Avana immediately went further inside the room, laying the beautiful dress on the checkered covered bed while Jace attended to his patients in the clinic.
Most of the people she had met so far, who had visited the clinic, were humans, nothing like the siblings. They were friendly and unbothered that she was a stranger in their area.
Jace introduced her as a friend from a distant place, staying for a while as a guest. She could tell that the people believed him, even inviting her to the annual festival in their small town.
After a few minutes, she moved to the closet and checked the few selections of clothes hanging inside. Cathy was kind enough to lend her some of her clothes. Luckily, they were almost the same size.
"Ava, are you in your room?" A small voice followed by a knock made her look at the closed door.
"Yes, come in, Kiev." She yelled back, waiting for the boy to enter, at the same time, wondering why he was even knocking this time.
The last time, he just barged into her room without permission. "Hi, Kiev." She greeted him with a warm smile, gesturing for him to enter. Then, she returned to shuffling her clothes.
"What are you doing?" Kiev moved to sit on the edge of her bed with hands planted on his knees, leaning his head on the sides as if trying to figure out her actions.
"I am trying to pick some clothes." She answered him, eyeing something she liked but glancing at the boy occasionally.
She picked a pair of sleeveless shirts and khaki shorts, feeling it was more appropriate for a day out in the sun. Then, she turned around to look at the boy.
"But you already have a beautiful dress here?" Kiev scrunched up his nose as if confused, touching the creased on her dress with his tiny fingers.
"But that is for tonight. This for when I go out to check out the shops." She moved closer to the boy carrying the clothes she had picked.
She closely studied the boy, slightly baffled by how he was acting. He seemed shy for a reason, which was quite odd as his fingers traced the pattern in her dress.
"Ava, are you going to the festival later?" Kiev asked her, his face tilted up, and his eyes focused on hers.
"I am. Your Dad invited me to join him." Placed the clothes right beside the dress already laid on the bed. Then, she sat next to him, turning her face to gaze at his tiny handsome face. "Why do you ask? Are you also going with us?"
She thought it would be nice if the little boy would join them and together with Cathy. The more, the merrier. What about Adam?
Well, she did want to see him again. She suddenly wondered where he went after leaving earlier.
"I am but only for a short while. I am still not allowed to sleep late." The boy responded, a bit sad, but she understood his situation.
Being a kid had its good points but also many limitations, remembering those times that she felt disappointed because everybody treated her as a child who did not have a voice.
"Don't be sad. Don't worry. You will grow up someday, but don't be in such a hurry." Suddenly, she wished she was young again so she would not be facing this situation. "Just enjoy your young life while you still can."
She smiled at the boy, pulling him into a hug. When she felt his little arms circling her waist, his steady breathing, and his heart thud across her chest, she felt like they had connected.
She always sensed that the boy was special, but he was not like Jace and Cathy, nor like Adam. He was different from them but not from her, so it seemed. That was if she was not mistaken.
Could he be?
"At least you will be there." The boy said, breaking her thoughts as he smiled again, bouncing back from his glumness. "Would you dance with me?" The boy suddenly asked as he looked up at her, gazing at her with those dark brown eyes.
Hopeful.
"Oh, I did not know there would be a dance." She reacted as her mouth formed an O. "But sure, I will dance with you." She promised to the boy, finding the boy quite adorable.
"Kiev, where are you?" Cathy's voice boomed around the house as she shouted from the outside.
"I think your Aunt Cathy is already looking for you." She told him, assisting him off the bed as he stood up in front of her. "I will see you tonight, and we will dance. I promise." She said as she ruffled the boy's hair. "It is a date."
"What is a date?" The boy suddenly asked, curiosity clouding his eyes as he remained standing before her.
She smiled at the sudden question. "It is when a girl and a boy go out together to have fun." She kept forgetting that she was talking to a little boy, but a smart one.
The boy still kept looking at her as if thinking about something, then suddenly, he smiled. "Oh, then you are going out on a date with my dad." The boy concluded, his eyes lighting up like a bulb.
Technically, going out with his father could be called a date, but it was only a friendly date, nothing romantic. "No," Ava answered first. But the boy only looked more puzzled. "I mean, yes, we are going out as friends, just like us." But she doubted the boy understood her.
"Kiev?" Cathy shouted again, but she was now inside the house and walking towards them.
"Hi, Cathy." She greeted as soon as she stood by the door.
"Hi, Ava. I am sorry if Kiev is disturbing you again." Cathy immediately apologized for the boy's behavior.
"No, he is not." She realized Cathy might have told Kiev to knock first before entering her room. "We were just talking."
"Aunt Cathy, did you know that Dad and Ava are going on a date tonight?" The boy interrupted them, and she could only gape at him with shock on her face.
Oh, that boy had a big mouth, she thought as Cathy's eyes glimmered with excitement. Cathy did mention before that she wanted her and her brother to date. Now, she believed it had come true.
"Is that true?" Cathy also moved further inside the room. "Oh, is that what you are wearing for tonight?" Eyeing the dress on the bed. "That is such a beautiful. I think I have shoes that would match that dress." Cathy immediately offered.
"But..."
"I think you and Jace are perfect." Cathy blabbered on, making her pause on what she was about to say. "Don't you think so, Kiev?" The boy nodded in agreement.
She suddenly regretted not keeping her mouth shut, chastising herself for putting herself in this awkward situation. There was no use in correcting it now as the two conspired to doll her up for tonight. Then, she had no choice but to call it a date.