Where Were You Today?

"So, why were you holding that vase in your hand earlier?" Theodore asked casually while sipping the tea from the teacup slowly.

"Ehh? Oh… that… I thought…." Anna was stammering.

Damn, why does she have to be so melodramatic each and every time she watches a drama?

"Uh-huh?" Theodore smirked as he started his teasing session like usual.

"I was just watching an action romance drama so… I thought I should be more careful when answering the door, you know."

This time Theodore couldn't hold himself. He started to laugh loudly which was really something new to Anna as well as to him. Theodore couldn't remember the last when he laughed like this before. But he couldn't help it when this girl is always doing the most foolish things out of nowhere each and every time they meet.

Beautiful, Annabelle thought. She never saw him smile so freely before. Is the ice of this ice prince melting?

Come to think of it, why is he here?

"Umm… you suddenly came here, is it something urgent?"

"I was hungry."

Theodore cut it short like usual. If he was in his usual self, he would never say something this shameless. But for some reason, he always felt an unbearable urge to act shameless and needy in front of her though he never did these types of things even in front of his family.

What? He was hungry and so he drove here this far just to eat? Anna was more than stunned by his response. He should have called her if he was that hungry.

"You could have called me. Umm… wanna eat something now?"

"No."

Didn't he say he was hungry? Then why did he refuse to eat?

Anna twitched her brows with confusion.

"Didn't you say you were hungry?"

Theodore didn't answer instantly. He looked here and there as if he was finding some excuse to kill the time. All of a sudden, he looked at her.

"When is Kiera's plane landing?"

"At midnight. Why? She didn't tell you?"

"No. Can you make me your chicken ramen now?" All of a sudden he came back to the previous topic.

"Now?"

Theodore looked at her with his expectant eyes. It was obvious that he wasn't kidding. But did he really want to eat that when he sulked eating it that day? Anna isn't least bothered to cook for him right now though she was quite amused to know his love for chicken ramen. After all, no one can avoid the charm of the great mighty chicken ramen!

When Anna was preparing to make him the chicken ramen, he called her from behind.

"Annabelle."

Her name in his voice was somewhat new to her. Each and every time he spelled it with the thin sexy lips of his, it sounded like a rhythm to her as she never got this kind of feeling from others calling her name before. She didn't know why she felt this way. But it did make her heart race for no reason.

What is this? Is this some kind of spell working on her day-by-day? Is this guy a magician or something? Who knows, Anna thought.

"Make it less spicy and add more chicken," Theodore added as he saw Anna speechless.

Anna couldn't hold herself and gave a hearty chuckle. This guy still remembers her description so precisely. It looked like he did like that ramen from that day though he sulked hard.

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

Theodore slowly and happily finished his bowl of ramen as if he had all the time of the world in his hands. Anna was getting impatient as she planned to watch another episode of the drama before. She can't just watch it in front of him, right? So, she tried to give him some signal to go home with this and that but he didn't move an inch let alone going back home.

Suddenly an idea crossed her mind.

"Kiera is supposed to come back at midnight."

"Hmm… I know."

"Eh? Then why are you still here? Are you not gonna receive her at home?"

Theodore irked his brows as if Anna had told something totally illogical.

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you are her brother," Anna replied innocently.

"She is not going to die if I don't receive her. It was just a business trip, she is not going to disappear or something."

That made sense. Theodore was more of a distant type. Why would he welcome Kiera as if she had come home several years ago? Also, this was not her first time going on a business trip. Anna herself wouldn't go that far to welcome her even if she is her best friend. It really sounded a little inappropriate. Anna hit her head in embarrassment. What is she even blabbering about?

*Keep your cool, Anna! Don't act like a fool!*

Anna calmed down a bit by finding some new idea to make him leave as she can't afford to ruin her sweet time. After all, watching drama and movies was something like heaven to her.

"Besides, she is gonna come here first before going home anyways." He added.

