Chapter 3: The Stranger

Azalea Johnson’s POV

So, the last thing I remembered was that I was drowning to death in the indoor swimming pool at the recreational center. I should have known that I was not a good swimmer but I dared to go to the 10 feet deep pool anyway.

I stirred in my sleep as I was not still aware that I was in the water. But something felt under my hands. Something soft and fluffy. also, there was something under my cheek as I turned and tossed around. I opened my eyes, panic to see that I was in a bed in the strange room that I don’t even know where I was.

I got out of bed as I was looking around the bed and I know that I was dead. The bed was so much nicer than the one I used to sleep in. I looked around. The window was streaming with lights from the sun. the wardrobe was on the other side of the room. There was a door that leads to a bathroom, I assumed. I was sitting up in bed as I looked down on myself.

thankfully, I was fully clothed but unfortunately, I don’t even know when I changed and whose pajamas were these. Panic was rising inside my gut as I was trying to think about what to do next. I was hoping something would help clear my mind but apparently, nothing came up at all. I gritted my teeth as I just noticed the handle of the door was rattling.

I was scared that someone that had kidnapped me and when the door was opened, I knew that I was staring for too long. His body was lean and muscular, not too bulky if you asked me. His hair was black as midnight or like the depth of the ocean. I cannot tell which one was which. Then, when he turned to look at me. I drew a sharp breath.

his eyes were so deep like the ocean that I cannot help but be mesmerized by it. It took everything in me not to go to where he stood and brushed my fingertips against his high cheekbones like an aristocrat, his straight nose, and his pink, full, kissable lips. I involuntarily licked my lower lips. He cleared his throat and I blushed as he caught me staring.

“I brought you some breakfast. I don’t know what you like but I have sausages, bacon, omelet, and French fries. Do you take orange juice or coffee?” He asked me as he set the tray on the night table. My mouth waters at the sight of food.

“coffee, if it’s not too much for you,” I said timidly as I don’t know who he was. I might need to be careful. He might be a serial killer.

“Alright then, coffee it is,” he said before pouring some black coffee into a cup. He handed it to me as I took it. My fingertips brushed his and instantly, sparks fly.

“thank you,” I said as I took the coffee. And while I was so distracted by his beautiful presence, I went to drink the coffee and instantly burned my tongue. Can I humiliate myself even more?

“ow,” I said as I was staggering in my seat as the hot coffee trickled my hands.

“shoot,” I hissed before the stranger took my cup and put it down on the table. He then dragged me to the door beside the bed. bingo! The bathroom. He went to the sink and pulled the faucet to make it cold water. He put my hands under it as he holds it still there.

“do you always this clumsy?” He asked in amusement. I don’t know what to say so I just stayed quiet. I can feel my face was hot as I blushed at his comment.

“there, all better,” he said as he was applying some ailment after we get out of the bathroom. I was sitting in the bed as he wrapped my hands with a bandage.

“does it hurt? Thank god it was not third-degree burn,” he said as he wrapped the bandage. I was silent as I looked at my hands. I don’t want to look at his face right now. Not in this proximity anyway.

“what’s your name?” He asked me. I blinked.

“huh?” I asked him as I moved to look at him. He was looking at me.

“what’s your name?” He repeated. I blinked a few more before I answered him.

“Azalea Johnson,” I mumbled.

“my name is Alexander. you can just call Alex,” he said as he gave out his hand to shake with mine. I took his hand and sparks flew everywhere. I did not stay long as I withdrew my hands as quickly as I shook his. He chuckled.

“so, what did you do inside the pool so late at night?” He asked me as he was clearing the first aid kit. I was too contemplated to answer him fluently. I stammered.

“I… I thought it would be a good…time to go swimming?” I said. He looked briefly at me before he smiled. Something stirred inside me.

“Well, consider you’re lucky. You almost drowned, thank god I saw you and went inside,” he said as he went to the bathroom to store the first aid kit. I released the breath that I don’t even know I was holding.

“so, can I drop you somewhere?” He said as he emerged from the bathroom. I stood up from the bed as I was still in his bedroom. I tried to answer him before he went and told me to eat the breakfast that he made.

“eat your breakfast. then, we can go to your house,” he said before smiling and left me inside the bedroom again. For the first time in my life, I just wanted the floor to swallow me whole and never to appear again.

After I ate my breakfast and Alex gave me some spare clothes of his, I went to take a shower inside his bathroom of the master bedroom. I felt like I had been living here for quite some time.

the shampoo and the body wash was inside the bathtub as I went to shower under the warm water against my skin. It felt nice considered that I must have gone to bed with chlorine water stick to my body. ugh! So much for being graceful.

after I showered, I went to change the clothes. Alex gave me an overlarge T-shirt and a black man's denim. It looked big on me but I guess I can’t complain about my situation.

I went out of the bathroom and I wasn’t sure where to put the pajama. Alex was nowhere to be found. I sighed before I wanted to get out of the bedroom, he emerged from outside.

“ready? oh, let me take that from you,” he said as he took the dirty clothes and disappeared again. I went out of the room and was shocked to see that I was in the penthouse. 

Everything was spotless as the theme of his house was mostly, well, water. I can see paintings of water were glistening in their stand as if they were very precious. There was a big white piano in the corner. There was a kitchen but it was hidden so I don’t dare to venture more than I should be.

“ready?” Alex emerged from behind that made me startled.

“Jesus, can you not scare me like that?” I asked him as I was holding to my chest. He smiled shyly.

“Sorry, come on, I drive,” he said as he dragged me out of the, his, penthouse and went to the garage.

Alexander MacWatters’ POV

“Hello mum,” I said bored as I was preparing breakfast for my guest in my bedroom.

“Alex, have you gave your answer to the McAllen?” My mum asked me. I rolled my eyes as I put the sausages onto the plate that also I have cooked bacon and French toast. I sighed at her.

“I don’t know mum. Don’t you think I deserved to be happy with my bride?” I asked her as I set the coffee in the pot onto the tray. I hoped she liked coffee.

“you have been searching for it since you were 21 years old, Alex. You’re almost thirty. Don’t you think it was time for desperate measure?” My mum said as I was holding to the phone as I leaned onto the counter.

“I found someone,” I blurted out without thinking.

“really? Who is she? Is she nice? Please tell me details, Alex. We need details,” my mum said inside the phone. I squeezed my eyes shut as I don’t know what to say anymore.

“she’s shy and she said that she wasn’t ready,” I said as I tried to get out of this conversation.

“oh my, she’s shy. That’s not your type, Alex,” my mum said slyly. I rubbed my temples before I looked at the cold breakfast.

“I need to go, I have a class to prepare. bye,” I said.

“But, what about—“ I ended the call and put it on the counter. I was drumming my fingers as I looked at the breakfast.

“I found someone, what a joke,” I said before I went to the bedroom with the breakfast tray. I think that words might bite me back one day.