Chapter 8

Turning the knob, she quietly entered the small hallway of her own home, gently putting the roses over the small table sitting by the hanger as she started to take off her jacket and boots, unintentionally also knocking a decorative plastic bowl over.

"Baby, is that you?" She heard that familiar feminine voice call from upstairs, right before two sets of footsteps thudded over the carpeted stairs.

Crap. There goes my surprise...

"Oh! Baby!" Her mother cried as soon as her eyes fell upon the young girl standing in the hallway with a warm smile displayed upon her features, running to engulf her into a loving embrace.

"Hi mom," She soothingly said as she returned the hug and gave her mom a few kisses over the top of her head since she was a little bit taller than her parent, taking a moment to rest her cheek atop her head and breathe in her familiar calming scent.

"I've missed you so much..." She quietly said.

"I've missed you too, baby," The woman quickly replied before they pulled back, the girl now moving to give her best friend a hug as well.

"Hi Di," He sweetly smiled as they pulled back, the girl instantly remembering about the gift she'd brought for her mom.

"Here, these are for you," She told her as grabbed the bouquet and handed it to her with a beaming smile.

"They're from Mr. King's garden," She said as the woman gazed at the deep red flowers with admiration, gently taking a whiff.

"Wow! They're beautiful! And they smell amazing too!"

"I bet he has one of those huge fancy gardens like rich people have, doesn't he?" The woman casually said as together they walked into the living room, the girl and the young male stealthily giving each other a knowing look behind her back.

Huge? Maybe. Fancy? Unfortunately not so much.

"Mm...yeah, something like that,"

"How's everything going over there so far? Are they treating you well?" Her mother asked as she walked to the kitchen to grab a vase and pour some water in for the beautiful roses.

"Yeah, mom. Miss Nancy is very nice to me since we're basically the only ones roaming around the house. Mr. King barely comes out from his lair," She told the woman with a subtle shake of her head, completely failing to notice that naughty grin now spreading upon Dan's childish features.

"Has he asked you to clean up his piano naked yet?" He joked, the girl immediately letting out a small gasp along with a look that told him "Really? Doing this in front of my mother now?".

"Dan!" She lightly slapped the laughing young male's chest, quickly noticing the appaled expression marring the woman's features.

"No, mom! Don't worry! It's just a stupid joke Dan apparently enjoys way too much," She rushed to assure her, giving Dan an angered glower.

"Come, let's sit. You've gotta tell us everything!" The woman ushered them both back to the living room, together going to sit and start chatting.

.•**•.

Humming an upbeat tune to herself as she dragged on a large hoodie and a pair of fuzzy socks, she then danced her way to the adjoining bathroom to put up her caramel waves into a messy bun at the top of her head, bobbing her head back and forth and even rocking a few twerk moves as she had woken up in such a good mood this morning, after that visit to her home yesterday.

She had spent the whole afternoon laughing and lazing over the couch with her mom and Dan, watching some romantic comedies as they ate tons of snacks and goodies.

Smiling at herself in the mirror, she then exited her room and skipped all the way downstairs as she was going to have her breakfast with miss Nancy, as usual.

She kept on humming joyfully as she eventually reached the kitchen, watching miss Nancy prepare the breakfast plates for them both.

"Morning miss Nancy!" She beamed at the old woman, the latter being quick to respond with a smile of her own.

"Good morning, sweetie! Here, help me out," She kindly asked, pointing to a pitcher filled with freshly-squeezed orange juice.

The girl immediately complied and grabbed it from the island, following after the old maid as she grabbed the plates and exited the kitchen, then made her way through a set of widely open double wooden doors, entering a dining room.

Neatly placing them over the dining table, they both walked back to and from the kitchen, in order to set everything they needed before starting to eat.

And once done, they both took their places at the table, the girl sitting at the very end while the maid chose to occupy a place at the side, the latter being quick to express a disapproving frown as soon as she noticed Diana's rather poorly-educated position at the table. She had practically climbed up over the chair, holding her bare knees close to her chest as she proceeded to pour herself a glass of orange juice.

"Diana! Didn't I tell you not to sit like that on the chair? You look like a stork laying eggs!"

Diana only laughed as she had heard that same sentence for so many times in these past few weeks ever since they had started eating together, choosing to disregard the old woman's scolding and continued to sit like that on the chair as she began to eat.

Silence fell upon them as they both ate, that said comfortable silence soon to be shattered as soon as they heard footsteps coming from the hallway, both the woman and the girl turning to give each other curious glances right before the owner of those heavy footsteps presented himself at the entrance.

Holy moly.

Completely stunned, the girl watched as the most beautiful man she had ever laid eyes upon now entered the dining room, his entire physique looking like cut out from a fashion magazine.

From his godly face and all the way down to his expensive shoes, this male looked like the epitome of perfection.

Tall, with a lean body that only enhanced the stylishness of that neatly pressed white shirt over his well-defined torso, light grey vest and matching dress pants, mixing so well though with that boyish vibe as a few of his jet black strands constantly fell over his forehead, making those dark brown piercing eyes of his appear even darker and his cleanly-shaved face all the more young.

"M-master Nicholas," The old maid shockingly sputtered, the girl immediately choking on a small piece of bread at the hearing of her words, violently coughing as she struggled to regain her breath.

"Good lord! Diana!" The maid quickly scurried from her seat and ran to help the poor girl, heartily patting her over the back for a few times before handing her the glass of orange juice.

"Quick! Drink this!"

"Good god! Girl! I told you not to sit like that around the table! Now look what happened!" The woman worriedly complained as she watched the girl still letting out small coughs here and there, completely unaware of the real reason behind her sudden choking.

"Everything okay?"

Diana's large green eyes quickly rose at the sound of that masculine voice, involuntarily taking yet another long look at the man standing at the other end of the table, those two tattoos peeking from underneath the collar of his slightly unbuttoned shirt and those over the back of his hands giving him such an unconventional look.

The girl slowly nodded, quick to avert her gaze right after as she couldn't bear the intensity of those dark eyes. They seemed to be somehow staring right into her soul, whenever he looked at her.

"Could you please bring me a plate as well?" He kindly asked the maid, the girl now feeling so flustered at the sound of that and even a little bit embarrased as she took a glance at the large pink hoodie, matching shorts and fuzzy white socks she had donned on, even remembering that she also had a messy bun that probably looked like a bird's nest right now.

Oh god, shoot me now...

She mentally whined, not even noticing when the maid had exited the dining room as she kept her gaze glued to her pink shorts, consciously avoiding to look again at the male that now sat directly across from her.

Hearing a small thud and a clink, she lightly sighed in relief as soon as she noticed that miss Nancy had returned, awkwardly standing by as the male made himself more comfortable in his seat.

"Nana, why aren't you eating?" She heard the man ask as she was still refusing to look at him, noticing how the woman's eyes quickly filled with unshed tears at the mere hearing of that nickname, a joy-filled smile spreading over her wrinkled lips before she silently took her seat again.

"Well, carry on then, don't mind me," He urged them both as he noticed them awkwardly sitting in their seats and staring at their plates, generally looking like they had seen a ghost.