While Nicolas is having a good day, Alice on the other hand is busily and cautiously following him from afar, letting her curiosity run wild in a different kind of way.
"He really is a good person", she thought as she watched him comfort the old lady.
Earlier today, she had plans to stroll around town but when her vision took a glance of the boy he met the day before, she ended up following him instead.
"Maybe I should get going now", she told herself, but her actions says otherwise. She continued following the boy as he explored around town, until slowly, he made his way to a lesser crowded street.
"I'm not a stalker or anything. I'm just curious", she whispered. "I mean, all he did today were unexpected. Think about it, I never thought he'd be willing to help a man he doesn't know and even let a total stranger cry on his shoulder. Wouldn't it make you curious too?", she continuously talked to herself, convincing her being that what's she's doing is right and acceptable.
Another angry cloud came, ready to whisk some more rain over the town.
"Where the heck is he going, for goodness's sake it's about to pour", she exhaled as she successfully followed Nick at an empty lot on the deserted alley situated at the far edge of the town.
Keenly gazing at Nicolas as if he's an extremely suspicious entity, she peered through a small gap between the boxes where she hid, pulling her cloak over her head as Nicolas scanned the surroundings.
Alice who's still gazing is determined to know what the boy is up to. She never took her eyes off of him. Not when he moved closer to the boxes and placed his belongings there, not even when Nick started to remove his cloak, shirt, and later, his trousers. He was too sure that no one is around and that he only left his undergarment to safeguard his humility.
"What in the world is he doing", she covered her mouth as to not let her shriek be heard, hitting her head on the boxes as she tried to look away. Luckily for her, the rain is louder and Nick happily ran on the open field, not noticing anything.
She looked away, her face red like an overripe tomato and her eyes wide as she desperately tried to stop herself from freaking out. Alice really wanted to leave but the rain would not let her now. So once again, she took a peek. To her disbelief, Nicolas was only standing there, his head facing upwards with a faint smile, nonetheless he looked delighted. He just stood there without a single care in the world. Even if the cold rain and breeze might give him colds, he just stood there, at peace.
She's in awe, not believing her eyes on how lean he was despite looking thin and weak under his clothing. His muscles are well defined but that's not what her eyes had strayed onto, rather, it was his scars, the kind that you wouldn't normally get during a fist fight but with swords. Moments later the rain started to weaken and Nicolas finally decided to move on.
Alice's face turned red once again. "No—", she exclaimed, "Don't face this way", she hoped. But unfortunately, Nicolas was oblivious of his stalker and headed right back to where he left his clothes. She soon knew the problem of undergarments when they get wet. They tend to hug whatever they are hiding.
"Goodness—", she retreated to the far corner of her hiding place before Nick got back. "Maybe that's really enough spying for today, I've seen more than enough", she finally convinced herself, still bearing her red face, "And maybe I'll just ask him directly about the things I want to know", she whispered to herself while tailing Nicolas as the boy walked back towards the busy streets.
Nicolas, for a moment, stood at the foot of the clock tower, checking everything, making sure that no one is paying attention. Alice on the other hand was about to cross the road and approach him when a carriage came passing by and cut her off.
"Watch where you're going, do you have a death wish", the coachman angrily yelled at her as he barely managed to control the carriage away from disaster. It was a fancy carriage, the kind that might be carrying a Noble inside, Alice thought so too.
"Filthy peasant"
"Now that confirms it", Alice groaned as she sharply stared at the carriage. "Filthy peasant my ass, DIE", she exclaimed back as it finally got a fair distance. Desperate to catch up to Nick, she hurriedly ran across the road. Her boots got stuck in the wet soil and she spattered at the mud. Miraculously clutching herself before her face met the ground. "Can't this day be any worse, first, the beautiful sunny day became gray, now this? Stupid weather", she continued complaining as she tried to whisk the mud off her hands and dress before pulling her boots free.
With everything suddenly going opposite of what she imagined her day to be, she's still determined to talk to the boy. It wasn't long enough till she found the familiar stance standing in front of a shop, "Did the guilt finally caught up to him?"
She would never doubt that posture. After all, it's from the person who helped her and the person she's been stalking all day. Her face still turns a bit of a blush when she thinks about what delight she saw back there.
"Hey Nick", she approached as she garnered the courage to talk to him but the boy does not seem to be paying attention to whoever was calling to him. "Hey", she kept on repeating but got no response. "Nick, I'm talking to you", she started to grow tired of being snubbed. So, she placed her hand on the boy's shoulder and forced him to face her, "Face someone if they're talking to you will you". Her face turned red once again and at the same time her eyes went wide.
"DON'T YOU HAVE SOMETHING BETTER TO DO", the boy erupted facing her with boiling rage.
"Someone please, please kill me. May the ground swallow me at this exact moment", she thought as she flickered a faint awkward smile. Although surprised that he resembles Nick, there are two things that sets them apart, mainly this other person's sharp gaze and blond hair. "Sorry", she could only apologize for her mistake, "Please, someone, save me from this humiliation"
"What do you want", the boy rudely asked, stressing the fact that he did not like what Alice did.
"S— Sorry, I mistook you for someone I know"
"Then get the hell out of the way", the boy plainly said, not in an angry roar and not even a shout. He said it so emotionlessly but he sure looks tired of whatever shit he's dealing with. The boy, without wasting time, strolled away from her and disappeared into the crowd without bothering to look back.
Alice was left there, humiliated from the interaction. "I already apologized you know…", she whispered to herself trying to ease her mortification.
She's not yet done blaming herself when her chest suddenly constricted. Breathing suddenly became a painful and difficult job, her body aching from some kind of pressure that's pressing her to the ground. "What's this? It— it feels like my soul is— my soul is being crushed", she fell to her knees, her eyes are wide and full of worry, and her lips won't stop trembling as she held on tightly to the shop's table for aid.
"Are you okay young lady?", the shopkeeper asked but Alice does not seem to be paying any attention. All she can think about is that unknown force and how its presence is keeping her on edge.
"I need to know what that is", she uttered as she looked at the sky towards the direction of wherever that ominous feeling is coming from. Forcing herself to stand, her knees rebelled as if telling her not to go. She tried once again, this time with more determination as she inhaled, trembling as the air did its cycle. Placing her hands to her shaking knees she pleaded, "Stop, I— I need to go."