Her mind was in deep turmoil.
Sid was so sly. Even using Little Louie against her.
Should she respond to his calls and texts or she'd rather not?
However the real question is that, does she really have the heart to ignore the man?
Laurice knew better.
As she tried to picture in her head the image of the man himself, she begun feeling giddy, almost unable to contain her excitement.
Ofcourse she wanted to see him and be with him, in fact she had been having this crazy notion of not wanting to part with him since. But was today convenient enough?
As disoriented as Laurice was, it's still a mystery that all her troubles seems to be slowly disappearing whenever Sid gets himself involved in her midst.
Will someone remind her again what was it she was afraid of then? Well, definitely not her mother nor her grandmother.
In that case, what better way to improve her mood than to leave this forsaken place and seek her beloved.
Laurice's spirit lifted up a notch as she look forward to meeting with Sid and his son. Oh! And secretly meeting him to be precise. She kind of like the thrill that it somehow invokes.
Laurice bit her lip in sheer passion. She felt feverish all of a sudden. Just thinking about Sid was enough to fill her head with naughty thoughts. Damn, was she turning into a pervert?
No, no, no! I am not!
Laurice shook her head vigorously both in shock and in denial.
With her flushed cheeks, she went straight to the private bath inside the room to wash her face. Immediately right after, she replied Sid with a message which literally translates to sending him away rather mercilessly.
...
At the moment,
Laurice was carefully striding in featherlight footsteps the corridors that was going to a single direction. There was no way for her to get lost in this mansion. It was such a relief that the paths weren't complicated at all so she could only go straight ahead.
Phew!
Laurice was holding her breath along the way.
The stifling air around the old residence is just too much. It is so unpleasant and unbearable in her opinion. How can those people tolerate this? She wondered. Her gut feeling was telling her that such wasn't a safe place to hide. With that in mind, her pace went from slow to moderate due to desperation.
Laurice was briskly walking now as if in a chase.
Well, she gotta go now and fulfill as she promised.
It was almost time already.
Since she did told Sid off and sent him away awhile ago but only because she wanted to come to him herself instead. Laurice told him specifically not to wait for her anymore and that it was not convenient at that moment considering her circumstances. But she also informed the man that she have no plans on staying at the old residence. It goes without saying that she's leaving either way.
Sid sent her a message then.
It read, "Promise me."
Damn it.
And he actually did made her utter a promise.
Laurice have avoided making promises a long time ago.
It bears too heavy a constraint that if not fulfilled will put her in deep shame and guilt. She doesn't like that part at most.
It was quite difficult to negotiate with the man.
But this was also her own selfish desire so she can only oblige.
Laurice was nearing her first exit as she climb down the stairs when a voice suddenly erupted from down below.
...
"Eeh. Running away now, aren't you?"
The man's low voice said in a teasing manner as if trying to provoke her.
Laurice halted in her steps holding tightly at the railings.
It was quite dark and she could not guess who spoke just now. Her eyes narrowed as she caught a glimpse of someone's figure. There was a silhouette of a man who seems to be occupying a seat at the sofa next to a lamp stand right around the living area.
The voice sounded a bit crisp, clear and young.
Must be one of her cousins.
And a pesky one at that.
Tsk! What now?!
Laurice clicked her tongue in annoyance thinking she must have used up all her luck in her past life. She was caught red-handed alright but it was none of his business.
"What has it got to do with you?"
Laurice harrumphed with an equal tone. Her serious voice was laced with a tinge of anger and exasperation.
Without hearing a reply, she dared to continue walking down the stairs as if she wasn't affected by getting discovered at all and being stared at for that matter.
So what if she was indeed escaping.
Why the h*ll was the person even awake anyway?
Was he spying on her on purpose? Can't be, no?
It wasn't as if her cousins were interested in her to watch over her actions and behavior. Laurice chided to herself.
But she have probably guessed right.
As the man who had gone to look her way at the moment has seemingly caught himself in a trance.
...
James sucked in his breath.
'Who was this person?'
He idiotically asked himself if he was still looking at the same woman from awhile back. It so seems her appearance changed quite a bit or was he just exaggerating?
However in the dimlit surroundings, he can still recognize the woman's face and presence from where he's currently at and was unexpectedly blown away with an impression towards this particular cousin of his.
Laurice's long jet-black hair was now hanging loosely over her shoulders freely flowing as she moves almost as if depicting a cascading waterfall. This look definitely suits her best, he thought. The way she was even threading the stairs with poised and elegant strides looked rather immaculate and ethereal as if portraying a deity that has descended from the heavens.
Wow, just wow.
James was utterly speechless for a full minute by the view.
Those pictures he had seen beforehand did not do her any justice at all.
Also, compared to his cousin's stiff demeanor from moments ago, this sort of reception he was receiving from her was rather raw and fresh and more appealing. He quite likes it.
By the looks of it, this is likely to be his first genuine encounter with the real Laurice all by himself. He's all the more excited.
Laurice was rather unique and different from his own perspective, the same fact which piqued his interest from the beginning.
And now James just could not help himself but tease her a little bit more.
He wasn't aware though how grave a mistake it was in the end.