The door was locked, she knocked hoping there would be anyone around

"Sam!" she called out as she peeked through the window. She sat on her suitcase heaving a sigh of relief, she was dehydrated from the four hour drive. The windows were open, but the door was locked. She brought out her phone and dialled his number, it rang but there was no answer

She admired the kids playing happily. Minutes later, her phone rang

"Hey sis.. I'm sorry I missed your call..home yet?"

"I'm sitting outside"

"Oops.. I'm almost home" he hung up

She watched as people passed by and cars drive in, the last she had been there was four years ago on a vacation. Her grandmother's house was always her perfect place to have the holiday she wanted. Eleanor, her grandmother never stayed in the house, her brother moved in eight years ago to live in the house. She spent most of the week at her friend's house and she needed someone to watch over the house.

A black Lexus drove in and parked in the garage and a boy in his late teens got down. He was six feet tall, muscular with chestnut brown hair. He beamed with smiles when he saw his sister sitting on the porch.

"Sis!" he hugged her almost falling her off "so great to see you".

She hugged him back, he was broader and muscular than the last time she had seen him.

"I've missed you" she ruffled his hair.

"Lexie..." he straightened his hair " I told you not to do this again, I'm no longer a kid" he took out the keys from his pocket and opened the door.

The smell of warmth and the sweet lavender air freshener filled her nose welcoming her. The yellow painted living room, their grandmother's favourite colour glowed at the sun's reflection. She dropped her bag on the table and sank in the armchair.

"Help me with my suitcase..." she said after Sam as he headed to the kitchen. "Thank you" she added

"Done" Sam dragged the suitcase to where she was.

"Feels so good to be back home"

"Yeah, how's mom?" he poured her a glass of cold water

"She's fine" collecting the cup from him "she sent some things over for you"

"Thank goodness"

She got up and headed upstairs "I need to get some rest"

"What do you wanna eat for dinner?" Sam asked

"Anything is okay but right now, I have to sleep"

"Do you still remember where your room is?"

"The last time I was here was four years ago not forty years ago and I lived here even before you were born, why won't I remember that mister" she laughed

"I'll bring your things over for you"

She didn't reply. The purple room was the same as it had always been. A king sized bed in the middle, cozy chair by the side. Sam had cleaned it before she arrived. She threw herself on the soft bouncy bed. Her vacation this time was going to last for awhile. Probably two month or three, longer than ones she had always had.

She worked for a fashion company as an hairstylist in Stanes. She only needed a break, to clear her head and relieve stress, she had spent a great deal of time at the hospital seeing a therapist. He had suggested she go on a break to make her feel more better. She hated being vulnerable and lazy but she needed to get a grip on her mental health.

The door opened halfway before it opened wide for Sam to drag her bags in. he was much more matured than he had been four years ago. His long hands gripped the box as he carried it effortlessly. Absolutely handsome at twenty one, blue eyes and brown hair, he was the heartthrob of every girl. He looked like their mother, they had the same hair colour and eyes. Alexia was a carbon copy of their father with her black hair and hazel eyes.

He put her suitcase at one corner of the big room and sat in the armchair next to Alexia's bed.

"So...what do you plan on doing during your vac?"

She sat up "I dunno yet"

"It's really great here. I can take you around, show you interesting places and oh...you could get a better job here"

"Well, I don't need a job. I told Judy I would be in Pagline. Would be leaving in three months or less"

"You sure you're okay?"

"Yes I am" she smiled, he was her confidant and best friend but she couldn't let him know what she was going through. "I'm totally fine Sam" she assured him.

"How bout I take you round the city before I leave for basketball practice?" he looked at her "you'll enjoy it"

"That would be great"

"There's food in the kitchen, you can eat whatever you want" he got up and headed towards the door

"Ayy..look who's acting all matured here" she teased. He had really changed, different from the childish Sam he used to be. He was more responsible and grown-up.

"I'm not seven anymore Lexie" he opened the door and waved before closing it gently.

