After somewhat smiling at the message, his gaze turned away from his phone and landed on me. I didn't meet his eyes I focused instead on the little girl trying my best to ease the thin line my lips had formed.
Miss Riley called out to her first.
"Yena, come over for a second there are people hear to see you." Yena took a gander at us deliberating for a while before standing up and walking our way.
I gave up my sweetest upcurl of lips when she was close enough.
"Hi." I said crouching down to her level. She smiled gently at me still silent.
Haziel stood a few steps behind me observing the scene wordlessly.
Although Yena offered me a smile looking at her eyes she felt very distant.
"Yena, I would like you to help me with something." I started.
Opening my bag, I picked out a tablet from the inside. The tablet contained the portfolio Haziel had picked out.
Yena's job here was to select the headliner and a few she liked for display.
I directed my head towards Haziel and back to Yena.
" My friend over here painted something for me and I would love it if you could pick the ones you like." I suggested to the little girl in the calmest voice I could muster.
I unlocked the tablet and began showing her the pictures. Yena looked at the photos and at the 4th one she murmured barely audibly.
"They are pretty." The girl lifted her head slightly from the tablet to peak at Haziel for a second.
I eyes shone in agreement, and I nodded at her, "I think they are really good too."
"I like this one," she said again in a very soft voice, pointing at the 5th picture I had shown her. I guided her to seat in a chair and sat down next to her.
She then continued to voice out the ones she gravitated towards and in about 20 minutes we had successfully narrowed it down to 10 out of 15 pictures.
Once we were done she tugged my finger a bit and whispered to me.
"Do I get to keep any of them?" For the first time her eyes didn't seem so blank, there was evidence of interest in them. I swiftly nodded my head.
"Of course pick anyone after my event I'll give to Miss Riley to hang up here." I replied.
Her expression lighten up.
The rain outside had settled down a bit, the sound of water droplets did not seem as concentrated as before.
"Alright Yena.Thank you so much for your help, it was sweet of you," I uttered standing up and straightening my dress. Yena smiled, saying no more than she thought was necessary.
We left the art room shortly after, commuting once again in the administrators office.
"I brought so toys for the kids today, they are in the back seat of my car." I informed Dr Gerald.
"Miss Riley, get the staff to get the toys out of the car then gather the kids to say a little thank you." Dr Gerald instructed.
Miss Riley left the room no worded response.
"Thank you for your generous gifts, I'm sure the kids will love it," He appreciated.
Haziel so far had been silent. If this was our first encounter I would be of the notion that he and Yena had similar personalities.
"I would also love it if you could show me a few of the kids drawing for my charity event if that's..."
"What was that?" Haziel injected before my sentence had flown out of my mouth.
Dr Gerald and I had the same perplexed expression on our faces before we heard a loud thud from outside the office.
Following the sound of something hitting the floor, two child like voices roared through the halls.
Dr Gerald opened the door, the remaining two of us went after him subtly.
The scene we met was that of two girls who looked to be pre teens clawing their hairs out, engaging in a wrestle of some sorts.
"Stop it!" Dr Gerald roared, halting the little girls actions.
Each of them turned our way with downturned expressions as soon as their gaze met Dr Gerald.
"What is the meaning of this?" Just as he spoke Miss Riley returned with a man I hadn't seen before holding toys.
"She started it." The girl with light hair and a snub nose spoke up first.
"No way," the other with dark hair and big doe eyes refuted.
Dr Gerald let out a sigh.
"She keeps bragging about how she's getting adopted soon and won't be missing any of us." The light haired girl explained angrily.
"It's not my fault your jealous, " the dark haired girl rolled her eyes subtly.
"Enough!" Dr Gerald hurriedly ended the brewing argument. "To your rooms!" He ordered.
The girls frowned and strutted upstairs quickly.
Haziel and I exchanged a look between the two of us. His lips were on the brink of forming a smile.
"Get the toys to my office and call the kids, Don't just stand there," Dr Gerald was visibly flustered and, it was evident in his tone.
"There's no need for them to thank me. We should actually get going." I informed him.
He continued with three more attempts to convinced me before subduing.
Thanking the both of us for visiting he let us go.
I slid into the drivers seat, Haziel got in a little while after me.
"I'm hungry would you like to go somewhere to eat?" I asked, starting the car engine and resting my hands on the steering wheel.
"Not sure, I'm not fond of eating out." Haziel replied with a shrug.
"You're very strange, do you know that?" I remarked thougtlessly.
"Is it strange to prefer eating at home?" Haziel didn't seem to understand where I was coming from.
"It's not that it's just you..." my head went blank in that moment.
What was it I wanted to say?
Haziel seemed amused by my hesitation. "I'm actually a pretty good cook, and I enjoy it." He bragged subtly.
I looked at him with a questionable expression.
"I'm serious," he said, taking my silence for distrust.
I chuckled and nodded.
"Okay, let's head to my place so you can judge for yourself," Haziel suggested, raising his eyes like proposing a dare to me.
My thoughts trailed back to momemts before when the text came through, didn't have a guest coming over already. I felt a pit in my stomach.
"Are you sure?" I inquired. "You don't have any plans for today?"
Haziel squinted his eyes on me, shaking his head in a sluggish manner.
"Not that I'm aware of," he replied monotonously leaning his back completely into the chair.
"I wouldn't offer if I had other plans," he voiced, staring ahead through the windshield.
What about the text he recieved earlier, wouldn't she be upset if he was spending time with me instead?
If she was his sponsor why would he risk it?
My fingers had a tingling sensation in them as my brain kept popping curious sentiments into my head. I glanced over to him and nodded my answer. With that I drove off with his destination in mind.
"You seem to like children a lot." Haziel asked while I was driving.
I shook my head.
"I do like them but just a normal amount. I never had any younger siblings so I had no one to take care off, I'm compensating." I replied honestly, stopping the car at a junction due to a red light.
My gaze turned to him, "did it seem like that?" I mused.
"What about you? Do you like kids?" I questioned, letting my curiosity take the reins.
"I'm not a fan actually," Haziel answered promptly, bringing out his phone to check something. This time I couldn't see what it was.
"Why not?" I asked, genuinely surprised.
I had assumed his answer would be 'yes', now that it wasn't my brain couldn't decipher why.
Everything about him was a mystery for me. Was it because the people who surrounded me before were easy to read?
Haziel didn't break his gaze away from the phone, his lips were filled in a frown. I was uncertain whether it was because of my question or because of what he read on the phone.
I ended the conversation, "private question?"
Haziel nodded then pointed up at the traffic light.
"Green light," he said.
The honking by impatient drivers behind me was notice enough, so, I took the left turn at the intersection, driving into the street before his apartments.
Instantaneously, a black car swerved after the turn and jumped the chance to recklessly overtake me from the wrong side.
My gaze shifted to the car of my right, seeing his actions, my hands gripped the steering wheel and turned sharply to avoid a collision before my foot stomped the brakes hard.