A stranger

Ava was glad to be sitting on the other side of the table, far away from the new guest of the house. At least she did not have to keep avoiding looking at him or seeing him glancing at her.

It was not that she was intimidated by the man or charmed by his presence. She did not want the awkwardness while they all ate dinner together with their friends.

Besides, she did not need additional attention since she was supposed to be hiding from those people looking for her. But seeing that Jace knew him so well, even Kiev, she doubted that he was one of those people.

At least that was a relief, thankful she could breathe easily somehow, knowing she was still safe.

"Did you bring me any present?" Kiev finally asked, breaking the grown-up conversation between Jace, Cathy, and Adam.

Her lips twitched into a smile at the demand in Kiev's voice. She truly admired the boy's courage as he faced the man in front of him without any fear.

She could never remember asking someone for a gift except her parents. But then again, she almost had everything she ever wanted and needed.

"Kiev, I already told you to mind your manners." Cathy reminded the boy, tapping him on the shoulders. "It is not polite to ask for gifts. You have to wait till someone gives you one and thank them afterward."

She would have probably told him the same thing. Cathy was only right to discipline the child while he was still impressionable.

"But he always brings me gifts when we see each other. So, I am just asking for something that he usually gives me." The boy explained as if that was his right to claim. "Besides, I am only reminding him. He might forget it." His voice suddenly turned mellow as if he was disappointed.

She could not help it, but her curiosity had her head turning in his direction to hear what he had to say about what Kiev said. In her opinion, the boy also had a point.

"I did not forget your gift. But a big animal attacked me on my way here." Adam answered the boy as seriousness covered his expression.

"I was not expecting that something wild was out there." He continued with his eyes looking far ahead as if reminiscing his experience.

"What happened?" Kiev asked animatedly. His face was filled with excitement as he anticipated the next part of the story.

At this point, he dropped his fork and knife, focusing his eyes on the man opposite him. All thoughts about his gift were probably gone from his mind.

Their guest turned to the boy to face him before continuing his story. "As I was fending off the animal from getting a bite of me, I accidentally shielded myself with your gift, and the animal took it with him as he fled for his life."

The story seemed to be too farfetched, but for a child, it was real. She would not dare burst his bubbles and tell him that it was just make-believe.

Somehow, she appreciated what the man did for the boy because she might have done the same thing if she was in the same position.

So far, she could not find anything wrong with him. He appeared to be good with kids since he could easily connect with Kiev. Maybe she was being too paranoid around him because of the thought of people looking for her. Or it could be the coincidence of their first meeting.

She wondered if he still remembered her from that unlikely encounter. But she doubted. It was so brief that she almost thought it was a dream or a figment of her imagination.

"That is ok. You can always give me a new gift when you come back to visit." Kiev looked satisfied even if he did not receive his present. The story had done its job.

"Next time, I will make sure to bring more. So that if I encounter more wild animals out there, I will still have one more gift left for you." Adam answered the boy with a wide grin, but his eyes shifted in her direction.

It was brief, but it was enough for his green eyes to connect with her amber ones. She quickly had to turn away, not wanting him to think that she was staring at him. But she still felt that spark between them.

But the way he glanced at her, briefly or discreetly, she believed he might also have remembered that incident. However, she had no plan of reminiscing that past and reminding him of it either. It was best to forget about it and move on.

Besides, she was feeling so much better. With a few more lessons about life and survival, she might be ready to continue with her journey. She knew she could not stay in this place for too long. And she did not need additional complications.

"Why don't you let me clean this up while all of you enjoy a cup of coffee outside." Avana offered, hoping to get the room to herself.

She was getting more confident in washing the dishes and cleaning, but cooking was still something she was struggling with at the moment. But she was hopeful she would learn at least the basics soon.

Soon, she was able to convince everyone that she could manage on her own, allowing them to move to the patio so they could enjoy the cool breeze and the magnificent view.

After a few minutes of cleaning and washing, she felt his presence not far behind her. She wondered what he was doing back inside the kitchen. Did he forget something or need anything?

"Why are you avoiding me?" The question surprised her, but it confirmed that he recognized her.

She could still feel that he was still at her back, but she believed he had come closer as her body started reacting to his presence again. It was like it was the first time she had seen him.

Her body seemed to remember everything about him. His scent was becoming too familiar. His heartbeat seemed music to her ears as her body rejoiced in his nearness.

It was probably why his face seemed so familiar to her because her eyes had seen him before. Although briefly, it is still registered barely in her consciousness.

"I am not. But..." She had no idea how to explain how she felt about him as her mind tried to come up with an excuse. "Although you are friends with Jace and his family, to me, you are still a stranger."

She hoped that reason would suffice with him. She could not bring up the past and tell him that she was afraid of what she felt about him. It just did not make sense, not even to her.

"Am I?" His tone was husky, challenging, sending a fire inside of her. "A stranger."