Naila was ready and waited for Luke. She chose to sit in the bedroom while the rest occupied the living room. After sometime she walked to the kitchen to get water.
"Oh yes. I got it. It finally makes sense," Jean said. "I think it's her. I remember now. The reason we are all here," Jean sounded serious. Naila could hear the conversation.
"Do you remember Luke started modeling so he could afford to buy a guitar and attend classes?" Jean asked.
"Oh, yes!" Sean replied. "He said yes to my uncle without hesitation for the money."
"Correct. I remember Luke saying his crush is the lead singer of his college band and he fell for her just like that, seeing her on stage for a inter-college fest. So when the band wanted a lead guitarist, he taught himself music and instrument to share a stage with her. He got in the band too. But sadly she quit the band that year and he didn't get to perform with her. He was so upset, I remember taking him for a drink on that day after the shoot," Jean sounded like she is close with Luke. Naila just stood leaning against the kitchen counter, listening to his secrets.
Her heart pounded louder. She just could not believe what she just heard. 'He had always known me,' she asked herself. 'Are they really talking about me?' She wondered. 'Could it be someone else?' She wondered. She was not sure but she kind of felt it is her since quitting the band sounded like what she did. And the band indeed was in need of a guitarist after her senior brother graduated. Naila inhaled and exhaled rapidly. 'Had he always known me, about me? Why don't I remember anything about him except that he saved he at the beach. Does that mean he saved me because he knew it is me? Does this mean he got me home here because he...?' Naila's was about to explode. She drank the tall glass of water quickly and placed the glass away.
Naila from feeling surprised, her emotions quickly switched to being heartbroken. "I later got to know that she married after college and Luke was upset first then he moved on. I cannot believe they met again," Jean was pretty raw about her thoughts. "Do you think he has gone back to awakening his old feelings? For her? I don't think that would be a great idea since she is married."
"I don't think he will. He is matured enough to know where to keep his limits," Millie replied.
"Luke always has been careful. You know he dated couple of girls," Sean spoke too.
"But nothing lasting more than 8 to 10 momths," Jean stopped them all.
"Because we know how they have been too," Sean replied.
"Luke had ghosted them too," Jean said. "Do you think a woman like someone who is not paying attention to her?"
"But you how packed his schedule is," Sean was on Luke's side.
"But he finds time to come to this remote valley. You should know why, now," Jean was being a savage. "He even convinced Sammy and got himself a small vacation. How? He had never done it before," Jean indeed has a point.
"He had a point. Sammy talked to me about it. Luke's work schedule was packed for a year. He needed break," Sean still supported Luke. "What's wrong with you? Is he your enemy or something?" Sean questioned back.
Millie nodded to it. "I am just stating the fact," Jean shrugged it off.
Naila listened to all of it. She did not know how to step out of the kitchen and face them all.
Luke stepped out of the shower and got dressed quickly. He put on a black sweater. He checked outside and saw it was snowing. He pulled up the sleeves till his elbows and began to set his wet hair. He grabbed his grey trench coat and stepped out. He had picked a silver chain that would go with his sweater with a tiny stoned locket.
He had no idea about the conversations going on in the living room. "Let's go," Luke told everyone searching the room for Naila. They understood immediately. "Where is Naila?" He asked them. They all looked at each other. Luke saw that her room door was open and she is not in there. He walked straight to the kitchen.
He saw her standing there, staring outside the window. He slowly slipped his finger between hers. Naila just smiled. She turned around and looked at their hands and she lifted her head, looking at his concerned face.
She smiled and nodded her head. "I'm fine, let's go," she said.
When the two walked back to the living, everyone sat exchanging looks. Jean flushed red. They looked at Naila who avoided looking at them too. Luke did not notice it.
"Luke let's click some pictures. We have to post something in your socials," Sean distracted everyone. "Matt, being the camera," Sean ordered.
"Oh yes yes," Matt ran to escape from the house immediately. Luke walked to the porch while the three women remained in the living room.
"Did you hear us?" Millie asked. Naila looked at them and just nodded.
"Had Luke ever shared anything with you?" Jean asked this time to which Naila shook her head as her response.
"Can you keep this with you and not tell him till he shares it with you?" Jean pleaded. "Please." Naila nodded again, agreeing to her. "Thanks," Jean thanked her and walked to the porch.
"Sorry about all that," Millie apologised.
"We are not that close," Naila cleared it.
"I understood now," Millie said and stepped out too. Naila locked the house and waited for the team to finish the shoot.
Sean clicked Luke's pictures. Jean handed the transparent umbrella to Luke to hold and pose. "This man never fails to serve the looks," Millie commented. Naila then looked at Luke who indeed looked dangerously handsome. And Luke looked at her at the same time. Naila immediately turned away, looking up at non-existent things and pretending to be busy observing the sky. Luke chuckled. He knew she was gazing at him. He enjoyed it. He liked that she gets shy pretty quickly when he catches her.
"Let's all take a photo together," Luke suggested to keep it normal instead of asking to take his pictures just with Naila. Everyone gathered, standing close to each other. Luke found his way next to Naila, standing closer and holding her shoulder while using his other hand to show the peace out sign. Sean clicked the selfie using his phone.
"Okay, let's go," Jean said and they all walked back to their car parked in the guest parking lot.
"Naila wait," Luke said.
Naila turned around. "Did you take the keys? I did not," he asked.
"I did," she replied. Luke immediately opened the umbrella and held it for them both. The two had no idea Sean was clicking their pictures. The snow, the accidentally coordinated otufits, the background everything just looked too beautiful to be fake.
"I might have an idea," Sean said as he clicked.
"What are you doing? Stop? What if she does not want to be clicked?" Jean asked Sean to stop.
"It looks like something is going on," Sean said. "Just looked a these," he said, showing the photos. "It feels too real, does it not? It feels to real to be fake." And everybody stood there staring and analysing the fake couple's conversation.