The whole drive was long and inside the car was quiet. How Alan was able to control himself was something Simon acknowledged and was impressed about.
While Alan had his poker face on, Eleanor turned her head to face the other side of the window as she was sitting in the front seat with him.
She smiled as the air passed her face, she was happy to be and see outside again and smell her freedom. Too much happiness filling her, she poked her head outside the window to enjoy the chilly breeze more.
Alan yanked her back into her seat with one hand on the steering wheel. He pulled her too forcefully, and she glared at him.
"You're going to get a cold!" He yelled as if sensing her need to scream at him from the look in his eyes.
"This is merely a drop in an ocean," Eleanor uttered to him. She resumed speaking after a short pause, "I've slept on cold floors and spent nights outside, in the dark." She watched how his face transformed, it was like he...cared. His eyes lovingly regarded her while his brows furrowed in the inner corners.
Thinking it was all in her head, she quickly shook it off and looked away.
In a few minutes, the car came to a halt. The buildings in sight were old ones. Most of the paintings on the walls were peeling off and the ground was wet as they weren't cemented. The neighborhood was slummy.
The strange musky smell could be smelled from a hundred yards away. The buildings looked old even so, people lived in them.
"You know where I live?" The sudden joy Eleanor felt when she saw her neighborhood, made her ask him how he knew her place.
He hesitated before telling her that they were there to see her sister. She gave him a startling look in response.
''Not really where you'd come, am I right?" She made fun of Alan, who ignored her.
'Oh, I see, I forgot. He despises me!' Before Alan could defend himself after hearing what she had thought of, Scarlet leaped through a sluggish pavement crack while yelling Eleanor's name.
"Hey! I miss you, little sister. What's up? Are you okay? Have you have a meal? Have they hurt you?" As she asked her while turning around, it appeared as though she was making sure she was okay and had no scars.
"They took fantastic care of me while you were away, so I'm fine. Never before have you traveled this far from home." She then whispered, her mouth and hands near Eleanor's ears, "And you never phoned, I almost felt they were telling lies, and the way they took care of me- It was too good to be true."
In response, Alan rolled his eyes. He heard her speaking.
As some of the neighbors stared at them suspiciously as Eleanor held her sister even tighter. The neighbors frequently saw Alan with his brothers and that model of vehicle. He sometimes also came alone.
While some pretended not to see them, others gathered around to engage in idle conversation. Since it had been a while since they had seen her, they assumed something might be amiss and were delighted to see her.
But Scarlet and some of the neighbors that asked her whereabouts were informed by Alan and his brothers that Eleanor was out on a dance vacation and would return soon.
"Let's go home. Alan, come on." Eleanor became confused when Scarlet rushed to grab Alan's hand. Her eyebrow was raised higher than the other, and her nose and forehead were scrunched up. She also had pursed lips.
Unexpectedly, Alan grinned and displayed his gorgeous face, gleaming teeth, and smile. Scarlet led the way, and he went after.
Welcome back! As they approached the house, Scarlet screamed. In her arms, Jamie leaped after sprinting to Eleanor. She was playing with its fur as it moved its tail.
Alan chuckled as his voice reverberated back to him. He recalled how envious of the little thing he had been a few days prior.
Scott couldn't help but feel jealous once more as he observed Jamie becoming at ease in Eleanor's embrace.