Chapter 1: Meeting Mr Handsome

“Hey little thief.”

A hoarse voice burst through her salient thoughts from behind, jolting her back to her surroundings and she quickly turned around to behold the owner of the voice that startled her.

Recollecting her action just now, a gasp escaped her lips as she quickly tucked the little rabbit behind her back. Her cheeks heats up with a blush as she fixes her glasses, her hair tresses scattered loosely over her face.

She could hear his amused chuckles as he watched her struggle to hide the stuffed plush toy rabbit behind her.

‘Oh God this is embarrassing’ She thought as she retreated gradually till she felt her back pressing on the hard pole, looking down at her feet in embarrassment.

She could feel his eyes on her, studying her until she couldn’t take it anymore and snapped her eyes to his. Those blue eyes had her sucking in a breath and she gushed slightly.

But it wasn’t just his eyes that made her heart flutter, it was the steady and well built body that looks like a work of art.

Her face turned crimson red when she slowly brought her eyes back to his face. She felt like had just been sucker-punched in the gut when his eyes fell on her.

His hair was black and inky which made the blueness of his eyes pop even more. She slowly trails down to his nose and marveled at how studded it is, and then down to his pink lips.

Gazing steadily at the handsome figure before her, she couldn’t help but imagine that if her big brother was at least half as handsome, how proud she would be to flaunt him.

‘Ohh how I wish my brother, Caspian, is the owner of this handsome face. Or better yet, have this handsome guy here as my brother instead’. She thought.

Bemused by the little girl’s wandering thoughts, he chuckled over her flushed but seemingly exaggerated look. His blue eyes flicker to the plush toy hidden behind her and a twinkle of mischief passes through his striking blue eyes.

“What are you doing here?”

Before she could answer him, he took two steps forward, bent over and peered deeply into her face.

“If you really love that toy rabbit, then you can keep it,” he said, smiling sheepishly at her.

Her face brightened up as soon as she heard this.

“Really? Can I really keep the little rabbit?” She queried, batting her eyelid profusely like a petty thief caught in the act, with an unsure smile plastered on her face. She tugged slightly at the hem of her uniform to further strengthen her act.

“Of course.” He smirked, flashing his white pearly teeth that shone radiantly. “If I say you can have it, you can. Be sure to treasure it because that’s my closest buddy, but I’m giving it to you now.”

He stretched out his hand and rubbed her soft curly hair before gently tucking the tresses that slightly covered her eyes behind her ear.

Feeling elated, she sprinted into the house with the little rabbit in hand, excitement written all over her.

On entering her room, she walked to the left corner of her bed and laid the little rabbit on the bed, then gently tucked it into the duvets.

When this little exercise was done, she smiled at herself then proceeded to change out of her school uniform. Her mother’s melodic voice could be heard from the dining area beckoning on her to come down for dinner.

“Ariadne, hurry to your brother’s room and invite him down for dinner”

Ariadne Bardell is her name, she’s the second child of the Bardell’s family, her parents being Maverick and Daisy Bardell. Her family can not be passed off as excessively rich, but they can afford to provide a great living for Ariadne, her elder brother Caspian and her baby brother Dylan. Their little family of five shared a fondness that elicited envy among the residents in their small community.

“Caspian is back?” She gasped.

Thrilled by this great news, Ariadne Bardell, the bubbly twelve-year-old girl with slightly curled chestnut colored hair and bright hazel eyes, sprinted up the stairs and dashed into the room with dark grey interior decor.

It was a crisp autumn evening, and the aroma of her mother's homemade lasagna wafted through the air, beckoning her to the dining room.

The aroma of the dish infiltrated into her nostrils and she wondered why her mother always spares cooking it except when her brother would be home.

As she approached her elder brother Caspian’s room, Ariadne's steps slowed. She waited in front of the door for a few minutes before rapping gently on the door, her small hand forming a rhythmic pattern against the wooden surface.

The door creaked open, revealing Caspian, a lanky twenty-two-year-old with tousled brown hair, standing in front of his wardrobe with a mischievous grin on her face. He wore a faded band t-shirt and held a pile of clothes in his hands.

At the first sight of her dearest big brother, she flew into his arms for a hug, nearly pulling him down with her weight.

“I missed you Caspian. It’s been long since you came home.” She exasperated, snapping her little fingers to recount his last visit to the family home.

“Come on, my dearest baby sis, you know I will always miss you dearly.” He reiterated, flashing his usual cheeky grin. He grasped her tightly to his bosom for a long while, as if he was scared of someone snatching her away from him.

“Uhmm….. Caspian, guess what?" she exclaimed, her voice brimming with excitement. "Mum made your favorite lasagna tonight!"

Caspian’s face lit up at the mention of his beloved dish.

"Lasagna? You know that's my weakness, Ari," he chuckled, stepping out of his room and closing the door behind him. "I'll be right down."

Ariadne bounced on her heels, barely able to contain her enthusiasm.

“That's not all!" she blurted out, unable to keep the secret any longer. "I think I heard you on the phone earlier. Are you having a friend over for dinner?"

Caspian’s eyes widened, surprise flickering across his face. "Oh, that?" he stammered, his cheeks turning slightly pink.

"Well, yes, actually. I didn't expect you to hear that."