                     ***********

"Hey handsome.." the feminine voice said seductively over the phone. There was no response. "you know who it is, it's your darling, Julian. "

"How about another night together, you and I? I really enjoyed being with you"

He didn't say anything, he was irritated. How did she ever get his number? He had paid her off already and told her plainly that he never wanted to see her again. All he needed her to do was to give him her body for that night and get away. He watched the buildings from the balcony of his penthouse as he listened to what she was saying as he drank his champagne.

"Meet me at the hotel by nine" she hung up

He put the phone in his pocket and closed his eyes. He knew what she could do, she controlled the media. The offer of spending another night was tantalizing, her body was fire, took him to places high above his imaginations but he never dealt with women more than once. He paid them off whenever they were done. A playboy he was, he always enjoyed the games he played with women. He poured himself a glass of champagne and walked back to his room, he needed to get out of here.

******************

'I love it when you call me senorita , I wish it wasn't so damn hard to leave ya................'

The phone rang twice before she picked it, it was Judy

"Hello" she said sleepily

"Lexie..!" the voice said through her nasal high pitched voice

"Judy..!" she was wide awake now. It was her childhood best friend

"How could you not tell me you're around? Sam told me when he came over"

"I'm sorry Dee, needed to rest a bit before I call you"

"How're you by the way?" she asked excitedly "how's mom and dad? And Chelsie too?"

"They're good, how's Lee and Sandra?"

"They're here, you coming over?"

"Of course.."

"I've got lots of things to tell you"

"Really? I know you're gonna have all the gists in Stanes" Lexie said eagerly

"You remember Eric?"

"Eric?" she repeated

"Yeah, Eric"

"Who's he?"

"Our classmate back in high school. The fat guy everybody called ugly in school, he asked you out remember?" she paused "he almost peed his pants when you said you could be friends, you remember how he gambled all his money to buy you a gift for valentine. Do you?" she asked

"Uhmm... yes, I guess I do?"

"You became his closest friend...come on Alexia, you can't telling me you've forgotten about him so fast"

"Eric?"

"Yes...yes...Eric Reagan. Now you remember Alexia...you don't talk any longer?"

"Yes, we lost contact after he travelled to Tory for college"

"Yeah, that's true...but he's back"

"I don't even think I am going to know how he looks like again" Alexia said

"He's a big businessman now. Heard he's getting married soon"

Judy Whaite, mother of two kids was Alexia's best friend right from when they were kids. Ask for the latest gist, Judy knew it all. A nurse at Pagline's biggest hospital, she loved her job as much as she valued her family.

"Oh...that's good for him" Alexia went to the kitchen

"I'm surprised too, I don't think I can even recognize his face any longer. Haven't seen him since he arrived in Stanes"

"Wow...has it been long?" She served herself some spaghetti and sat down to eat

"Not really... I guess it's been a year or so now"

"Why is he back here?"

"He's friends with Azaiah Falkor" Judy replied

"Who's that?"

"Whoa hold a sec girl, you mean you don't remember Azaiah? The quiet weirdo guy, that odd guy back in high school...the one you saved his life"

She remembered almost everyone that went to Pellview high together but she didn't remember who the Falkor guy was. She remembered saving a kid jumping off the bridge but she couldn't picture how he looked like.

"The tall brown haired kid that never talked to anyone, you remember? I even had a crush on him then, every girl did except you" Judy said "you never dated any guy in high school. You even came to prom on your own.. such a boring lady you are"

"It's okay ma'am" she avoided her from continue discussing her love life. " I don't remember him"

"Have to go girl.. gotta make dinner before the kids devour me, see you soon" she hung up

Lexie put the phone on the table and pondered on the name that came running through her mind. Azaiah Falkor. The name sounded familiar but she couldn't remember who bore the name. Was it the strange boy she saved fifteen years ago whom she never saw again afterwards. She didn't know who he was actually so he definitely won't be the one.

She put the plates in the sink and went back upstairs to dress up. The name kept ringing in her ears, familiar but strange. That was a long time ago, he would have grown now but she knew nothing about him. she brushed the thought off her mind, took her jacket and left the house.


© Bluebear