Mr. Wallis

Part 36 (Mathew's POV)

I had not expected myself to go see her, not since my brothers arrived and took over. Thank God for that because my work has been piling up to the point I could drown in it. The streets were noisier than what they were like back home and not to mention the people; they couldn't keep quiet about anything.

Americans, I groan as I make my way to Lania's work. She shouuld be leaving soon to do whatever she does during her free time. None of my brothers were free at the moment, so of course I had to detach myself from the desk and come here to court the silly girl.

As if you didn't like it. A voice whispered and I ticked it off by stating that work was work, regardless of the form it was in.

Before making the turn fully, I quickly spun back and rested against the wall. Lania was outside the building speaking with a young lad in raven, glossy hair. Listening, I heard her say his bloody name: Dale.

Oh, it's the school boy. I squint my eyes as I listen to them converse.

"Y-yeah, I might have time some...uh, other day, but not today, sorry." Lania tripped over her pauses.

Where's your confidence, Miss Kett?  I suppress a smile but quickly found my mood falling flat at Dale's low, scratchy voice.

"Oh, come on, Lani, it'll be fun, I know you would love it."

Ah, an expert in her already? How would you have any knowledge of what she would love. Stopping my train of thought, I pounded the wall once to control whatever else was stirring in my head. I peek over and see her flushed face looking down. Lania was playing with her fingers as she spoke.

To both our surprise, Dale's, and mine, she promised to give him a call, and maybe set up a date. A bit of me was proud of her, yes, she had finally had courage to go for an outting with him.

This was my job, of course, of course I should be fully proud of this. Yet I wasn't fully feeling the joy that my brothers would about it; I wanted to have her hold back just a tad more before going off with the coffee boy.

Scowling I muttered, "I should just have you spend the day with the boy. It'll have you get used to him..."

...after I leave.

As their conversation ended, I watched him walk away, leaving her standing alone with her thoughts. The girl's mind was always somewhere else when she spoke about Dale, I can only imagine where it was now that she actually had spoken to him.

I stepped back, and then begun walking to her as I turned the corner to make it seem that I had just arrived, not seeing any of their little chat.

Her head bows, then snaps up once she sees my shoes, "Mathew?"

"Hmm." I place my hands in my pockets while her chocolate drops have me begging for another sweet little tasts of her lips.

"Why are you here?"

Why does she ask that every single time she sees me. I roll my eyes up to hers, and raise a brow stating that today would be spent with me.

"Do not act as if you did not miss me, darling."

Her rosy cheeks quickly rised to a brighter color as I grabbed her hand. Jolting back, she quietly hissed, "Right now?" She tried to pull her hand away, but clearly by now she should know that wouldn't work. It never does.

"Anything interesting happen today, hmm?" My head bows to hers. I want her to tell me, with her own words what had happened, and what she felt about it. Her eyes went into a frenzy as she searched for a distraction. Touching her chin, she froze. "What was it, Miss Kett?"

Smacking her lips, she gave up and admitted that Dale had shown up. As she came to a finish, she slowly added, "I tried to get comfortable with him being close...but it was difficult. I tried my best."

Don't look away.

My finger travels up to her cheek bone, and I have her eyes once more. The people around didn't seem to bother me any longer. All I could see was her face as I asked why she thought it was troubling for her to get close to the one she likes, Dale.

Lania couldn't find an answer. I asked again.

"Why is it so hard to be near the one you like, hmm?"

Tell me, because I would also like to know.