The First Meeting

I took a deep breath in when those inhuman silver eyes stared into mine and that man gave me a cocky little smirk. I could already tell that I wasn't going to like this person, but it was late and I wanted to get home already but they were right there in front of me, almost blocking my path forward. I tried to sidestep around him but like a fluid stream, he easily matched whatever movement I made to keep me blocked from my path.

“Excuse me,” I said, growing just a bit frustrated with the man in front of me. “I'd like to get by,” I added, giving one more attempt. This time, he seemed to allow me to pass, that was until he grabbed my wrist. It wasn't a rough action but it did surprise me.

Finally, he spoke in English, his voice as smooth and rich as chocolate, “you look much like Doriano when he was your age.”

Very few people knew my parents' names, even among my friends and yet somehow not only did this man know my father's name, but he also seemed to know what he had looked like? I was a little stunned at first and slowly turned my head to look at him. I must have looked quite the sight as he began to laugh, almost softly. I frowned in reply.

“Ah, not to take offence, just your expression is very funny,” he said with a small grin. I couldn't quite place his accent. It was one of the more northern English accents, or so I thought, but which one, I couldn't quite tell. It almost sounded off somehow. Perhaps it was because he wasn't a native speaker of the language? I wasn't sure.

After a moment, I found my voice again as I asked, “who are you? And how do you know that name?”

“Ah, yes, manners, forgive me. You can call me Rakesh,” he said, offering one of those gentlemanly bows at the waist and finally letting go of my wrist. “And I know your father,” he continued, that grin growing a bit more.

Before I could respond to that, however, he turned to look up at the moon, or perhaps it was something else that stole his attention, but whatever it was, made him seem somewhat nervous and he quickly said, “it is late. Your grandparents will worry if I keep you longer. I will find you again, Kayden. Until then.” And with that, he was gone before I could even try and stop him.

“How… quickly he walks…” I commented with a blink. I looked around, trying to find what had caused such a retreat from Rakesh but seeing nothing, I shrugged and headed home. I'd ask my grandparents about the encounter when they woke up, it was late as he had said.

The rest of the journey home was uneventful, thankfully and quietly I entered the home, making sure not to disturb my grandparents and began to sneak my way towards my bedroom.