Astrid Blu: Orion's Curse

Harold Rosenheim

Astrid can only describe the charming boy as the devil himself. His black hair and eyes, with his crooked smirk and smooth voice. Either he is an angel or the devil himself. Nothing in between.

Arthur looks up with his mouth filled with his favorite dessert, looking like an adorable chipmunk. His mother smiles at the little act pulled by the devil boy. Arthur's father didn't show any emotion. He simply sighed and kept on eating. Katherine showed an irritated expression. Everyone on the table simply avoids the new boy. Now Astrid was the only one looking at him, not understanding what's happening.

The smirk fades away from his face and instead a cute pout forms. He stomps his feet on the ground as he walks towards the table. He looks like a little child who got upset for not getting his favorite chocolate. He looked damn cute.

"Come on... At least try to act amazed!" He angrily says, with a pout still evident on his face.

"I don't think we have to. We see this everyday. You should do something different. Or you can just pretend that we were all amazed." Katherine says. Never once looking at him.

He mimics Katherine while making a funny face and walks towards Astrid. He doesn't seem to notice her presence. He stops with a wide mouth as he finally sees her sitting on his chair.

He looks between Arthur and Astrid, with his mouth opened wide. It slowly changes to a sly smirk.

"Arthur's got a girl." He says in a flirty tone.

Arthur suddenly chokes on his lemon cake. He hurries to grab a glass of water and drowns it down his throat.

The devil boy was still standing there as he scrutinizes Astrid. She uncomfortably shifts in her seat. A smirk still playing on his thin red lips.

"Wha...what!??" Arthur yells from beside her.

The boy just reacts with a simple laugh.

"I don't mind you bringing over your girlfriend. But, giving her my seat...my beloved seat... Oh it hurts." He pretends to act hurt by Arthur's actions, by clutching his chest and starting to whimper. Katherine shoots him a disgusted look before going back to eat. Everyone around the table ignores the priceless act which is being played by the funny boy.

"Shut up, Harry. It's not funny at all." Arthur says.

"You people are no fun to be with." Harry dramatically signs and walks towards an empty seat across from Astrid. He sits down with a disappointed look on his handsome face. Everyone ignored him. Astrid kind of felt bad for him. He signs or coughs randomly trying to catch everyone's attention at times. But, everyone ignores him except for Arthur, who keeps shooting him daggers with his eyes.

The rest of the meal goes by just like that. Arthur chewing on his lemon cake, the Rosenheim family having a discussion about things that Astrid couldn't understand even after concentrating on every single word, the clinking of spoons and forks and Harry smiling at her every time she accidentally looked at him.

"I hope everyone has a nice day. Arthur, treat our guest nicely and we are going to have a conversation after I get back." With that said, the king-like man rushes out of the huge room. Astrid's eyes followed his strong and tall built, till he was nowhere to be seen.

The maids cleared the table. One by one, everyone left. Now, the table only has Arthur, Astrid, Katherine and Harry seated around. Arthur is drinking a glass of water, while Katherine is busy reading a small book. Harry, who is across from Astrid is carefully examining her every move, with his elbows propped on the table and his head resting on his palm. He doesn't forget to give Arthur a few looks from time to time.

"What!?" Arthur asks, after getting impatient.

"Nothing. Nothing." Harry shakes his head sarcastically. "What's your name?" The question was directed towards Astrid. His eyes holding glitter as he waits for Astrid to open up.

"You don't need to know that." Before Astrid could say anything, Arthur says and stands up.

"Come on...Arthur... Don't be such an ass." Harry whines.

Arthur ignores the other boy and walks towards Katherine, who wasn't paying any attention to anything other than the book in her hands. He whispers something to her and she carefully nods. While the siblings were having a teeny conversation, Harry leans over the table and faces Astrid, with a smile on his face.

"Hey, I'm Harry. And that dumpling... is my cousin." He points at Arthur and starts giggling right after seeing Astrid's amused expression.

"Well, it's your turn." He eagerly look at her.

"Mm... I'm Astrid." She doesn't say anything further.

"Well, hello Astrid." He offers a simple handshake which Astrid gladly takes.

"So when did you two meet?" He asks.

"Um..." She doesn't really know what to say. They actually met just yesterday. But, that is not what she should say. She doesn't even know what she's supposed to say.

"You don't need to know that either." Arthur answers for her, immediately after seeing Astrid struggle with her answer.

Harry lays his head on the table in defeat and pretends to cry. Astrid just stares at the black fluffy blob lying in front of her.

Arthur suppresses a laugh.

"Whatever. Astrid, let's go." He says.

Harry suddenly lifts his head and looks at Arthur with his mouth wide open with excitement.

"To where." He stands before Astrid and looks between them.

"Uh apparently..... You don't need to know that either." Arthur smiles at his cousin's whining.

"Come on....." He says.

"You should be off somewhere to explore like you do all the time. Why are you still here?" Arthur asks after Astrid gets up from her seat.

"We have a guest. And I'm being nice by staying. Okay." Harry replies.

"Yeah yeah whatever." Arthur says and looks at Astrid, who was already looking at him. "Let's go." He tells her and they both walk away from a whining Harry.

Katherine simply laughs at the whining boy and stands to follow them. Harry just stands there and watches them leaving with a small pout.

***