[House Number One " The Tranquil Estate" ]
Auston generally didn't mind silence; in fact, he often preferred it, as long as it wasn't burdened by awkwardness, like the current situation.
Auston, finding it hard to keep up the pretense of being engrossed in his phone, decided it was best to put it down. He stashed it in his pocket, reclined in his seat, crossed his arms, tilted his head back, and closed his eyes. The thought of relaxing instead of dwelling on the awkward moment seemed more appealing.
He reminded himself, "If you can't do anything about it, just do nothing," hoping that the tension between them would ease as they approached their destination to view the property.
Meanwhile, Before Auston made the decision to stop dwelling on the situation, he hadn't realized that Alise had already moved on and was no longer concerned after he explained himself. She was busy scrolling through her InstantSnap, not giving the incident much thought.
Alise continued sorting through her extensive collection of modeling photos, she was on a mission to find the best pictures to prepare a clapback for herself for any potential online critics.
She muttered to herself, " I am beautiful" don't worry They're going to find out the hard way."
After a considerable effort, she finally managed to select her top 20 photos from a pool of over three thousand of her best photos.
With her task completed, Alise eyes became dizzy from staring at her phone for so long and it started to feel like motion sickness and as the car continued it seemed longer than she had anticipated.
She thought, "Damn, how much further is this property?"
She glanced over at Auston, who was comfortably reclined with his eyes closed, she decided that a moment of relaxation would be beneficial.
Placing her hands on her stomach, she closed her eyes in search of some relief.
As both of them sat with their eyes closed, the passage of time continued. They could feel each bump in the road and hear the gentle hum of the car engine.it was rather relaxing. However, their peaceful moment was interrupted when the driver announced that they were only two minutes away.
Auston was the only one who sat up to observe the approaching estate. He glanced out of the window, appreciating the scenic beauty of the surroundings. Alise, on the other hand still with her eyes closed, broke her silence and quietly requested, "Let me know when we pull up."
Auston announced, "We're here," in his deep voice, and Alise couldn't help but sigh, thinking, "Well, what was I expecting? He did say two minutes." She opened her eyes just as the car arrived at the gates.
Auston and Alise took in the grandeur of the property, surrounded by lush gardens and a long winding driveway leading up to a majestic mansion.
Auston pondered, "After seeing this, do we even need to choose? This might be it."
Alise, however, remained practical, "Let's not make a decision so quickly. We've only seen this one place, and we haven't even toured the inside."
Auston agreed, "Yeah, but I also don't want to endure another long ass ride."
Alise empathized, feeling the need to stretch since her back and butt seemed glued to the seat.
That's when the driver chimed in, saying, "All the houses have virtual viewings; you don't have to see them all in person."
As the driver mentioned that, Alise was elated to realize that she only needed to view one house and not all the others. She couldn't help but mutter, "Amen!" under her breath.
With only one house to view, she could check out the properties online and start her shopping earlier than intended.
Alise thought aloud, "Why didn't I think of this?" and to her surprise, Auston exclaimed the same words.
They shared a knowing smile as they acknowledged their mutual oversight. The driver kindly stepped out to open the car doors, and Alise and Auston expressed their gratitude.
As they stepped out of the car, both of them were relieved to stretch their legs. They took a moment to do so, shaking off the stiffness from the long ride.
Auston couldn't help but notice that the jacket he had lent Alise was significantly longer than her shorts, creating the illusion that it was her only piece of clothing.
It was fit on him but oversized on her He thought to himself, "I should have known," since the clothes I lent her last night were oversized on her too.
As Alise approached the elegant gate, Auston followed closely, a perplexed frown etched on his face. "Why the insistence on shopping? Ordering online seems so much easier," he muttered, his words barely escaping his lips.
There was a large white structure behind the gate, with two shadowy figures inside. Alise noticed a button with the word "talk"
Alise's fingers lightly brushed the intercom button, and a woman's voice on the other end politely inquired, "How may I assist you?" She began to answer but was abruptly cut off by another voice, heavy with disdain, commanding, "Go away."
A tense argument unfolded over the intercom. "You can't just talk to people like that! What if they need help?" one person passionately protested, their frustration clear in their voice.
The other woman responded firmly, "We can't allow them here when the owners arrive. How will you explain that to them? Wealthy people distance themselves from those less fortunate like us. We're fortunate to have these jobs; don't jeopardize them for their sake."
Finally, a voice softened, acknowledging, "This place isn't intended for your kind. The owners will be arriving soon. Please, just go."
Alise and Auston exchanged incredulous glances, the disbelief written across their faces. "Our kind?" Alise pondered aloud, her tone dripping with incredulity.
She continued, "Are they genuinely judging us by our appearance? It's absurd. Just because they hold high-paying positions, they think they're superior and now look down on others, forgetting their own past. The world can be a cruel place."
But the voice on the intercom remained resolute, insisting, "Leave immediately."
Refusing to back down, Alise stood their ground, firmly declaring, "Were the owners".
With a mocking laugh, the voice on the intercom sneered, "Your property? Don't insult my intelligence. I can spot the less fortunate when I see them."
A tense exchange of words began over the intercom, and Alise found herself engaged in a heated back-and-forth with the voice on the other end.
Meanwhile, Auston pondered, "Only people who work here have them besides the owners and We have the contract, and the gate codes should be on it, which should establish our ownership."
He retrieved the contract and gestured for Alise to step aside so he could input the codes, but she, caught up in the moment, retorted, "Not right now."
In a final warning, the voice threatened, "If you persist, I'll have to call security."
Seconds later, men dressed in sleek black suits emerged, their stern expressions leaving no room for negotiation. As they approached They strongly urged Alise and Auston to leave, or else they would be physically remove…