The horse was indeed a beautiful creature. Her body was chestnut and her mane slightly darker. She watched as Alessia fed her apples and brushed her long mane. Olivia stayed back because the horse wasn't use to her yet. An hour later they headed back to the house for dinner.
Her friends were setting the table when they entered the dining room. It could easily fit sixteen people and Olivia wondered if there were more people coming. "Hey Liv, glad you could make it," Liam said, grabbing Alessia in his arms and squeezing her. She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck, and planted a deep kiss on his lips. He pulled away and kissed her neck, "I missed you," he whispered into her ear. Alex rolled his eyes, "you just saw each other a few hours ago."
"And every second away, was torture," he said, not taking his eyes off his love.
"Get a room," Alex groaned.
"I plan to." Liam looked at him, and made his eyebrows dance.
Carmichael was glued to Rosa's side, whispering in her ear, she blushed and bit her bottom lip, and a sly grin spread across his face.
Blaze was across the room sending glares of death at him, every few minutes.
Mira and Mina were busy placing silverware on the table, but kept eyeing the new couple and giggling. 'My friends are hopeless,' Olivia thought, a happy smile, spread across her face.
Mr. and Mrs. Trudio came into the dining room, followed by two men Olivia had never met before. They were carrying several large serving bowls full of food and placed them on the table. One man was older, maybe in his fourties' with light gray and white peppered through his black hair and beard.
The other man was younger and looked a few years older than her, with long, thick jet black hair, pulled into a ponytail. When her clear blue eyes met his dark green ones the strong scent of cherry blossoms filled her nostrils. Her head began to swim in the scent. It was her favorite and she breathed it in deeper. A whirlwind of emotion tingled through her body. She felt peace and excitement, longing, the urge to be near him and feel him. Her abdomen fluttered like hundreds of butterflies were locked inside.
When she tore her eyes away from his, everyone in the room was staring at her. She quickly looked down and pretended to look over the food on the table.
Mr. Trudio broke the silence, "You guys, this is Mr. Ansel," he pointed to the older gentleman, "and this young man is Mr. Damon," he said pointing to the younger man. The man known as Mr. Damon sent him a glare. "They will be joining us for the weekend. They are from the Firdaus Veda school, that you guys received letters from a few weeks ago." Olivia took a peek at him again and noticed his eyes were still on her. She wasn't expecting him to be staring at her.
"Please take a seat and let's eat!" Mrs. Trudio said excitedly, "I'm a poet and didn't know it." She laughed, and took a seat in the center of the table across from her husband. Alessia groaned, "that never gets old mom," shaking her head and taking the seat next to her mother. "You'll miss my corny little jokes one day." She replied, snubbing her nose. Liam took the seat next to her and called for Olivia to take the seat next to him, which was to the left of the head seat. She took her seat and Carmichael sat opposite her with Rosa next to him. Alex took the seat between Rosa and his father. Blaze took the one next to Mrs. Trudio and Mira took the one next to him, leaving the seat next to her open. Mina sat on the other side of Alex's dad, leaving the two seats open next to her.
Three more men walked into the dining room. Alex's older brother, Seth, sat down next to Mira and the other two, one with blonde hair, named James, and one with red hair, named Isaac, took the last two seats. Mr. Ansel took the tables foot position.
Mr. Damon sat at the head of the table, which seemed odd to Olivia. Didn't the host sit at the head of the table? The cherry blossom scent radiated off of him and she could feel his eyes on her. She looked up into the those emerald green eyes and he flashed her a smile revealing his pearl white teeth. "Good evening," he said, in a deep silky voice.
She was caught in his mesmerizing gaze, she tried to swallow but realized her throat had gone dry. Before she replied, she picked up her glass of water and meant to only take a sip, but drained the glass, "good evening," She said, slightly breathless. She tore her eyes away from him and noticed everyone was looking at her. "Is there something on my face?" She asked. A deep chuckle came from him drawing her attention back. "Don't mind them, they're just nosy." He replied, taking his own glass and taking a sip. When he looked at them, they all went back to passing around bowls and plates as if nothing happened. Olivia was curious, "What do they have to be nosy about?" She whispered to him.
