First Kiss Got Stollen 

"Galaksi, did something happen?" Finally, Uncle Reed spoke and asked him.

Galaksi coughed in embarrassment when he realized that he was being observed. Clearing his throat, Galaksi answered with his usual poker face, " Nothing. Just thinking about something.

"Is there something worrying you?" Uncle Reed knew this question was useless as his nephew was smiling from ear to ear. Something good must have happened to him.

"No!" Galaksi replied in a firm voice. As Uncle Reed and the driver had thought, this discussion ended with the "No" but to their surprise, the man talked again

"Just thinking about repaying a kindness," Saying, Galaksi opened the file again and started to go through it.

Uncle Reed hadn't expected his nephew to speak six more words after the initial reply. It surprised the driver, too. He didn't ask any further, sure that the quota for the man's words had been fulfilled for the day.

Kezla was waiting for her friend in the car near the intersection. It had been half an hour, and Anne still hadn't come back. As she was about to make a call, she heard a knock on the window

It was her best friend, holding a shopping bag. The driver unlocked the door for her and Anne put the bag in the front passenger seat then sat next to her friend. The driver started the car, and they moved to go back to their home.

"What's in that bag?" Kezla asked.

"A surprise for you," she said with a wink.

"For me?" she asked, surprised.

Laughing a little, he said, "Don't get too excited. I am just kidding. Those are lingeries for me in that bag."

She groaned at the comment and chose to gaze out of the window.

Seeing her reaction, Anne exclaimed, "What? Do you want to see? I don't mind it. They are quite sexy full of lacy bras and half cut pants," and pretended to take that shopping bag from the front seat.

"No need!" Kezla didn't speak further. 

Exhausted but content after a long day spent with Anne, Kezla finally arrived at the imposing gates of the Osborne Mansion. The familiar sight of the sprawling estate offered little comfort, however. The weight of the day's events, coupled with the anticipation of another potential confrontation with her sister, weighed heavily on her mind.

Ignoring the curious glances from the staff, Kezla rushed towards her room, eager to escape the suffocating atmosphere of the mansion. As she reached her balcony, a soft murmur caught her attention. Intrigued, she leaned over the railing, her gaze drawn to the vibrant hues of the garden below.

There, amidst the flowers, stood her grandmother, her delicate hands gently tending to a bed of roses. 

Watching her grandmother, a sense of calm began to wash over Kezla. The sight of her, so serene and content, was a balm to her troubled soul. For a moment, the weight of family drama seemed to lift, replaced by a quiet appreciation for the simple beauty of the moment.

Perhaps, Kezla thought, a peaceful evening in the garden with her grandmother was exactly what she needed to unwind and clear her head.

Kezla couldn't resist the pull of the serene scene any longer. With a newfound sense of purpose, she hurried downstairs, eager to join her grandmother. As she approached the garden, her breath caught in her throat.

Standing amongst the vibrant blooms was not the elderly woman she expected. Instead, it was Solana Osborne, her grandmother, looking impossibly youthful, as if time had stood still for her. Her skin glowed with a radiant health, her hair a cascade of silver, but with a vibrancy that belied her age. Solana, renowned throughout Country E as a pioneer in the field of anti-aging research, was a living testament to her own groundbreaking work at Osborne Pharmaceutical.

Kezla's parents are equally youthful, especially the man of the house, her father Alejandro Osborne. Her mother and father and mother are vibrant, their faces are etched with the same youthful glow. It was no wonder the Osborne family was a legend in Country E, their names synonymous with scientific brilliance and the pursuit of longevity.

Watching her grandmother, Kezla felt a strange pang of envy. Their effortless grace, their timeless beauty, seemed to mock her own youthful struggles. But as she watched her grandmother, her heart softened. There was a warmth in Solana's eyes, a gentle kindness that transcended her youthful appearance.

Perhaps, Kezla thought, there was more to the Osborne family than just their scientific achievements. Perhaps, beneath the facade of youthful perfection, there was a genuine connection, a love that transcended the boundaries of age and ambition.

But with how she and her sister are going you can say that's almost impossible to say. 

"Grandma, you are here?" Kezla spoke softly, her voice drawing the attention of her grandmother.

"Ahh, Kezla! I was bored inside so I came for some fresh air. Your mother and father are still at the hospital and that sister of yours is doing her own things," Solana Osborne replied, a warm smile gracing her lips. "And soon you will join the busy lineup as well once you start working. And this old woman will be left alone inside this house," she added, her voice tinged with a hint of wistfulness.

Kezla's eyes widened in disbelief. "Gosh, Grandma, you old? Do you know you look younger than me?" she retorted, staring at her grandmother in astonishment.

Solana chuckled, the sound light and melodious. "Oh, my dear," she said, her eyes twinkling, "even with all our advancements, age still catches up with us in the end."

Kezla couldn't help but smile. Despite her youthful appearance, her grandmother's words resonated with a profound truth. The pursuit of eternal youth, while a fascinating endeavor, could never truly escape the inevitable march of time.

As Kezla joined her grandmother in the garden, she realized that perhaps the true secret to ageless beauty wasn't just about defying biology, but about embracing the present moment, cherishing the connections that truly mattered, and finding joy in the simple pleasures of life, like tending to a garden of roses on a beautiful evening.

******

Kezla was lying on her bed with her eyes closed. She remembered the incident in front of the washroom and the words uttered by the man. Sitting up on the bed, she touched her lips and exclaimed, "I just had my first kiss! How can that be?"

"My first kiss happened just like that, and that too with a stranger!" She lay down back, stunned at the realization. Throwing the quilt and pillows away, she clutched her hair as she cried.

"My first kiss... my first kiss got stolen!"