, having to hear about it. Alcuin offered to accompany her, she happily said yes to him yesterday. The uncontained happiness was the reason. And now- she doesn’t know what to do with what she signed herself into. They’ll be together. This time it is just the two of them, nothing else.
Instead of putting her hands on top of Alcuin’s laid out fingers. She reached to hold her shoulder and gave it a slight tap. She’s having difficulty dealing with his acts in the moment. She nibbled her lip and stared at him. “I am. So, let’s go?”
Alcuin’s put his eyes on hold to look at her in brief seconds before he pulled away. He forced himself to give Azaiah a smile. She surely has this distinction placed between them. Maybe this was his karma in someway, for all the girls he played with. And now he is receiving the vexation from the heavens.
Their ride was silent. Azaiah lessen her overthinking these days. She felt that thinking about Galen and wasting her time questioning what happened will just cause her to have more troubled thinking. Her eyes went to give the person beside him her glance. She felt her need to apologize. Alcuin was trying. She can see his efforts. But it’s just wants to avoided having to romantically get involved with her friend when she knows her other friend Calli liked him.
“Alcuin. Do you think he is seeing someone else?” The entrance of Calli’s voice on her ears had this pleasant effect. She looked at her friend thinking of something to reply.
“I don’t know. How about you? What do you think?” Azaiah retorted back.
“Can you- can I ask you a favor, Azaiah? Can you ask him if he likes someone?” Callista’s statement made her froze from her seat.
“I don’t know if I have the right to ask him questions like that. Don’t get me wrong, Calli. I would love to do that but.” She paused for a bit, trying to recollect more of her thoughts.
“But we usually don’t have that kind of conversations were questions like that are commonly inserted.”
Calli poked the cup with the straw she have in hand, she lightly tap the cup after doing it. She’s sighing. And Azaiah can’t help but notice her sullen reaction.
“You know I always wish that whenever he declares the name of the person he liked at the moment, I cannot help but to hope that it’s me.” Calli’s eyes met hers. “I have been waiting for so long, Azaiah. I have waited for him to notice me, to see me in a way of being the Callista he likes. Not only as a friend type of way but in the way, I always envisioned to happen one day.”
She took a sipped from her drink. “You probably noticed why we were always avoidant towards each other right? It’s because of the confession I made during the moment I finally felt impatience towards the lack of progress we had. I’ve like him for so long. I still like him until now. And I think these feelings can’t be stop anymore, it kept on growing more and more each day Azaiah.”
She felt the feeling of sympathizing towards Callista and her situation. Judging the situation from her own point of view, it was kind of unrequited. She wanted to do something for her. And granting her request is the least she can do for her right now.
“I’ll ask him. But I think I’ll need the exact right timing to ask him with your question.” This was pure honesty on her side. If she’ll ask Alcuin like that, she has to make sure that the surrounding mood is equipped for that kind of question.
She saw the way Calli’s eyes lit up. She leaned her head towards Azaiah. Callista is nudging her through her head.
Calli is all smiles. “Thank you, Azaiah.” She lifted her head to stare at her with the displayed happiness all over her face.
Azaiah remembered the conversation between her and Calli. She hesitated to open her mouth to speak. She looked at Alcuin who looked peaceful while his eyes are fixated on the road. She made herself to nibble her lip once again. Before she opened her mouth to speak….