Trespassing

Chapter 22

Today makes it the fourth day since the day she called Mia and ever since then they have been chatting online, with her not revealing her hideout. Mia, being not the too poky type decided not to pester her, as she awaits the day they will see physically. She vowed to beat the hell out of Ariel for keeping her location a secret from her, of which she will find out at all cost.

Ariel laughs off her threat calling it nothing but a fling.   

Ever since Axel came back home looking cold, and after that weird dinner they had; she hasn’t really been coming in contact with him. It’s either she wakes up to see him going out, or perhaps out already or go to bed before his arrival.

And anytime she got the opportunity to see him at close contact, they only greet and nothing more. He is trying his best to stay away from her and she; the same. Sometimes she feels like he needed company or someone to chat with, but wouldn’t wanna admit it. 

He never smiles when he is around her, and she wonders why he hates her so much. Or perhaps he just doesn’t wanna get along with any girl; but he does talk with other girls. She could clearly remember the get-together night with Aiden and his friends; the triple girls were also present.

She glances at the stairs that leads to his room, and felt tempted to climb up and head for it. He locks himself in it whenever he is alone; either playing his keyboard or doing something else.

Today, she decided to wake up very early just to make breakfast herself. It’s been a while she ate her food, and she miss her cooking so much.

Getting to the Kitchen, she met few maids, doing their cleaning chores.

“Thank God they haven’t made breakfast yet” She muttered, stepping into the big and spacious kitchen.

The cabinets were classic, as the ties glittered from the reflection of the electrical light. The maids really did a good job in making it sparkle.

They bowed to greet her on sighting as she softly responded to their greetings. She signaled to one of them, who left her chores to attend to her.

“You called me ma’am” The maid muttered softly

“Yea…erm…what are we having for breakfast today”

“Just erm..French toast, coffee and some piece of fries and a hot chicken soup” She noted

Ariel nodded taking note of each word that spurt out of her mouth.

“Ok, the thing is..I wanna make breakfast today, I really miss cooking”

The maid gasp lowly

“Erm…we can’t let you do that ma’am. Boss gave us strict others not to let you do any work, being a visitor..we are here to serve you miss” Ariel busted into laughter.

“Come on..it’s not work….cooking isn’t stressful. Just for today..okay…trust me, Axel won’t find out about it. And what if he finds out; he’s never gonna do anything about it…hunn” She snickered, moving away from her. But the maid stopped her, shaking her head at her. She couldn’t clearly read her expression, but she felt something was wrong.

She could sense another presence staring at her, apart from that of the maid. Turning swiftly to look at the fellow, she saw him sitting at a far end, close to a cabinet. He was still putting on his pajamas, with a cup of hot coffee steaming out vapour from it, in his hand.

His hair, ruffled on his head, fell free on his face, giving him this bad boy look; as their eyes locked. She gasp, noticing that he had been staring at them all along; and perhaps heard what she said, but didn’t give a damn. Instead she went closer and stood before him

“Good morning…” She muttered feebly

“Morning…” He replied…taking a sip from the cup, with his eyes still boring hole into hers. This made her feel uncomfortable. Can he just look somewhere else for once? And what is he doing down here by this time, it’s just 6:00 in the morning”

“Erm…I…actually…wait..why are you down here this early” She shuttered. He stared puzzled at her, squinting a little

“What do you mean?” He snorted after a few silence

“Well……you should be in bed now….you know…” She snickered

“Huh…” He scoffs

“Are you trying to tell me when to be in bed and when I should be awake? I thought this is my house and I can decide to wake up any time I want to”

“Don’t get me wrong…I was just asking though…and just a bit of concern” she shrug, going towards the sink

“And what are you doing here” He asked gruffly

“I wanna make breakfast…you gat any problem with that” she said, washing her hands and mopping it with a napkin

“Huffnn, look here girl…just watch the way you speak with me…I don’t want to lose it with you okay” He gruff. She rolled her eyes a bit, but he was oblivious of it.

“But I didn’t say anything wrong…just wanna know your mind about me cooking”

“Then you need to ask it in a respectful way…this is my house and I can kick you out of here any minute”

“Oh gosh…..” she exhaled

“Fine…I’m sorry for speaking that way….but can I cook now”

“The cook will prepare my food, suit yourself, but don’t mess up things” He muttered coldly, standing on his feet and headed out

“Huh… The cook will prepare my food, suit yourself, but don’t mess up things” She mimicked his last words

