2 Admired

It was deep in the night and Alana, Jake

and Pam were still busy showcasing.

Pam and Jake in the selling section

downstairs, enticing potential buyers

about the underground art pieces,

while Alana handled the viewing

section upstairs. She saw Pam trying

to grab her attention from across the

gallery. The floors were separated by

glass and wooden stairs, so the three

partners could often see each other

during the night.

From downstairs she could see Pam

secretly and hurriedly pointing toward

the viewers walking up the wooden

stairs to her section.

"What?" Alana mouthed.

"Yummy-guy-in-Armani." Alana was no

lip reader, however judging by Pam's

swooning facial expression, Alana

realised what she was trying to say.

The person whom she was pointing

at was the guy she and Jake

had mentioned earlier in their

conversation. Alana's eyes browsed

through people walking up to her

section. There were many people

tonight and by their posh-ness and

attires, Alana guessed these were

middle-class, if not upper class. Their

expensive gowns and suits with

expensive accessories, told her how

very formal this event was. If the prices

of the art pieces hadn't been a dead

giveaway before, these people were.

It wasn't until her eyes landed on

him, that Alana knew this was the

person whom Pam was talking about.

The first thing Alana noticed was his

height. He was the tallest one there,

his height looming above everyone

else in the room. He walked, exuding a

remarkable air of superiority, it made

one almost feel like bowing down to

him.

He had a set of hazel eyes that

seemed to twinkle against the shining

chandeliers on the ceiling. Although

his eyes were dazzling, his expression

was hard and intimidating. A thick set

of eyebrows curled, almost as if he was

angry. He stared down at everyone

as if they were nuisance or just ants

blocking his path.

His hair was dark brown almost black,

wavy and reached his broad shoulders.

His skin was tan, sun-kissed, almost

olive toned and he wore that Armani

suit as if it were second skin. The

trousers hugged his thighs, as if they

couldn't contain the strong muscles. His

white dress shirt underneath his blazer

was unbuttoned to reveal his toned

chest. And an odd looking neckless

with silver straps and a dim red vial

pendant.

Alana watched him feeling an odd

trembling shocking her core. She

swallowed out of impulse and felt his

presence all around her, as if it filled

out the whole room. And it did. It really

did. She wasn't the only one in the

room noticing and silently appreciating

the looks he was serving.

The whole night, she had walked

around this section explaining all thee

pieces being showcased. Whenever she

was free, she would stand next to her

piece. Although, she wasn't happy with

this painting, she felt proud that it was

being showcased in one of the biggest

galleries events she had ever curated.

Ever since the man in Armani

came into her section, she couldn't

concentrate on her job anymore. She

watched him in her peripheral vision,

he was viewing the owner's collection

with such rapt attention.

There was something about this man

that somehow felt familiar, she couldn't

exactly pinpoint what it was. However,

she felt as if she had seen and met him

before...somewhere. The fact that her

heart was trashing so violently against

her chest couldn't just be because she

was attracted to him.

"She's very pretty." An old woman

broke her reverie. Alana instantly

moved to the side--out of the way from

her art piece.

"Yes, I suppose she is." Alana spoke

distractedly.

The woman's eyes were dazzling blue

as they beamed at the painting. "Ah, I

love this piece...somehow, looking at

it, brings me back to my childhood of

discovering fairy tales and falling in

love with princesses..she is a princess,

right?" The woman asked referring to

the subject in the painting.

"She can be interpreted with whatever

the viewer wishes...If I were the artist,

I suppose I'd want viewers to feel a

connection with my painting." Alana

said. omitting the fact that she was thee

artist of the piece.

"What do you connect her with?" The

woman asked Alana as she moved her

glasses to her eyes.

Alana stared at her painting for the

umpteenth time. Before, she had hated

this painting despite it being her best

seller, however as she looked at it

again, she tried seeing it as if it was the

first time.

The subject in the painting piece was

squatted down in a field of snow. She

faced sideways, the focal point on her

small hands touching a bloomed pin

flower on the ground. Her features

were distorted and blurry. You couldn't

tell what expression was on her face.

Her long silver hair, the colour of the

moon crowned around her head and

trailed all the way down to the ground.

Her dark brown skin flawless and

glistening Shinny golden pearls trailed

around her forehead as if marking her

royalty. And her silky lilac dress shaped

her form.I tried to paint this image to my

best ability)

"I connect her with the moon goddess."

Alana blurted out suddenly and

unknowingly.

A shift in the air caused the hairs

in skin of her forearm to stand. The

scent of white sandal wood suddenly

bombarded her nostrils, making her

spine tense up. She felt him before she

could look to confirm whether it was

him.

The man in dark Armani.

He was standing right behind her,

his nostrils flaring and his eyebrows

deeply contorted as he stared at her

painting. Alana watched in fascination

the change in the colour of his eyes.

