Concealed Love

Chapter- 38 ' hands around her thin waist'

After their talk Iri said that she had to go meet her agency and talk to them regarding the shoot so she'll be meeting them later at the pub and went in to get ready.

When she got out of her room, Jace was waiting for her down the stairs. She asked, " What are you doing here? "

Jace looked up at her and said, " I'll drop you off, where is the place? "

Iri tried to refuse, she brushed her hair with her hands looking a bit awkward and said, " It's okay, you don't have to, you don't have your car here anyway. "

Jace hold out a car key from one of his pants pocket showing it to Iri and said, " I borrowed one from Aldri, it's not safe to be alone. Bear with me until things settle down, you're a good target for them to attack."

He said his words like he was hated by Iri so she corrected his thoughts, " I'm okay with it, I just didn't want to bother you so much. "

Jace put the keys back to his pocket and said, " It's okay, let's go. "

Iri agreed and followed him out, she observed that he had lost his normal cheerfulness, he had turned a bit colder and more distant. But it all made him more charming, so she took a deep breath to not to be nervous and got into the car as they drove off.

Back at Al's house, he asked Ella what her plan was for the day, she told him she will be going back to her house to take her things.

Al suggested, " I can buy whatever you need but if you have something to take back from home than let's go together. "

Ella didn't like the idea very much, " It's okay, I'll go alone, I can protect myself. "

Looking at the stubborn girl Al sighed, " You still haven't changed that habit of yours I see, doing everything by yourself. I said I'll go back with you and that's final. " He said in a stern but soft caring voice and without listening to Ella's reply he went to get his things.

They drove to her house and saw that it was the same as how it was yesterday, broken doors and window glasses with overturned chairs and couches. Ella sighed and said to Al, " You stay here I'll come down right away. "

Al said, " There might be a sudden ambush, unless it's something important let me come along. "

Ella quickly said, " No you can't. "

He raised his eyebrows and said with a smirk, " Why? Is there something you don't want me to see? Like the paintings of someone down the basement? "

Ella blushed and scolded, " You... How can you.. " It was exactly because of those paintings that she didn't want to show him the basement room.

Al quickly defended himself, " Hey hey, no pointing fingers, the sword just showed me the path and I had to hide somewhere to regain my powers. "

Ella wanted to say something to refute back but she gave up before she even speak and ran up saying, " Do whatever you want. "

Al s uqmiled warmly following her up the stairs, and going into her room, she went and open the basement door walking in and running straight to the table. She went there to get the hourglass and the hairpin.

Al followed her closely down the basement and stood at the corner watching the room again clearly. The last time it was an emergency so he could not watch it clearly but watching closer and more deeply, he somehow felt what Ella was feeling while she was drawing the paintings.

On some paintings he was drawn smilling a little and on some he was drawn from the side showing only part of his face. It seemed like Ella couldn't draw him when she was remembered of the past by some traumatic incident. But when she was feeling good, she draw him with a calm or with a small smile, and when she was saddened, she drew his face like she was drawing someone who was never looking at her through her memory or through her paintings.

He saw the hairpin which she was carefully taking out from a glass lid and which she was grabbing in a hurry probably hoping for him to not to see it and looked at her adoringly.

He walked up to her while she was grabbing the hourglass. She felt him coming nearer so she was about to turn back but before she could turn and look, she was suddenly leaned on to from behind.

Ella was startled as she stood still and nervously called out, " Al? What are you doing? "

He bend his head down and nuzzled his face on her hair, seeing her hardening her body up he slowly wrapped his strong hands around her thin waist and said in a low muffled voice that was enough to send chills down Ella's spine, " Don't be scared of me Ella, I don't want you to feel scared or uncomfortable when I'm around. I want to make you feel safe and make up with you for all the times and chances we've lost so far. "

Ella knew that she was hurting his feelings by avoiding him and treating him differently so she mustered up her courage hiding her flustered voice and said, " I'm not afraid of you, I'm just not used to these things. I am sorry. "

Hearing her sweet, timid voice made his heart squeeze tighter and he gave her a tight hug which startled her and let her go. He turned her around and looking at her lovingly he said, " Okay! Take your time getting used to me, and I'll spend those times making you fall for me. Agreed?"

Ella who had her head turned sideways nodded slightly. She didn't care whatever he was saying at the moment as she was too absorbed in the position they were in. They were so close that all she could think of was how he might notice her heart that was beating for dear life.

Al who had already noticed her heart beating like a drumbeat smiled and said, " Take your time, I'll be waiting downstairs. We should go meet the others before we go back. "

He patted her head gently and walked out and she let out a long breath she was holding in.

She had already taken what she came for so she went out not long after him, take some essentials from her room and left the house.

When she went out of the house she saw Al calling someone, probably for work and stood there before he finished his call. He was leaning on the black car wearing a brown gentle shoes, ash black pants and a navy blue shirt, not buttoning up the collar of the shirt making him look casual and cool.

He looks good in both olden and modern clothing she thought and blushed at the realisation of her thoughts and shook her head.

Al saw her making a cute scene and chuckled, " Shall I give you more time to think whatever your cute head is thinking? "

Ella ran toward the car saying " If you're done with the call let's go. " trying to avoid the topic.

Al let her go without pushing the topic further and teasing her. They had a comfortable ride on the way to the pub.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

When Minerva arrived at the pub, Simon and Dane was already there, she sat down with them and asked, " Did you guys know what's going on? Last time I had a worried call from Iri but couldn't hear anything from them after that. "

Simon said the same thing and Dane claimed that he didn't get such call but he knew that Jace and Al was out of reach for all that that time.

Simon asked, " Did they had a fight? "

Minerva, tilt her head bite her lips a little in act of thinking and said, " I think something happened to Ella and Jace, Irene was asking anxiously asking about them. "

Dane who had a calm and reasonable mind said " Well they said they'll be coming so let's wait for them. "

While they were discussing, Iri and Jace entered the place together, acting all shy and conscious of one another but at the same time looking close.

The three eyed them from above and commented, " Well they certainly don't look like they're fighting to me. " Said Simon.

Minerva also saw them and thought the same, " Well than, Ella and Aldrich? "

They looked at each other and said, " Well maybe, last time I heard that she turned him down." spoke Simon and the other two looked at him in shocked.

" You didn't know? " He ask as they shook their heads so he continued, " Well, I just heard heard about it. "

While the two who just entered was ordering their drinks, Al and Ella came in as well. Al was holding the door for Ella to enter and said something making Ella angry but everyone could see that she was just acting as her face were smeared in blushes from shyness. The two couples saw each other and talked, ordering their drinks together.

The three above commented again, " Well that certainly didn't look like someone who just got rejected and who just rejected someone. " Said Minerva and Simon sighed confused.

Dane said, " Well maybe we were the one's who misunderstood. They're coming up. "

Simon whispered, " Okay okay, act natural, natural, don't let them know what we were talking about, natural. "

The other two glared at him and Dane said, " You're the unnatural one here, quiet. "

Simon acted hurt like a wounded dog and drank his whiskey in the glass quietly.

When the other four entered the room, they found them sitting quietly and Irene asked, " What happened? Why so quiet. "

Minerva gave them side to sit and said, " Nothing, come sit down, we were waiting for you. "

They went and sat down, Al holding out his hands for Ella to sit with him as she thoughtlessly sat there. But the others saw their closeness and thought that something was fishy around them in their own minds.