Standing in a hallway, Amaris carefully observed the framed photo of a couple hanging on the wall as he drifted into his thoughts.
He couldn't sleep well in this new environment so immediately it was the crack of dawn, he got up and began to observe every nook and cranny of the house, stopping at this hallway as he didn't have the courage to scrutinize Arya and Laura's rooms.
It had been over fifteen hours that he had come into this world and he still hadn't a clue on how he got here or how to leave. The Jenkins did him a huge favour by offering him a place to stay. Okay may be just Grandma Jenkins, Laura, the woman who accepted him in even without knowing anything about his background.
He was quite grateful for being given a place to stay and Arya's promise in helping him find his way back, but that didn't change the uneasy feeling he had since he got to Earth.
He wasn't brought here by coincidence, someone plotted the whole thing, even sending him through a portal!
Transporting through space and time wasn't an issue that was handled lightly in Luna. It needed time, energy and lots of magic. This was a law handed down by the goddess of time who felt that if every living being was given the chance to permeate to another world willingly, it would disrupt the wheel of life in each world.
Even his uncle, the portal master Zephyr, who was also the one in charge of collecting information from each world into Luna couldn't traverse to other worlds without proper preparation that usually took months sometimes years.
This he knew as he had been opportune to assist him in collecting materials needed for the portal and he also journeyed with him once. He just couldn't remember where or what he encountered
So a portal couldn't just appear out of nowhere, much less in his pavilion unless it was a premeditated plan. And the author of this plan was a sly one.
'But what was his or her motive?'Amaris thought in wonder as he came back to, carefully observing the couple in the picture carefully.
He didn't know why but he felt the woman was oddly familiar like he had seen her before but he couldn't place it.
The woman was smiling widely as the man pressed a kiss on her check. It was obvious that they were a lovely and happy couple but where were they presently?
As Amaris tried to remember where he met the woman, his ears tingled and his head whipped to the stairway. Footsteps were heard before Laura's figure emerged.
"Oh Amaris dear! You almost scared this old woman. When did you wake up?" she asked with her hand placed on her chest.
"Good morning Ms. Laura. I'm sorry I didn't mean to startle you. I woke up not too long ago." Amaris offered Laura a cheeky smile.
"Good morning dear. It's fine, don't worry about me. Did you sleep well though?" Laura asked as she finished climbing the stairs and approached Amaris.
"Yes ma'am, sorry…Ms. Laura. Thank you once again for giving me a place to stay." Amaris appreciated once again. He really couldn't thank her enough for her kindness.
"Oh please. Stop thanking me already will you? Right, you must be hungry. I didn't get to offer you a proper meal last night." Laura commented as she stood beside Amaris realizing for the thousandth time how handsome he was even with bed hair.
"I'm really okay Ms. Laura. You offered me a place to stay, the least I can do is find my own food." Amaris said. And by food he means nicely prepared fresh rabbit with a berry on top.
Oh how he missed his berries. He was suddenly craving them. He thought as his tongue snaked to rub against his teeth.
"No silly child. My hospitality isn't complete if I don't take care of your meals. That would just make me a bad hostess and I won't take no for an answer." Laura countered earning another small 'thank you' from Amaris before he looked at the wall.
Glancing at the framed photo on the wall that caught Amaris's eye, Laura voiced with melancholy, "They are Arya's parents. Unfortunately they passed away few years back."
"Oh! I'm sorry to hear that." Amaris uttered.
"You don't have to be Amaris dear. Speaking of Arya, isn't that brat awake yet? Does she want to be late?" Laura said before she lifted her foot to walk to Arya's bedroom and barged into it.
Taking in the scene of the room, Laura couldn't believe her eyes, "Arya Jenkins, what are you still doing in bed at 7 in the morning?!"
She thought this brat would have been in her uniform, ready for school but she wasn't even out of bed yet.
'This girl will definitely be the death of me!' Laura thought as she walked to the bed to grab the blanket covering her granddaughter's head.
"Get up, you brat!" Laura yelled after successfully pulling the blanket away. Opening the curtains, she let the early morning rays of the sun into the room.
Rubbing her eyes groggily, Arya squinted them at the intensity of light that hit immediately she woke up. Sitting on the bed, her eyes adjusted to the lighting and she couldn't help but look around.
Still in a dream state, she asked Laura who came to stand beside her bed with her hands on her hips, "Nana, what time is it?"
This scene was taken in by Amaris who never left the hallway as he peeked into Arya's room to watch the drama unfold. Arya's quartz coloured eyes under the rays of the sun made it seem like there were clouds in her eyes. She looked like an immortal.
"What do you mean what time is it? Just know that you are going to be late if you don't fix yourself up in the next 5 to 10 minutes and I don't think a class president such as yourself would want a record such as that one."
The word, 'class president' shook any sleep left in Arya as she bolted from the bed. "Oh my God! Thank you so much Nana." Arya said, making her way into the bathroom only to be stopped by her grandma's words.
"Uhm..hm. When you get back from school, we'll have a discussion about your attitude yesterday. Come down for breakfast when you're done." Laura said before walking out the door and closing it shut.
"Oh no, I'm definitely not making it out alive this time, am I?" Arya thought as she quickly freshened up.
When she came out of Arya's room, Laura approached Amaris and pushed him towards his room. "You should also freshen up. Your toiletries are in the wardrobe. When you're done, come downstairs for your breakfast." Laura said as she ushered Amaris into his room whilst also observing if he had a clue about what she just said.
"Okay Ms. Laura. Thank you." Amaris said before he shut the door and headed to get his toiletries. He knew what those were, his uncle's books had done a great deal in teaching him simple things such as these.
Few minutes later,
Arya came down the stairs with her school bag just to see Amaris and Laura eating and chatting happily at the table.
'Ugh! She almost forgot that she had to an addition to her life.'
Dragging her feet against the floor, she dropped her bag, sat at the table and picked a toast.
Laura handed the butter to her granddaughter before scolding, "You don't drag your feet when you walk. It's unladylike. Eat quickly you have just 20 minutes left before school starts."
"Yes Nana."
Amaris who had long since noticed Arya's arrival, didn't dare to raise his head and quietly ate his meal. Laura who noticed his quietness that wasn't present till Arya showed up.
"Aiyo, look how much you made my poor Amaris scared. Arya, just what did you do to this child? Look, he isn't even speaking anymore." Laura exclaimed, causing Arya's knife to fall on the table.
'Him? Scared of her? Impossible!'
'If there was anyone that should be scared, it should be her okay? Why was she suddenly the bully? He was a beast, a beast! What could she possibly do to a beast?
All these thoughts ran in Arya's head but she didn't have the guts to spit them out.
"I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable in anyway Si…Amaris, please eat." Arya muttered through gritted teeth before returning to her meal, not caring if the apology was well received or not.
Amaris blinked at Arya's actions and his eyes shone with mirth.
'Miss Arya was getting so interesting day by day.'
Meanwhile, Laura watched both their interactions keenly. 'It was only a matter of time.' she thought.
And the three ate their breakfast, each with their own thoughts.