Ariadne beamed. Having piqued her curiosity, she tugged shyly at hisT-shirt, "Who is it,Caspian? Is it a girl? Is she pretty?"

Caspian’s laughter filled the hallway, amused at Ariadne’s coyly act. She always puts up such displays whenever she wants to get something out of him.

He thought she looked cute whenever she behaved that way so he would always give in to her. He turned to gaze at her and peered into her curious face, "No, Ari, it's not a girl," he reassured her, ruffling her hair affectionately.

His disheveled brown hair matched his tired eyes, but a smile slowly crept into his face upon seeing he noticed that she had switched back into her innocent look.

"It's my friend from university, Denver. He's in town for a few days, and I invited him over. We thought it would be nice for him to meet the family."

Ariadne's eyes widened in curiosity. University seemed like a place where people gain a reasonable amount of freedom, judging by how rare her brother returns home. She had only seen some snippets of Caspian’s university life through their occasional video chats.

As they made their way downstairs, Ariadne flipped her hair, bouncing it with each step, with a ton of questions on her mind.

‘What would Caspian’s friend look like? Would he have exciting stories to share?’ Curiosity queued in her mind and she couldn't wait to find out.

The dining room table was already set with the finest cutlery and dish set. Their mother, Mrs. Bardell stood at the head of the table, with a wide ceramic spatula in her hand as she served the food while plastering a wide smile on her face.

Her eyes twinkled with delight when she noticed the salivating looks on Caspian and Ariadne as they approach the diner.

"Caspian, dear, you made it just in time," Mrs. Bardell exclaimed, her voice filled with motherly affection.

"And who is this young man you invited? He came in shortly after Ariadne returned from school and went up to your room"

“Oh, here’s my mom, Mrs. Bardell. My dad is not home from work yet”. Turning towards Ariadne, he continued.

"That’s my little sister, Ariadne. And this," he paused, gesturing at the visitor.

“He’s Denver Wesley, my friend from the university”

Ariadne's gaze traveled from Caspian to Denver, her gaze met with a pair of captivating eyes,framed by a face that exuded warmth and charm.

Her heart skipped a beat, and her breath caught in her throat. She stood there, mesmerized, as her eyes met Denver’s handsome face.

‘Wait….. this face looks familiar’. She was dumbstruck the next minute as she quickly recollected his face.

It was the same young man she had met earlier outside their house - a chance encounter that had left her mesmerized.

For a moment, the world seemed to fade away, and Ariadne found herself lost in the depths of Denver’s gaze.

She stared at his perfect jawline and the confident way he carried himself. His features were etched in her memory, and now, standing before her, he seemed even more captivating.

‘This is my second time, staring into his face like this. How I wish time could pause for a minute, allowing me to stare longer at this face absorbing its beauty’. She thought.

She felt a rush of warmth spread across her cheeks as she struggled to regain her composure. Denver stared at her and quickly recognized her from the first encounter some minutes ago.

Ariadne snapped out of her daze, realizing that she was still staring. She blushed, feeling her cheeks grow warm, and quickly averted her gaze to the floor. Her heart raced with a mixture of excitement and embarrassment, unsure of how to compose herself.

Denver, who had been observing Ariadne with a smirk playing onhis lips, noticed her reaction. Stepping forward, he extended a hand towards her. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ariadne," he said, his voice gentle and reassuring.

Ariadne glanced up, her cheeks still flushed, and shyly took Denver’s hand into hers, clasping it tightly, her heart fluttering in her chest.

The touch sent a jolt of electricity through her, and she felt a surge of warmth spread throughout her body. She couldn't help but admire his handsomeness, feeling a strange connection that transcended mere acquaintance.

"The pleasure is all mine," she finally managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper.

As Caspian watched the interaction unfold, he couldn't help but chuckle over her calm demeanor. He wondered where her usual bubbly and troublesome character disappeared to.

He was initially worried that she will spike trouble again today and had hoped for his sister and his friend to get along, but he had not expected the unusual calmness she was exhibiting today.

‘That’s quite unlike her though. But I guess it’s not a bad thing after all’

Throughout the evening, Ariadne found herself stealing glances at Denver, captivated by his wit, intelligence, and undeniable charm. His matured demeanor and poise further captivated her.

‘Although he’s similar age with my brother, he’s more stunning and witty than Caspian’, she thought.

Unbeknownst to Ariadne, Denver too had been stealing glances at her because he found her astonished look interesting.

Meanwhile, she sat there with her gaze fixed on Denver’s captivating face and kept on imagining just how great it would be to have a brother with such a handsome look like Denver.

Shortly after dinner, Caspian and his friend grabbed their bags and announced their departure. “We are leaving now.”

Ariadne tailed behind them till they got to the house gate, she finally summoned her courage and questioned Denver, “when can I see you again?”

He looked at her and smiled, her messy hair scattered on her face made him want to lean in and touch it so badly. He bit his lower lips to prevent himself from blushing. “Next time”

“When is the next time?” She asked again in hopes of a more clarified response.

He grinned, but remained mum. Having said nothing, he leisurely walked out of the house with Caspian.

‘Oops! Could have been better if I was able to get his phone number’. She thought as she fumbled her phone between her fingers.

However, she tilted her head down in regret soon after that thought.