Bought to be a Tutor?

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Lia:

It took about ten minutes for J to return. The second set of footsteps sounded small but heavy. The person with him was clearly stressed. J’s footsteps sounded slightly heavier as well. Lia couldn’t help but wonder what could have happened in those few minutes to change the mood in the house so drastically. It had been many years since She’d experienced a sudden change like this. The last time it happened she lost her home.

“Lia, this is Michael.”

“Hello,” The boy said simply. His voice was soft but he still somehow sounded strong. He was distant, but not timid. In one small, simple word, this child had told Lia everything she needed to know about him. She took a few slow steps toward him and knelt down in front of him as one would for a small child. She looked up slightly as she knew by his age that he would be taller than she had knelt for.

“Merry meet Michael. I am Lia. We will be spending a great deal of time with each other in the next few months. I hope we will get along well.”

The boy looked into her eyes and studied her. He was well-read and well socialized, and so he knew something was very off with the situation, and not just what his brother had told him before. Something much more important. He studied her unseeing eyes and saw a great depth in them. He took her hand gently in his and he bowed slightly from the waist. 

“Hello, Miss Lia. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

J raised a brow at his brother's strange behavior but chose not to comment. He moved around the pair and sat at the table to watch their interactions, but Michael seemed to have his own ideas.

“Miss Lia, would you like to see the Gardens?”

“You have a garden here?” She asked in shock. She hadn’t been able to enjoy a garden since her childhood. Not since before she and her mother were banished. 

Michael nodded and grabbed Lia’s hand. “Come, I'll show you.” 

With that, the pair left the dining room. She carefully counted her steps as they walked down the same hall that her room was in and found themselves at a door. The moment they stepped through she could feel a drastic change in the air. Things here felt fresher, lighter… freer. She could smell wildflowers and dirt and felt the sun on her face. She imagined roses and Daphofdills, forget me nots and daisies. She heard the trickling of water and began to picture a simple but elegant fountain with water lilies. She took a deep breath and sighed. She felt at peace for the first time in more than a decade. 

“Michael, tell me all you see. Name every flower you can.” She said with a smile. 

Michael smiled himself and did as she asked while they walked the grounds. “Along this part of the path, we have Rose bushes in every color. The blend into Carnations, the Lillies, then Daisies. Over there we have Sunflowers, Titun Arums, and some Gladiolus. Over here in the fountain, we have water lilies and Blue Bells all around it!” The boy grew more and more animated as he talked, and Lia began to tear up as she was reminded of her home. “Bro designed it himself! He said he based it off of the Crestia Palace in the north. He said that they have the most beautiful gardens he’d ever seen and he couldn't live anymore if he wasn't allowed to see it every day!”

Lia froze. He had seen them? Her beautiful safe haven. She missed it dearly and couldn't believe that in a way… they had been brought to her. How was this even plausible? It took everything in her to keep her voice steady. She managed a slight chuckle in an attempt to sound normal. “I had no idea J could be so dramatic.”

Michael turned to her. “You’d be surprised. He’s supposed to be my big brother but he still throws tantrums!” He laughed.

The laugh was hearty but short. The longer they interacted the more she could hear the strain in his voice. Michael was pushing himself to be animated because he wanted her to feel comfortable in some way. He couldn’t think of anything else to do for her. They began to walk again, this time in silence. Both preferred it anyway. Walking side by side, taking in sights and smells, they grew more comfortable around each other. Sometimes all you needed was to spend time together, no words, and no forcing yourself to be something your not.

"You needn't push yourself with me. To be quite frank I find it rude. Please, just be yourself. I do not need any more people in my who pretend to be something that they are not. You are a wonderful child, and it is sweet of you to try to make me feel more comfortable, but I will not be comfortable unless you are. Please, just be yourself. I am sure that we will get along splendidly if you do."

He felt tears brim his eyes. Never in his life had someone wanted that from him. His brother certainly preferred Michael to be himself, but he also never failed to take advantage of his ability to ingratiate himself among any group. Michael never minded too much, he knew the importance of it, but he had also never realized how much he had lnged to hear those words. It was like the world had been lifted off of his shoulders. He felt so much lighter all of a sudden. 

She knelt down before him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It is ok to cry Michael. Never mistake that. It is always ok to cry if you want to." He nodded and hung his head. The tears flowing freely now.