From afar they had looked hazel but

from this close, a deep golden yellow

was flickering around the pupils. It

was oddly intriguing, especially since

he was exuding slightly anger while

staring at the painting before her.

"...Your Moon goddess, is an old woman

quite close to retiring...her looks come

to nothing compared to this person in

the portrait. Frankly, I find it an offence

for her to be brought down to just a

mere mortal moon goddess." He spoke

with such a sultry deep accented voice,

Alana felt herself swooning ever so

slightly.

Alana tried to cohere what he had just

said and couldn't for a life her make

sense of the nonsense he had spouted.

"I see no price on it, is it not for sale?"

His frowning eyes gazed down at her

as he asked.

She gasped. It was one thing to watch

those golden hazel eyes glaring at

nothing in particular, but, it was

something else entirely for those eyes

to stare down at her. Alana bit her lip

out of impulse and because she was so

flustered her cheeks blushed a rose red

colour. She felt heated all over.

"Um..I, uh..no, it's not for sale." She

stuttered a reply. A first for her since

she was usually so professional when it

came to her job.

The frown deepened and Alana

wondered how many layers deeper his

glaring mass could show.

"If not for sale then why is it being

showcased?" He accused.

It was this accusation that managed to

make Alana feel guilty about something

that wasn't in her control.

"I-uh...you must have not read the

brochure... -this part of the gallery is

for showcase only not sale." Good Lord,

she needed a breather. Was that all she

could muster? She was mortified.

"Then what does one have to do to

buy it? Name your price." He spoke,

determinedly.

She cleared her throat. "It's not my

piece to sell anymore..you'd have to

speak with the collector to negotiate."

She tried to get used to this flustered

feeling for her to coherent a sentence.

"Anymore?" He stared down at her and

then to the art piece in front of them.

"Are you the artist that painted it?"

He seemed shocked. And it was a first

for Alana to witness his frown-less

expression.

She bit her lower lip, realising she had

been caught. How could she get out of

this trap? She realised she couldn't hide

the truth with him.

Yes." She replied him, looking away as

if in shame.

Because Alana was looking down, she

saw his Louboutin's shinny loafers

taking a step toward her. As her

eyes trailed up his form, she gasped

instantly in response of their proximity.

The vial necklace on his chest sparkled

briefly. A shiny red emanation that

caused her eyes to be transfixed for a

moment, before it stopped completely

-confusiing her to wonder if she had

imagined it all.

He towered over her and he stepped

even closer, as if to close the space

between them. A muscle twitched

below her stomach and her heart was

blazing up a storm in her chest. His

eyes were a deep golden hazel that

studiously gazed at her as if he were

seizing her up and looking into her

soul.

"What made you paint it?" He asked

her suddenly. And the request almost

sounded like a demand, as if she had to

answer it or else..

Alana shrugged out of impulse,

however it was the intimidating

presence that made her fall into a

stupor. He was incredibly handsome

up close. Breathing in his intoxicating

white sandal wood scent and falling

deep into those eyes. She felt as if the

world was spinning and everyone else

becoming a blur but the two of them.

He glared down at her shrugging form.

"You are immune to me?" These words

were spoken to himself.

"I uh " Alana was speechless. Immune

to him? How could he have come to

such conclusion? Couldn't he see how

much he affected her?

It took moments of him glaring down

at her in askance before he closed

his eyes and sighed to himself as he

stepped aside toward the painting

releasing her from her trance.

Alana breathed out raggedly, the

breath she'd been holding and inhaled

deeply to fill out her depraved lungs.

There was definitely something about

him that wasn't quite right. Something

that felt sort of familiar. Like an old

dream she couldn't remember.

Despite his charming physic, her radar

and intuition was raising alarms all

over her body. Warning her away from

the potential danger. The danger that

was this man.

Then all of a sudden...

"Alana Walters?" No matter where

she goes and whomever she met, she

would always remember this voice.

As she twirled around, Alana let out

a shocked gasp. It was as if she was

staring at a ghost. A ghost from the

past. Because standing right in front

her, in a gold strapless number-that

hugged those curves Alana always

envied- was her long lost best friend.

"K-Karla?" Alana's voice rose with a

shocked gasp.

"It is you!" The blonde woman

screeched enthusiastically, her six-inch

gold Louis Vuitton heels stomping on

the floor as she ran toward her.

Alana was instantly embraced intoo

a forceful hug, the scent of roses

from Karla's Prada perfume almost

out-scenting the white sandal wood

scent she'd been invaded with.

"Alana! Gosh, how long has it been?"

Karla released her and held Alana's

shoulders as if to take a good look at

her old friend.

Alana was frozen, the wound of Karla's

abandonment slicing through her so

deep she felt the tears prickling at theCorner of her eyes.

"H-How have you been?" Alana forced

out these words, forcing the tears at

bay.

There was a slight jolt in Karla's form

that made her release her hands off

Alana. A twitch on her eyebrows made

her hesitate before she could reply her.

