Alec Xander

- 17 Years Earlier -

"Who are you?" She asks.

She wear a short-sleeve navy blue floral print dress with a clean pink canvas shoes, her loose brown hair is long almost touched her waist. From her appearance, she is clearly not a maid's child.

When I didn't answer her, she introduced herself first. "My name is Clara Anastasia and I am eight years old."

She looks at me like it is my turn to introduce myself.

"My mother works here.. I'm…"

I'm about to tell her my name when suddenly someone is shouting her name from a distance.

"Claraaa.. Where are you? I'm cominggg.." Her pleasant voice echoing to the grand hall.

The young girl giggles and close her mouth, "Shhh.."

Then she grabs me by my hand and pull me with her. I'm in shock that this rich kid touches my hand because usually they never want to be near and play with someone like me, let alone grab my hand.

I'm used to the snide remarks and their taunts, my family is poor, we usually wear hand-me-down clothes that have never been ironed because my mother is too busy cleaning other people's house.

I ride a bike to school so my skin is darkened by sun exposure and I have black hair and green eyes which makes me stand out from all the other kids. I couldn't hide from their sight and I'm sick of their treatments.

She ran with that little feet down the hallway and I follow close behind because she's still holding my hand. Then she turn to a room dominated with brown colors and filled with books.

"We have to hide here." She whispers and push me down under the big table.

Like an idiot, I do what she said and we both hide under the big table. The little space is cramped with me being there. I'm on my growth spurt, I shot up from 5'6" to 5'8" this past year. But nothing I could do with my weight so with this height I only got lankier.

She looks like having a good time and settled her head on my chest. Her small hands clutching my stretched blue shirt from excessive wear and it is obviously out of shape and a little damp from my sweat.

My stomach sinks with nervousness that she will push me away but she lifted her head to look at me.

"You haven't told me your name."

She smells good and so sweet, I clench my hands to the side before they dare to touch and feel that silky smooth brown hair.

"I'm Alec.. Alec Xander." I answer briskly.

That big hazel eyes still stare at me, "How old are you, Alexander?"

Like most people, she also mispronounced my name. That is why I hate to tell other people my full name but surprisingly I like the way she says that wrong name with her cute voice.

"I am fourteen.."

Clara is about to say something when suddenly my stomach use this time to growl aloud. I haven't had breakfast, we ran out of the cheap cereal my mother bought a month ago, it was only enough for one portion so I gave it to my little sister.

She can't hold her giggles and I brace myself for the snide remarks that would surely come out from this spoiled rich kid's mouth.

"Wait here." She whispers, then crawling on the floor to get out from under the desk.

I turn my face away when her short navy blue dress couldn't cover her slim lean thighs because of her current position. I closed my eyes for several minutes until I feel her by my side again.

"Here, my daddy have some chocolate cookies in the jar. Eat this.. You must be hungry right?"

There are some round chocolate cookies in both of her small hands, I don't know why but I feel like I'm gonna cry so I take one from her hand and bite it.

It was so freaking good, I can't remember the last time I eat something so delicious like this. It's considered a luxury if my mother could cook pasta as our dinner and we never have the pleasure of eating dessert. In two single bites, the round cookie is gone.

"Have some more, Alexander. My daddy wouldn't even notice because the chef always make the new one every day." Clara says when she saw me hesitating.

We both sit there in the cramped space under her father's big table with me savouring every bites of chocolate cookies and Clara look at me with those innocent hazel eyes.

My heart swell with something I can't describe when she offers such kindness towards people like me. I slip two cookies in my pockets, Aurelia will be ecstatic but I won't give anything to the naughty dog, Rollo.

"Your parents raise you well." I slap my hand together to shake off the remaining crumbs and ruffle her hair slightly.

God, her hair is wayyy more smoother than it looks like.

Clara smiles brightly at me, "What are you doing at my house, Alexander? You're looking for your mother?"

Oh damn! I forget about the reason why I have to be here in the first place. It sure as hell not to play hide and seek with Mr. Davis's daughter.

"I have to go now." I scramble awkwardly to my feet.

"Wait! Don't go.. I don't have any siblings so I'm the only child here.. All of them don't have much time to play with me." She begs while sitting with both knees bent.

"I can't.. I left my sister alone at home and I promise my mother to wait in front of the door." I take a last look at this sweet girl and turn away.

"Are you afraid of your mother? I'll talk to her to let you play with me.." She follows me from behind. "Would you come back here tomorrow? I'll prepare lots of cookies for you.."

I should cut her off directly because our world are too different, but I don't want to hurt her.

"I can't promise anything but I'll come here to see you again.."

Hopefully Rollo, Martin's dog, will tear Paddington apart again when my mother is not home so I can bring him here and meet Clara again.

Her face that was about to cry turn expectant, "Ehm! See you, Alexander."

I sigh in relief when she run to the opposite way because it would be a big trouble if someone catch us together.

My mother is already waiting at the door with worried face holding the healed Paddington. She covers her mouth with a handkerchief and cough badly.

"Mother, are you okay?"

I'm afraid if something happened with my mother, she has poor health these few years but she hid it from us. Even if she had a fever, she will force herself to go to work and she has been coughing for the past few months.

"Alec, where have you been? Here I've sewn it back.. Hurry home, you can't leave her for too long or she will search for you."

I take Paddington from her arm and say goodbye to her when suddenly I remember I have something to say. "Mother, I got a job to mow Mr. Gerry's lawn. It's not much but he will pay me. Once I receive the money, I'll give it to you."

Living in a poor neighborhood make you don't have any other neighbors that willingly want to pay you to mow the lawn. But Mr. Gerry had an accident months ago and he can't do it by himself so he hired me.

My mother smiles at me and rub my cheek softly, there's sadness written on her face. "I wish I could give you and your sister a better life, Alec. I'm so proud of you, my son."

I say that I love her, she is the best mother I've ever asked for.

But I have to accept the harsh reality when it hit us so hard. That was the first and the last time I set foot in that mansion.