The sun slowly started setting like any other day. Inside the Oasis Library, Evan and Aviana were almost done with the project work, and considering the time, they started to feel a sense of urgency.
Evan had told his mother that he would call her if he was to be going home late. However, he was too invested in the project work and he had completely forgotten about it. He was only reminded about it when he received a call from his mother.
Staring at the caller ID, Evan Livares rubbed his temples and then shifted his gaze to Aviana. "I have to take this. It's my mother."
Aviana Valos nodded and continued with the project alone while Evan answered the call without walking away.
"Mom... "
"Are you still at the library?"
He was instantly interrupted by his mother's concerned voice. Nevertheless, it brought a little smile to his lips.
"Yes. I'm almost done," he replied. "I was so invested and I forgot to call you. Sorry."
"It's fine if everything's alright," Sylvia Livares said from the other line. "It seems like it will be raining soon. Try not to wet yourself."
Hearing this, Evan stared at the transparent windows and noticed the thick clouds in the sky. "Alright. Don't worry."
With that, his mother ended the call and he quickly shifted his attention to Aviana only to realize that she was having her gaze on him.
"Seems like your mother is worried. Shall we just wrap it up? We still have a week and we can continue at school too," she suggested and quickly added, "Even if you're busy after school, there is lunch break. We are almost done anyway."
With the weather on his mind, Evan Livares nodded. "Fine. Let's do that."
They started wrapping up and it was quiet until Aviana spoke up.
"You seem to have a close relationship with your mother," she pointed out to Evan. "What did your mother do?"
Once again, Evan wondered how he used to believe that Aviana wasn't interested in others. Was he wrong? Or was she really curious about him?
While attempting to brush away the questions that bothered him, he responded, "She's a doctor, a psychiatrist." He let a few seconds pass before he added, "You're right but it's not just me and my mother. Every member of my family maintains a close relationship with one another." He slightly smiled and continued, "You might not understand unless you see us."
Aviana nodded with a small smile on her face. "So, your father is a military officer and your mother is a doctor." Her smile grew a bit wider when she remarked, "That's cool."
"My mom might not agree with you," Evan stated with a chuckle. "She always complains about how busy my father is. He rarely has time to come home and spend time with us."
"But maybe it's not that bad," Aviana argued as she handed the last book to Evan. "If you still wish to become like your father, that means your parents are still a good example." There was a calm smile on her face when she talked and somehow, it reminded Evan of his mother. However, when he processed Aviana's words, one thing crossed his mind.
"I never think of it that way," he honestly replied. "I like it when people say that I resemble my father a lot. It must be how everything started for me."
For the next few seconds, Aviana stared at the guy who was standing before her. Spending the day with him was already enough for her to know just how much their worlds differed.
He had loving parents, a loving family; he was happy and firm in his dream; and... he was even glad to be compared to his father.
He was everything that she wasn't and... she also felt like he had everything that she lack.
"What about you, Aviana?" Evan asked her all of a sudden. "I talk about my family a lot and I'm curious about yours now."
There was no response for a while and Evan almost spoke up again when Aviana slightly smiled. He found her smile fake but he didn't say anything about it. Then they made their way towards the section where books on Geography were kept.
"There is nothing much to say about my family." She finally broke her silence. "I have an older brother whom I truly like and... that's all."
As they talked, they arranged the books in the same spot from where they took them.
Evan Livares was curious but Aviana's tone told him that it must be for the best to not ask her more. He knew very well that not everyone had a happy family.
"I also have a younger sister," he said; deciding to talk about himself rather than asking her more. "She is only 12, a good age to be a menacing kid."
Aviana Valos laughed at his revelation and like always, he loved to hear the sound.
"Let me guess," she said while meeting his gaze. "No matter how menacing your sister is, you still remain a good older brother who put up with her every whim. Am I right?"
"What makes you think that?" Evan mused.
"Maybe because I have a feeling that in terms of siblings dynamic, you will be just like me and Austin, my older brother. He is older by 5 years and in his eyes, I bet I am a menacing little sister too. Just like the way you describe your sister." She laughed and continued, "I always put him in trouble."
"You don't look like such a brat," Evan frankly commented without much thought.
"You don't look like a caring brother too."
"Really?" He raised his brows as he wasn't expecting to hear that.
"Yeah. At school, you appear a bit cold, like... unapproachable."
Aviana's words rendered him dumbfounded!
Cold? Unapproachable?
No one had ever said those to him!
"A bit of a playboy too," Aviana Valos added with a little laughter and Evan felt as if something had swallowed his tongue!
What's the point in having a good reputation while the one that mattered the most thought him to be such a person?!
And of all the traits that she said, the word 'playboy' offended him the most.....