"Where's Andrew?" Lara inquired as she mindlessly scrolled through her phone, this time her tone lacking any form of urgency. "I don't know; when I woke up, he was already gone." Kevin replied as he prepared to take his leave. "Where are you going? You're still grounded!" An annoyed click escaped Kevin's lips.
"Mom doesn't know have to know if you keep your lips shut." His back facing Lara, shoes already worn, with the door open. "You'll have to buy my silence for that little brother." Lara was met with a sigh from her younger brother. "Fine, check under my pillow then."
He didn't wait for Lara's response as he took his leave. 'Kevin…' Lara mused as she made her to her little brother's room. 'It's surprisingly clean in here.' Her hand reached under the pillow only to be met with a small stack of cash. 'How did he make this kind of cash? There's no way his job could pay like this?'
The front door opened, revealing Andrew, who had his usual calm face as he was back from his run. The rest of the family had grown accustomed to him randomly leaving without a word. A reprimand came from Clara, but she wasn't around every time to check up on him, and the two siblings didn't care that much to bother with him every time he left.
Lara flinched the moment she saw Andrew at the doorway. "God! Next time say something than just standing there." She shouted, clutching her chest, which heaved in shock. "Apologies, Lara, but could you excuse me? I need to take a shower." Taking off his shirt, Lara was introduced to a well-toned body adorned with scars all over.
"Ah, yeah, I'll be leaving now." Her words followed by a nervous chuckle as she took her leave. "Could you wait for a moment? You wouldn't mind if I took you on a date, right?" Lara paused before a laugh filled the air.
"Andrew, you're the same age as my brother. There's no way that I would go on a date with you." Andrew pressed on. "The date I pictured wasn't meant to be romantic; a walk would suffice." Lara narrowed her eyes, locking onto Andrew's figure.
As of late, he had grown slightly more open with his mind, but the veil of silence always clung to his presence akin to a parasite. "I… guess going out for some fresh air wouldn't be that bad. I'll be ready in an hour. And next time don't call it a date; a walk will do."
. . .
Lara walked out of her room, now wearing a white tee shirt which seemed to swallow her whole, dark high-waisted jeans and clean white sneakers, all wrapped up in a dark wash oversized blazer. "Well… how do I look?" She inquired, making a light twirl. "Not bad." His words shattered her earlier smile. "You're terrible at complimenting women. I guess you really are Kevin's best friend.'
Andrew was donning regular blue jeans coupled with a charcoal shirt and a black blazer that gave him a professional look. "I guess you don't have bad taste yourself, but when did you buy this?" Aware of Kevin's dress choices, this wasn't something that would be in his closet.
"I bought it."
Before she could ask any further, he gestured at the door for her, making her drop her question, and the two began their walk. With Andrew being taller than Lara, to the outside world, the two had something going on. "You rented a car for this?" Lara asked as Andrew opened the door for her. "It was fitting for the occasion." Andrew mused as he made his way to the driver's seat and brought the car to life.
'When did he know how to drive?' Lara narrowed her brows as the car, a chic matte black beauty, melted into the road and sped away. 'Seriously where did he get the money to rent something like this? It doesn't look cheap at all.' Lara's thoughts went wild as she stared at Andrew.
At first, she had thought that it would have been something regular, a walk to the park, but the two kept on speeding into the city. "Wait! You didn't tell me it would be this!" She looked at the city that sped past them. With how Andrew was driving, it would seem that he had already planned the entire day.
"There's no need for you to be so tense; after all, I'll be there if it's too much for you." Andrew's words, meant to be comforting, felt like belittling to Lara. "It's not that I am scared, but if you had told me we would go to the city, I would have worn something more fitting." The car slowed down as they came to a restaurant. At a glance, she could tell it was highly exclusive.
The two stepped out and, handing the keys to the valet, they walked in. "Andrew Grayson and Lara Grale." Andrew chatted to the host, who quickly scanned through his book. "Ah yes, the suite reserved. Please follow me." The pair followed the host into the elevator. "Okay, seriously, where did you get the money for all of this?"
Lara whispered as the elevator came to its destination. Gesturing to the room, which was vast, walls adorned with babble, with a view overlooking the city and a balcony. The table was rich with meals and more. "Dear." Andrew cooed as the two walked out of the elevator, giving them some room. "Okay, Andrew, out with it. How did you get the money for all of this?" Lara, breaking away from his hand, asked, adamant that she would only move once her curiosities were quelled.
Andrew, however, kept on walking before taking a seat and gestured at the chair opposite him. "I'll explain if you take a seat." Lara didn't budge, Andrew didn't insist as he poured himself a glass of wine. His ease belonged to someone who was used to and bored with such a life. "During the warehouses and the games, when I emerged victorious, I was given a substantial amount of money, and I thought it would be best to share it with the rest of you."