“He is just too rude and arrogant” she scoffs

~~~~~

She succeeded in making her breakfast, while the chief cook prepared that of Axel. Well, she wished she could make breakfast for both, but he gave them strict warning not to let her tamper with his meal. No doubt, hers taste better, even the maids acknowledged it. But that dumbass won’t wanna have a taste.

After freshening up, she hurried down to the dinning room to fill her stomach. The maids did a great joy already setting the table before her arrival. She dug into the chicken soup, inhaling the mesmerizing flavor steaming out of it. She kept waiting for Axel to stride down from the stairs to have his meal, but it seems he had been served in his room.

“Huh…idiot” she mumbled

Finishing her meal wasn’t a great deal, she picked up her phone, slumping on one of the couch in the living room; as she punch in some keys on the G****e app. Life hasn’t been that interesting in Axel’s house, like that of Aiden’s or the Mansion. Though, she has been attending online lectures, and subsequently been, doing live video calls with Mia and Aiden. But those haven’t still ease this sudden boredom erupting.

The few moments she spent arguing with Axel most times, ease that odd feelings, and she wished she had more of those moments, even if it’s not actually a good conversation.

Still engross in her phone, she heard the entrance door open with a glossy figure stepping in. A young man, perhaps in his mid-twenties, looking stunning in his lustrous tuxedo, a fancy cover shoe, perfect sets of eye glasses, with his dark hair perm backward, giving him this finicky look.

In walked in, holding a small brief case, punching into his Ipad as their eyes met. He stiffens for a moment before regaining his self.

“Hi—good day” He muttered quietly

“Good morning….sir” She replied, not wanting to sound rude, like Axel do say. She gave him this ‘who are you’ look, making him chuckle

“Oh…I actually came to see Axel…I’m his manager. My name is Karl” He garbled with a lingering smile across his face, offering a handshake

“I’m Ariel….his…erm…” She paused not knowing what to say. Perhaps to call Axel her friend or, what relationship do they even have. She decided not to say more, but receive the handshake

“It’s an honour to meet your manager Karl” She shuttered with a weary smile

“The pleasure is mine. To be honest with you damsel, I haven’t come across a lady as stunning, gorgeous and beautiful as you are. Are you from heaven? ” Karl asked in his sweetest voice, as his hand gently caress her hand, not letting go of it, even when she seem to be uncomfortable. She laughed sweetly at his funny remark.

One thing about Karl is that, he is always free with anyone he comes across, not minding if the person is a stranger or not. And one more thing is that, he flirts a lot. One won’t notice due to the way he dresses; more like a gentleman. But deep within those dresses is a freaking flirt, who used the opportunity of being close to Axel to win the heart of many girls, who are ready to sacrifice anything just to have a night with Zel. But his jovial character is what still made him retain his post; whereas, he is also hardworking, totally different from other managers that had worked with Axel.

Axel walk down the stair case and they immediately disengage their hands, after they heard him cleared his throat. He glance an expressionless look at Ariel, before directing his gaze to Karl.

“Oh..boss is here…I need to go now. See you later” Karl winked at Ariel. She blushed slightly, making Axel scoff. She frown making Karl chuckle; he totally understand the reason behind that scoff

Not wasting much time, they screw through Axel’s schedule for the week and headed out; not without Karl blowing a kiss at Ariel, and receiving a friendly smack from Axel.

~~~~~

Few hours after they left, Ariel starting feeling bored. She really missed Josephine and Granny Naomi; though she is always at loggerheads with Josephine, but she missed those moments. If she should e here, she won’t have been this bored. Most especially, she missed Elsa and the mansion, she wonder how she is faring now, and hope Mr. Shaw isn’t getting too harsh on his wife.

She finally got a plan to kill the boredom. Taking a stroll round the house won’t bad, since she can’t go out for safety reasons. She succeeded on her little tour, but got stressed out, after walking for more than an hour. No doubt, Axel’s house is almost a mansion when it comes to the width of the landscaped.

 She felt excited, opening each of the other rooms that were not occupied yet; scrutinizing the layout with ecstasy, until it remains that of Axel.

He had actually warned her not to by-pass her boundary to his, but this strange force is always pulling her legs towards his room, and anytime she tried climbing up the stair, she will have a change of mind. But this time seem different, she is already at the door post, turning open the knob, and surprisingly, it wasn’t locked.

“How does his room looks like” she thought going in further, as its beauty slams her face. Her eyes widen with surprise as at how a guy’s room will look so clean, perfect and sparkling neat as this. The structure was done by a perfect architect, who perhaps might know his taste. His soft and fluffy bed, lay just in the middle of the room, with some fashionable furniture lingering in a semi-circle form, set in a perfect accord.

A well designed piano, just at the extreme of the room, with a glisten guitar, hanging on the wall added to the room’s mesmerizing look. Other musical instrument could be found, but she couldn’t name them all as her focus was actually on a piece of painting made on a carved flat-surface glass; more like a glass frame. The frame was placed on his reading table as she goes closer to have a better look, ; her warm feet kissing the cold ties on the floor, making her shiver a bit.

She held the frame firmly in her hands and bore holes with her eyes into that of the lady in the picture. She looks so young and very beautiful. A small dot could be seen just above her upper lip; perhaps a birth mark, she assumes. But something caught her attention, and that is her facial look. She seems to be someone she had seen somewhere, or is her mind playing tricks on her. Still in her engross thoughts, she heard the door cracked open as a figure steps in. Jerking back to the world of reality, she turned swiftly to see who entered, but her leg clumsily collides with a foot stool, making her slip.

The glass frame slip off her hand in a second, landing on the cold and hard floor as it made a loud crashing sound. The glass splattered on the floor, spreading round to create an orbit in the center of the room.

“Harggg” she gasp in fright.