Concealed Love

Chapter- 9 Buddies

      Next day when Al was in the office someone knocked on the door and he permitted him to enter, it was Jace. Jace is the CFO of the company and close friends with Al, he's a person who can make friends right after he got to know their names and appears to be a happy-go-lucky but nobody really knows much about him and he does his job very very efficiently.

     Jace entered and gave Al the documents he brought and take with him the previous ones. Before he left he turned back and said "Hey Aldri, The guys are asking if you're coming to the pub later, you have not been there for so long the that they're asking if you've got some new girl to spend time with".

      Al shooting a glare at him said " What new girl, I don't even have an old one. I just had many thing in my hands these past days. But I may have some free time later, I'll be there."

"Great, always remember that it's better to be more loyal to your buddies than woman" Jace said making a dramatic thoughtful face.

" Stop that bullshit and go out" Al gave an annoyed sigh.

   Seeing his annoyed face Jace was satisfied and chuckled " Okay, be there at the usual hour".

     Jace went out leaving Al, who was sighing helplessly. Al took out his phone and noticed the group notifications, he had put his phone in silent mode so he didn't noticed it before.

   Reading the chats he gave out another deep sigh, "these people really wanna make me date someone huh"

     As soon as he said that Ella appeared in his mind and he sighed at himself "they think you're a flirt and you're really turning into one? We've (him and Ella) only met twice and what am I thinking of".

..........

       In the evening he went to their meeting spot, Al was standing outside a pub with a big sign at the door labelled 'Singles pub' he let out a small sigh and thought to himself that he is sighing a lot today and went in.

       It was a quite pub, some were eating, some were drinking and some were doing both but many were in groups, probably office coworkers.

      Al made his way towards the counter and the bartender was wiping some glass with a piece of white cloth. As he saw Al approaching him, he showed him a smug face closing his eyes and turning his face slightly away.

"What's that attitude for? " Al asked slightly irritated.

" I don't welcome people with lovers in my pub" He said still putting on the same face.

      Al pinched himself on his forehead slightly closing his eyes and look up at Cervian, the bartender as well as the owner of the pub. "Cervian, stop that crap before I shut you up. And as I already said to Jace I. Am. Not. Dating." He stated sternly.

      Cervian looked back at him suspiciously and said with a with devilish smile " Well that good than, here your usual, the others are already upstair".

      Al took the drink handed to him and went away with a 'thanks' which didn't have a very thankful sound. He made his way toward the corner and up the steps towards a room and entered.

      The room was made of glass on one side, from where the activities down below could be clearly seen, in the back there's another small room for rest.

     As Al walk into the room his friends looked at at him and all of them had a smirk on their faces. Seeing their faces Al snapped and said in a sharp tone " For the last time today I. Am. Not. Dating."

      Hearing that they all laughed out holding their stomachs. The people there were Simon, Jace, Dane, Iris or Irin? Al thought in his head and one other girl.

      Al walk up to them and sat down on the sofa, there weren't any other people besides them in the room, yellow fairy lights were hanging and spread across the walls.

       Jace spoke up first saying "You have been introduced to those two but you haven't properly introduced yourselves to him yet, so let me do it for ya"

       "Ahem! So this serious guy here is Aldrich Salvatore. And these two beautiful ladies are Irene Gray and Preci Lane" He said in a charming and playful manner.

Al looked up at Iri and unconsciously spoke out "Gray? "

      Everyone there looked at Al besides Preci who haven't leave her eyes from Al from the moment he entered, the boys put on an amused face and the girls simply stared curiously.

Simon: "Aw has does she got your eye that much? " He lifts one of his eyebrows up and asks amusingly and the others smirk along.

Al: " Seriously how just how interested are you guys in my dating life. Besides I'm just asking cause I know someone with the same surname." Al sat back on his couch not looking up at them and keeping his eyes on the people down below, but not focusing on any on them.

    At this Iri spoke up "Umm, might the one you're talking about be Ella? "

    Al shift his eyes towards Iri but his body never moved from the previous position. "Yes, Ella Gray"

     "Oh... " Iri couldn't exactly decide what to say since she didn't want to tell about her past and moreover she couldn't say she was her guardian because they will doubt her, Ella looks far too young to be a guardian. 

Jace: "What's this Al, is this Ella girl beautiful, it's rare for you to remember a woman's name and much less to talk about them. "

      Simon, who has clearly noticed the sparkle and interest in Preci's eyes continued the conversation " No matter how beautiful the woman is I'm sure our ladies here are far more beautiful, don't you think."

      Al who had went back to simply staring at the movement below simply uttered a 'hmm' making the expectant Preci's face sullen.

      But Iri was very enthusiastic to smile and say " Ella beautiful and on top of that she has a very charming personality too, you guys will love her when you meet her. "

     Jace: saying flirtatiously" Oh is she the one you introduced at Al's party? She looks good but I prefer you. " Making Iri struggle to hide her blush.

      They laughed and chatted for a while about the current events when surprisingly Dane asked " Hey, Aldri have you found your date for your upcoming event? "

    Here Simon interrupted Al befor he could reply "Of course he will be with The lady Minerva again" He grinned looking at Al

     Dane was also one of Al's collage mates along with Minerva and at some point it was obvious that Dane was interested in Minerva though not openly , maybe it was not that obvious to the other but at least to Al, it was.

       Al immediately shot down Simon's remark and said " No, this time I have a special one" And before the other's could ask and tease him further in that question he got up and saying he had to be at his parents home for dinner and left.

       He left the room ignoring the many questions on those left in the room in shock. Al also considered for a moment what he had said and thought that though he purposely said it just to make the other agitated it came out of his mouth so naturally and that was the only word that came to his mind.

      The others in the room were still shocked and talked among themselves saying ' it may be rumoured that Al is a player changes girls more often than his shoes but as far as we know he has never dated let alone show interest for someone. The rumours were all started by those girls themselves who wanted to gain attention and because Al is too lazy too care about those it just kept going on. So it really makes one wonder who that 'special one is'. Than by saying that they'll find out on the day of the event they dropped the topic.

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

     Al went to the parking lot to get his car after leaving his friends, when he entered he heard the shattering of glasses. Alarmed , he immediately hid himself by a pillar and look into the source of sound through the corner of his eyes. There was a familiar silhouette of a person, long black hair, the azure eyes and the staff at her hand, and as he sharpened and focus his sight on the person he saw her.

     Ella was standing there with some men, the windows of the cars beside them were broken. Some of the man were bleeding and after saying something they got into a car and drove away. Ella also got into hers and left and didn't see Al who was well hidden by the pillar.