'So that's how Kevin had so much money on him.' Lara's thoughts clicked, recalling the money under Kevin's pillow. "As much as I understand your intentions, don't you think that using that money would draw too much attention? After all, we still don't know who the people who kidnapped you are." Andrew sipped away, Lara's words appearing noise to him as he kept his blank expression.
"I'm not forcing you to take a seat; after all, we don't have to do any of this. We could leave." Lara's jaw tightened as she made her way to the chair. "I didn't say that I didn't want to enjoy this; I just want you to be safe with how you spend your money, is all." Lara's tone softened as she looked at Andrew.
"Understood." His reply was short as he rose to his feet and grabbed the knife. Lara, initially creeped out, calmed down once she saw him cut a piece of succulent meat prepared for the two. "Bon appetite." The plate clattered on the table as Andrew served Lara. Forcing herself to take a bite, Lara's face of apprehension was replaced with ecstasy. "This…this is superb." She mumbled as she took greedy bites out of her meal.
Andrew dug in as well, his motions a stark contrast to Lara's. His fitting and refined while Lara seemed akin to a child compared to him. After they were done, they washed it down with a glass of wine. Lara looked at the scene in front of her, still unbelieving of what she was experiencing at the moment. 'I guess this isn't so bad; however...'
Andrew wordlessly rose to his feet and helped her get out of her chair, and made his way to the balcony, wine in hand, half empty. Lara approached him with soft, uneasy steps. "As much as I appreciate all you're doing for me, I want to make this clear, Andrew. We can't be in a relationship. It'll be weird for both of us." The silence filled the air, Lara unsure of Andrew's response.
'Is he going to be mad or not?' she couldn't help but wonder. "Of course, I wasn't intending to have you fall for me, Lara. You have a boyfriend after all." A pause filled with the sip of his wine. Besides, I consider this gratitude for being there." Lara faced Andrew's back, his charcoal hair swaying slightly in the wind.
She made her way and leaned next to him on the glass railing; beneath them, people could be seen milling about, and around them skyscrapers pierced the sky. Lara took a heavy sigh, her mind etching the moment. "Here, for you." Andrew fished into his blazer and pulled out a brand-new phone.
"I…thanks, Andrew." Her words, laced with stutters, as she carefully opened the box. 'I can't believe it, the latest design by Markle. A high-end smartphone she was used to seeing on television. Something I didn't think I would ever get to see, let alone touch one.' Turning it on, a smile subconsciously formed on her lips before shifting her gaze back to Andrew, who was done with his drink.
"I'm glad you love it because we have many more spots we have to go to." Making his way back inside, Lara could only follow him, and the two shortly left the restaurant. The day quickly passed by, the two exploring the city. Be it high-end malls where Lara bought everything that caught her eye or funfair rides. The two playing carnival games, Andrew's form was on point with each game he played to the point Lara thought he was cheating.
Before she knew it, the day was gone and nighttime was already setting in. "We have one more spot I was planning to go to before we head back home." Andrew said as the two began a drive to the outskirts of the city. Lara was unsure of what he had planned as the car came to a stop on top of the hill near the observatory. It wasn't just their car alone, but others as well, waiting for something.
Just as she was about to ask why, her eyes answered her question. The clear night sky was painted with fireworks, bathing the land in their brilliance. Left speechless, Lara's eyes shimmered at the sight of it all, while Andrew watched it, his face still as ever. The fireworks went on before the names showed, one of them being Lara's.
She looked to the side to see Andrew, his hands resting on the wheel and his focus on the fireworks. She had thought that his words back at the restaurant would be a lie of him not making any moves on her, and as the day went on; he didn't overstep his boundaries. He entertained her, yes, but lacking the intimacy a lover would have, which inwardly pleased Lara, as she thought she would be pestered throughout the entire experience with his attempts at courting.
"Thanks a lot, Andrew. You really are a good friend," Andrew shifted back to Lara, his words keeping his monotone edge. "Of course, Lara." She had thought that after all they had gone through, he would have shown some slight change, but he remained as enigmatic as ever. The two stayed for a while before the fireworks ended.
The car sped back home; the back filled with bags from Lara's purchases, and at the front, Lara, who was now asleep, and Andrew focused on the road. As they approached closer and closer, he would occasionally take peeks at Lara, with his mind elsewhere. His half lid obsidian eyes that would light up from the golden glare of the streetlights, looking at her with no intent, akin to looking at a cup he had seen daily. Something innocuous to forget.