"Me?" Karla breathed, laughing

awkwardly.

"I've been good. Holland is amazing

always."

Alana knew Karla. She's known the girl1

ever since she was five. She had lived

three houses down from her in isle of

Mann, practically grew up as sisters.

And so, she knew when Karla was

feigning enthusiasm and trying to hide

something.

"Really?" Alana asked her. The old

feelings coming back. She knew at

that moment she had never truly cut

ties with Karla. Although her friend

had practically left her on her own to

follow her boyfriend. Alana still cared

for her after all these years without

contact.

"Reallv," Karla accented. "What about

you? How have you been? How are you

here?"

"I've been well..well, after you

practically deserted me, I had to fend

for myself. I studied at the Royal1

College of Arts and graduated there

two years ago. After that I painted and

sold my art and then started a curating

business with my friends. Now we just

work as curators." Alana explained.

Karla's eyes lit up as she listened to

her friend. A genuine proud smile

spreading on her face and her eyes

started glistening with tears.

"I'm so glad." Karla cried in relief. "I

knew you would be successful...you

always had a passion for art...Ah, look

at me being a mess!" She wiped her

falling tears. "But, really, Margret and

John would be so proud of you."

"Hey!" Alana felt the tears unleashing

themselves in corner of her eyes. "Don't

cry, you're making me cry!" She lightly

slapped Karla's arm.

"I miss you..so much!" Karla cried

more.

Alana instantly hugged her. "You

changed your number...I had no way ofContacng you, why didnt you contact

me?"

"Life, Alana." Was Karla's reply. "Life

happens, one minute you're on top of

the world and the next..the next, you

find yourself in a different country

on different soil, too ashamed by your

choices to return home. So, what can

you do but pull yourself up and try to

make it work where you've fallen."

Alana released Karla to study her.

Karla was always philosophical

whenever she was sentimental.

She guessed this reunion was very

sentimental to her.

"No matter what happens you always

come home." Alana reminded her

of their old saying. "You know that I

forgave you. You had to live your life

and I had to live mine. We had to find

ourselves and forge our own paths."

"Still." Karla wiped her eyes. "Still.I

left you and in your worst time. I was

selfish and I'm sorry."

"What happened with Finn?" She asked

curiously.

Karla flinched from his name being

mentioned. "Let's just say we don't talk

about Finn."

"I'm sorry." Alana apologised instantly.

"Hey, don't steal my thunder, I'm the

one apologising here."

Alana laughed and they both

laughed. As if those three years hadn't

happened. As if they were back in

Mann being careless and free from

responsibilities.

"I've missed you too." Alana admitted

to her.

They hugged again until...

"Ahem." The throaty interjection

belonged to the man in Armani that

had left her presence moments ago to

study her piece in more detail.

Both Alana and Karla startled from

their hug and looked toward him.

"Ah." They both said they same time.

"Karla, this is uh-" Alana had stopped

talking promptly, realising that she

was still working and the man was

practically a stranger to her. Barely

acquainted with him, for her to be

introducing him to an old friend. She

also realised Karla had spoken at the

same time with her.

"Alana, this is my boss L" Karla

stopped, she too realising that they had

spoken at the same time.

"You know each other?" The man

spoke, glaring down at them, a slight

confusion infusing in his frown.

Karla nodded. "She's the one I told you

about. The friend that is like a sister to

me."

Alana didn't know what to make of this

slightly awkward situation, awkward

on her part because moments ago

she had swooned at his good looks,

practically melting at his stare. Only

now to find out he was the boss of her

best friend.

She finally realised what Pam had

meant earlier when she had said his

secretory felt familiar. Back in their

studio office, Alana had two pictures

decorating her plain desk. The first

picture was of her parents and she, the

picture had been taken two months

after they had adopted her. The second

picture was of her, Karla and their

mothers. That picture taken a year,

before her mother passed on.

Pam had seen those pictures and asked

her about the people in it and Alana

had told her the heart-breaking story

of her family. Pam saw those pictures

daily and maybe why she had felt

familiar with Karla when she had first

seen her. Because she did know her by

that picture.

This meant, Karla was the man in dark

Armani's secretary.

"Ah, the artist. Now it makes sense."

He nodded as if acknowledging

her. "Would you perhaps be able to

persuade her to sell her this piece for

me." He smiled at Karla.

The first smile she had seen on him the

whole night. Alana didn't know why

realising he would smile for Karla-his

Secretary- would invoke such a strong

feeling of envy toward her friend.

She realised it meant he was closer to

Karla-as he should-of course, since

they were employer and subordinate.

However, it was the smile Karla gave

him back, that smile she knew so well

because she had seen it every time

growing up. This smile of Karla meant

that she was in love.

Alana didn't know what to make of

this new curve ball being thrown her

way. Because it was this smile that told

her this man rioht here ATAS alreadu

claimed and she should stop feeling

attracted to him.