Till The Clock Strikes Gone

12 | little witch

Expectations glimmered in Eliza's eyes as she looked at her father and his were fixed on her.

"Eliza," he said again but she ignored him.

This was new.

He wondered why she was so late in returning from college. She should have been there by evening. It was almost nine. Where had she been?

When he understood that she didn't care about his existence, he went back to observing the floor, tucking his hands into his pockets.

"Honey..." Harvey Scott began. "This is William Ray. You must have met him. He is your new English teacher at college."

Hearing this, Eliza looked at him and he met her eyes. He could feel the air between them growing thicker by each second. There was something different about being with this Eliza. He didn't know how to explain it. He knew every curve of her body, every scar, every pleasure point but he knew nothing of her mind or her heart. This Eliza was a stranger to him. He had stared at her in class just to see if there would be another miracle and she would recognize him. But then again, how could she remember him when she didn't even know him?

"Hello," he finally managed to let out.

Eliza didn't answer and turned back to her father.

"What were you talking about? Why did you say that he should go before I am home?" she questioned her father.

Harvey Scott looked nervous as he hesitated to answer. William was afraid that he might blurt out the truth so he intervened.

"He said that because I was told that you don't like seeing strangers in the house," William said and Eliza turned her attention back to him. "I just shifted into the house opposite yours. Sir...Mr. Scott here helped me. I'm new in town and he offered to show me around,"

"Oh..." Eliza said softly and then she turned to her father. "I'm sorry Papa. I will go to my room."

William didn't understand what made him smile - that she believed him or that she was too easy with the matter.

He felt proud of himself but then, as Eliza was leaving the room, he saw her look at him and after taking care that her father was not looking at either of them, she signalled William by pointing towards the kitchen to follow her out the back door. William felt goosebumps rush through his body at that gesture. He gave a slight nod and she was gone.

"You should go. I'll arrange for some furniture for your convenience until I can start with the necessary arrangements." Harvey's voice was steel-like and urgent.

William nodded but his mind was with Eliza. He thought he would die with the excitement and anxiety that he felt about meeting her...alone.

"Yes...Sir," William said, trying to keep his voice calm.

"Don't call me that!"

"Huh?"

"Don't call me 'Sir'. It's embarrassing. Call me Mr Scott," Harvey uttered.

To this, William smiled. "I called you Dad once," he confessed. "It was Eliza's birthday and I called you 'Dad'. You froze for a moment but then you didn't say anything back. I thought you were offended and went back to calling you 'Sir'."

Harvey looked at William with a different kind of emotion this time. His features were calm and his eyes were more gentle which made William feel comfortable for the first time in Harvey Scott's gaze.

"Don't say shit like that to me." Harvey covered his emotions with his rude words. "Go to sleep."

"Yes, Dad!" William said with a small laugh and before Harvey could say anything, he turned to walk out of the room.