It was very possible, Anna thought as she knew her friend and manager very well. Even if she is tired to death by the load of work, she would still come to her and check on her if she is okay or not.

But is he going to stay here till she comes? She stayed under the same roof with him before, but for some unknown reason, she feels nervous whenever he is closer to her.

Anna questionably looked at Theodore as if she was asking him how long he was going to stay here. But Theodore didn't look back at her as he ignored her gaze and played with the remote buttons of the TV.

"Where were you today?" Suddenly he returned her gaze.

Anna was a little taken aback. She didn't think he would ask something like this all of a sudden.

What would she say to him? She can't just say that she is a writer and today was her first book launch. What inspired her to be a writer? She doesn't have any passion for her profession, so how can she just tell anybody about her profession with pride? She can never do it; she can never do anything passionately actually. She is always like this, uncertain about everything she does.

"I… just… went to see my friends. I didn't get to see them for a few months so…," She lied though it didn't look much convincing to him.

"What do you actually do, Annabelle D'Costa?"

His voice no longer sounded like a melody. Rather it was so chilly, chillier than the weather outside.

What happened all of a sudden? He was okay a while ago. Then, what made him so mad? As far as she knows, she didn't do anything to make him mad. This guy is so unpredictable. In one moment he acts like she is nothing to him, but in another moment he would act all needy in front of her.

What was he? Making her whole surroundings turn ups and downs like a roller coaster?

There was a pin drop silence inside the living room. A single bit of sound wasn't heard. Anna was silent as ever. After all, it was the kind of question she is least willing to answer in this world.

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

When Kiera's plane landed, it was already past 2 p.m. she was exhausted to death. Her state of mind was more of a worse case than her body right now. It was of course foolish of hers to make a friend when she is actually unable to have any. She has no right to have friends. She can't even talk to people without hurting them let alone being friends. And now it is not also a time to think about these. It was her fault all along, desiring to make friends with strangers out of nowhere when she had gone there just for work.

As soon as Kiera landed here, her role changed. She has so many things to do, how can she remember a mere incident that happened in a foreign country? Her super busy life will soon make this empty feeling go away in a few days for sure.

Kiera hired a cab to Anna's apartment building. The streets were lonely at night without the bustling sounds of the traffic. It looked kinda sad to her. She was feeling lonelier than these streets though. At least when they hold an importance to all the people living in this city, unlike her. Thinking this and that, Kiera was already in front of the apartment building.

Kiera typed down the password at the door and then it opened with a small click sound. It was kind of unexpected to her when she saw her cousin brother carefully carrying her friend towards her bedroom. What is he even doing?

Kiera followed Theodore as he slowly put Anna down onto her bed and tugged her into the blanket. He then silently walked out of the room and closed the door. He already noticed Kiera's presence but didn't say anything just to make no sound. He was careful enough not to make a single sound as he was afraid it would interrupt her sleep. Kiera was looking at him with her eyes full of questions.

"She was waiting for you to come," he said plainly as he sat on the sofa he occupied a while ago.

That's it. There was nothing he felt necessary to say to her other than this. But Kiera wasn't a bit satisfied with the answer.

Kiera could guess Anna was waiting for her. But why is he also here late at night? She knew her cousin well, but still she was in her guard as Anna is someone precious to her.

Theodore could tell why she was acting like that.

"I am not here to do something weird. Don't worry." He assured her.

He is right though. If he had some other wish, he wouldn't have placed her on the bed so carefully. It was clear that he cared about her. That type of care didn't seem like a normal one though. It wasn't something done out of concern for sure.

Kiera knew his cousin is not someone to hurt a woman especially when she is Kiera's friend but still, he is not someone to care this much about a woman all of a sudden. Annabelle is a mankiller, this is kind of a sure fact. But adding Theo into her fanboy list was a bit unrealistic. Because as far as she knows him, he is the type to never involve in any subject related to women.

What made him change his usual habit? Kiera wondered.