First time Meeting

*Ding* *Ding*

Lifting her eyes from the cashier at the sound of the bell, her gaze took in the appearance of the little girl stepping into the pet shop. A smile naturally graced her lips at the appearance of the familiar face. ''What animal do you want to feed again, dear?"

''Hello Ma'am.'' Honey brown eyes belonging to a twelve-year old Calla Anderson, lit up at the sight of the woman behind the cashier.

''Are you done with school dear?''

''Yes, my extra lessons just ended, ma'am.'' Saying this, young calla closed the distance between herself and the woman. At the same time, the woman brought out a plastic bag filled some canned products and treats specifically for animals.

''Always coming to feed the animals after school, I really admire your determination, dear. I hope my daughter will be as sweet as you when she grows up.''

''…..'' Towards the sudden compliments from the grinning woman, young calla didn't know how to receive them. Tints of red silently appeared on her cheeks as she shyly took the plastic bag without looking at the woman.

''Thank you, ma'am.'' Following these words, young calla dropped a paper money with some coins, clinking on the platform, before turning around in haste. Her steps out of the pet shop was as quick and smooth as the breeze.

''Still shy as always.'' Staring at the side profile of the young calla through the wide glass of the pet shop, the woman wondered to herself aloud. ''I wonder if her parents don't compliment her so much.'' Taking her gaze away, her eyes landed on the ten dollars cash and the coins. The corner of her lips then tugged up to a nostalgic smile. ''Cooper would have liked her a lot.''

Outside of the pet shop unaware of the woman's words, young calla hadn't gone to her usual destination as something else attracted her attention…or someone.

Her honey brown eyes took in the appearance of boy, young like herself, seated on the bare ground. Unlike the beggars she had seen on the side roads, this boy didn't seem like one in her eyes.

His clothes were the main reason why young calla did not suspect him as one of those beggars. As a daughter of the Anderson family, young calla could recognize the high quality of the clothes since her twin sister and she had always been dressed in clothes like that from birth.

Perhaps the boy was from a wealthy family like hers.

Steeling her nervous heart, young calla decided to start a conversation with the boy. He might be lost or something.

Young calla knew it was risky to talk to someone that she wasn't familiar with. But for some reason, she just couldn't take her eyes away from the boy. Something about him just compelled her to move closer to him and young calla was curious why she felt that way.

She was never one to run away from her curiosities.

If the boy was truly lost, she and the driver could help him in finding his family before she returns home.

Young calla thought, inwardly counting numbers starting from three to zero before speaking up to the boy. However…her gaze might have too much and noticeable that the boy suddenly lifted his head, his eyes landing on her startled face. The strands of his hair following his every movement.

Indeed, young calla did not expect the boy to suddenly look at her. But her fright was momentarily forgotten at the sight of the boy's handsome features.

The structure of his face wasn't what took her breath away. His ebony hair wasn't also what took her breath away. Rather…his eyes…dark orbs like the night sky with a tinge of grey flicking now and then.

Even though people bypassed them in front of the pet shop, young calla felt that she and the young boy were the only persons with no one around them. His eyes seemed to have pulled only her into another world, where only the two of them existed.

His eyes were what young calla had never seen before…and from that moment, the boy, specifically his eyes, intrigued young calla's interest.

It was from there that young calla experienced her first love at first sight.

****

*meow* *meow*

The mewling sound of kittens followed one after the other. Scarred fingers continuously brush through their furs, giving them a good rub almost like massage. One of the kittens even exposed her belly for the fingers for another good rub.

''Are you really okay….Calla?" A voice belonging to Vincent broke the tranquility that only consisted of the mewling sounds of kittens.

''...'' On the bare ground with her knees, Calla's gaze focused on the kittens. Her eyes were sharp to catch sight of their bony structure that was very visible from their furry body.

''it's been a while since I came here.'' Calla suddenly said, with a faint smile. Her fingers brushed over some protruding bones on the kitten's body.

Of course, these animals would be like this, when no one would give them free food like she had done in the past.

''I used to live here….'' Calla began, her gaze turning blurry for a moment, almost as if her mind was thrusted back to the past before the accident had happened. ''This city was my home. My family is presently in this city.''

''But…'' Her eyes blinked, returning her mind back to the present…back to her reality. ''We're not a family…anymore.'' Her pupils shook slightly at the sight of the kittens rubbing themselves against her fingers…and also against each other.

One thing called noticed about these four kittens were the colors of their fur. Even if the patterns of their furs did not seem alike, it didn't change that all of four had the same color.

Perhaps they were siblings. Siblings looking out for without their parent like a family.

''I met someone special in that pet shop.'' Calla said, withdrawing her fingers away from the kittens. She then brought the plastic bag filled with canned products that she bought from the pet shop. Taking a canned product out, Calla dropped the plastic bag on the side, before hooking fore finger on the ring, and pulling out the lid of the can.

The strong odor of fish and meat entered her nose. Perhaps the kittens were attracted to the scent, because their eyes were glued to the opened can in her grasp.

''Sorry that you have to eat from the ground…'' Calla's words were directed to the kittens, as she poured the content from the can on the ground.

At the sight of food, the kittens rushed to pile and dug in their meal of evening. Watching them eat heartily brought a grin to Calla's face. At the same time, she thought that she should have a plate from the pet shop.

''When I was younger, I brought that person here to feed some puppies and kittens.'' Glancing around, Calla took in the familiar scenery of the abandoned building. 

'I wonder if someone has bought this place….' Calla thought, recalling that the land was for sale according to what the driver had told her, back then. To be honest, she didn't actually think that this abandoned building would exist. Just as the pet shop had changed so much from back then, she expected this building to have changed as well. She only wanted to have a look before leaving for the hotel.

Though she bought some pet food, hoping to feed some strays on the way.

'Somethings never change…I guess…' Just as the bell in the pet shop remained, this place and the fact that strays would always come in, also remained.

''What happened to that person, Calla?'' Right by her side, Vincent squatted to be on the same level as her figure, his eyes looking at her side profile. His voice gave Calla a reminder that she was telling Vincent a glimpse of her past.

Something that she thought that her past self before meeting Vincent would have never done.

''…..He is just like my family…..'' Calla took a moment to voice out her past to another in a long time. The only one who knew something about her past was Miss Lola.

Looking down on the kittens slurping their meal in relish, tears gathered around honey brown eyes, until a drop leaked to the ground.

''Hating me for something that I never did.''

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