"They are waiting on me to give you this," he pulled a thick cream colored envelope with deep red lettering written on it, from inside his suit pocket and handed it to her. She took and read the address. 'Miss Olivia De Lucca' She looked back into his eyes, "Is this from the super secret school, I keep hearing about?" She asked.
Mr. Damon looked around the table, "keeping the mystery alive, I see." Everyone around the table seemed on edge, as if waiting for something to happen. 'What's with everyone,' she thought, but only Mr. Damon could hear her. His eyes met hers again, then down at the necklace she was wearing. 'It seems she is surpassing the charm.' He thought to everyone.
Everyone at the table looked at him confused.
'I can hear her, can you not?' He asked.
Everyone at the table replied, 'No.'
"Hmmm." He said, taking a bite of his steak and smiling while he chewed.
'Keep her blocked, just in case,' he thought.
"Is this why you guys have been acting weird?" She asked her friends.
"Weird?" Alessia questioned, giving her a look.
"Yes, weird. I have been thinking that you had some mysterious secret. I even thought you guys were communicating telepathically," she laughed.
Everyone at the table froze, except Mr. Damon. "What made you think that?" He asked her intrigued.
"Well, they seemed off today. Eyeing each other in silence at lunch, like they were having a mental conversation with each other. Oh and Alex had an outburst, like someone gave him the worst news, he never does that. He is always composed."
Mr. Damon eyed him, and he shrunk a little in his chair. 'Outburst?' He questioned.
'When i delivered the news of your attendance this evening,' Carmichael intervened, taking a bite of his tender steak, as if everything was right with the world.
'It upset you, Alex?' He asked.
'It was a spur of the moment, Sire. I was caught off guard. I thought we would be waiting until the university stay. She is, as always, too preceptive,' He replied.
'I find it refreshing. Even without the link, she reads you,' he said with a proud smirk.
Olivia was busy reading her letter, when she finished, she looked up at him. "You want to accept me to this University?" She asked stunned.
He leaned closer to her, "yes, I would like that very much," he replied.
"Why?" She asked.
"Why not?" He asked her. "Is it so hard to believe that you're exceptional? Besides, it seems that everyone here will be attending. I thought you would be pleased to be attending the university as your friends." Olivia, however, was distracted by the cherry blossom scent wafting up her nose and that tingly feeling intensifying throughout her body. 'Why does he smell so delectable? What is happening to me?' She asked herself, but unbeknownst to her, the beautiful man beside her heard her thoughts.
Mr. Damon smiled at her, and decided to have some fun. "Do I make you nervous?" He asked.
She immediately turned a light shade of red, "Y….You smell really good," she blurted out, her face immediately turned a darker shade of red. Which caused him to chuckle. "What do I smell like?" He asked, with a big teethy grin.
"Like cherry blossoms, it's my favorite scent," she replied, not looking him in the eye.
He watched her demeanor and his heart thudded hard in his chest. It was taking every restraint he had not to touch her. 'Patience. It's too soon,' he thought to himself. "When is your birthday, Miss Olivia?" He asked, as he cut into the meat on his plate again. Her eyes met his again, "December seventeen," she replied.
The urge to touch his face and run her fingers through his hair was overwhelming her. 'What is happening to me?' She asked herself. She had never felt anything like this, never! 'Oh my god, is this love at first sight?' She thought. Her breathing increased and she tried to relax, but the more she tried the more ragged it became. "Olivia," he said with a bit of seriousness. "Are you okay?"
She hesitated, "I…I think I need…. Excuse me," she said, getting up from the table and exiting the room as fast as her feet would carry her. She hurried out the back sliding doors and took a deep breath of fresh air, clearing the fog from her mind. 'What the hell just happened?' She thought, confused.