Chapter 4

Annalise P.O.V

God ! I wanted to scream in his face. He was such an improper gentleman. No there was nothing gentle about him aside that he had really good looking eyes and wonderful set of teeth. They were white and perfectly set and I studied him in silence.

Why on earth would he even think that I would want to run away if I went out shopping with Linny?

Thought of this made me think about going to find Linny. if he wasn't going to tell me where she was , I thought it was best for me to discover that on my own.

The house was huge and as for the man who brought me here from my house, I didn't see him anywhere here.

I knocked on the door to Linny's bedroom and she came to answer it with a lit cigarette in her hand. " What is it?" she demanded.

I didn't know what to say. Firstly because I had never seen a female smoker in my entire life. Secondly it was because I had no clue on what his name was. "The er.. Mr.. , he asked me to come meet you to find out what stuff I would be needing when you went shopping tomorrow"

Linny looked at me hesitantly for a while before asking me to come in.

Her room wasn't anything like mine. The furniture was well set and arranged to great taste. She put out the cigarette and didn't light another one.

Turning around , she faced me " What?" she demanded. I hadn't been aware that I had been staring at her like I had seen a ghost at the front of my porch . "You look like you have never seen a smoker in your life. Girl loosen up a little bit!"

Linny showed me to a chair that was just close to the window. The gentle breeze came in and I shivvered. "Step back if you can't handle the breeze" she said. But it was the breeze that was my concern at that point. It was the man I saw emerging from the pool in that cool night. How could someone dare this weather and do something this silly, I wondered.

"Don't let that bother you sweetheart". Linny said.

It was obvious that she had been watching me. I moved away from the window and Linny kept talking about him. "From what I see you don't even know his name. don't let his looks fool you. Take that as my advice."

I didn't understand where she was heading "What do you mean?". I asked.

Linny looked at me like she had been expecting me to ask the question years ago.

" Mr Damian isn't the type of guy a girl should get involved with. I know you're here for a reason, I don't know that reason but if you ask me I'll say stay far away from him as you possibly can."

How could I stay far away from Damian.

"You need new clothes . this wouldn't do and also I'll look into your room arrangements. Everything happened suddenly but arrangements will be made. I suggest you go to bed now. I need to sleep and Mr Damian could be here any moment"

Linny finished with me and I made my wasy back to my room . After getting lost twice on finding my way , I met him on the way to Linny's bedroom. She wasn't lying at all.

"Why aren't you in your room?" He demanded

I didn't know what to say. My tongue betrayed me.

"I asked you a question" He said Sizing me up from head to toe. I had never felt more exposed in my entire life.

" I uh , I had to go ask Linny about the stuff you said I needed" I replied finally finding my voice.

it was so humiliating that I bit on my lower lip.

He observed me for a moment " Your'e lost aren't you?" He asked with a hint of humor in his voice.

He was right and he knew it but he didn't wait for my response.

"Why don't you just go back the way you came and then make a left turn?" He asked and that was it.

I listened to him and did as he had instructed me to do. It was his house after all. My room seemed empty as I lay on the bed comparing it with Linny's bedroom. Hers was fully decorated but again who was I to compare myself with someone else. What was I if not just a debt repayment. All I could think about there and then were how my siblings were faring. My father had been a heavy smoker and an alcoholic while mother was the complete opposite. She was just an unhappy married woman who life left no choice but unhappiness.

I was glad at last when I felt like sleeping. Sleep came and my troubles seemed over for about another day