Part 8

Beep, beep, beep…

Kiara entered her code into the lock of her apartment and the door opened. She stepped into the dark place and turned on the lights. The boy followed her silently.

"This is where I live. You can stay here for as long as you don't have a place to stay. You can use one of the guest rooms as your own." Kiara hung her bag on the stand like usual and changed her shoes. Kiara noticed his muddy shoes and pursed her lips.

"I will have to get you a pair of everything. For now, just come in like that. The maid will clean it up in the morning." She proceeded to walk in but then stopped and turned around.

"I almost forgot to ask you your name… Do you have one?"

"Oz, My name is Oz." He replied while looking down.

"Hm… " She nodded, "Okay, I bet you already know my name so there is no need for an introduction. I will find you something to wear and you can wash up after that. Though I am not sure I will have something that would fit you. We have to improvise until tomorrow." She mumbled the last words to herself before going into her room.

"Haah!" Just as she got into the room she gave out a heavy sigh, She patted her chest lightly and thought for a while. "Why does my chest feel so heavy?" she spoke with gritted teeth. "Should I visit a doctor?" she thought and then shook her head before going to her wardrobe. She looked around the clothes to find something slightly wearable for Oz and found nothing. She then simply picked up her sweatshirt and trousers and took them out of the room for him.

"Here, Wear this. I know it's going to be uncomfortable but bear with it for a day. I will wash your clothes for you and most probably buy you some on the way back from the office."

"Thank you," He said softly.

"Okay now go into your room. Call me if you need anything." She then hushed him off to his room.

Kiara prepared dinner and set the table while she waited for him to come out. After a long time, the door to his room opened and he stepped out of it with his broken hand still inside the shirt. This made Kiara laugh lightly. "It looks better this way." She joked at which he smiled as well but it wasn't an open smile as if he was not allowing himself to be at peace.

"Come have a seat," She pulled away from the chair for him. "I am not a great chef but my food is mostly edible, it won't kill you."

"It looks a lot better than what they serve me," His tone was a low mumble but Kiara did catch them causing her muscles to stiffen up.

"You cried back at the hospital. Did something happen to your mother?" She asked.

Oz gulped in his saliva before nodding. "That night my father's family threw me out of my house. They had been keeping me because my mother was still alive and they were eyeing her money and business, WHen they saw an opportunity they took over my mother's business and discarded me." He replied honestly.

Kiara's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "That's pretty messed up. I hope things work out for you."

There was nothing Kiara could do for him except to give him refuge. She sat across and started to eat her dinner.

....................................

Chelsi snapped her fingers before Kiara's eyes because she was not receiving any answer from her. It has been a long time since she had been talking but she was completely detached from reality.

"Kiara! You need to tell me what is wrong with you!" She declared war.

"No! Nothing happened, I was just thinking about work." She brushed her off once more but Chelsi didn't seem to be taking no for an answer today. " I have a gut feeling that you have been doing something shady behind my back! Now tell me what it is or I will use other ways to find out."

Kiara pulled back with guilt and looked at Chelsi with an odd gaze for a while.

"Go on! Say it!" she asked, "I am waiting."

"It's a long story." She fidgeted her fingers. "And I don't exactly know what's going on, I wanted to tell you after I have figured out everything but it doesn't seem like things are going to sort out anymore."

"I said it, I have all day to listen to your story." She crossed her hands and sat back in the chair with her eyes fixed on Kiara.

"Okay so the other day," Kiara began.

"Which day? Give me the details." Chelsi wasn't letting her off the hook that easily.

"That night when Robin came to pick you up." She replied flustered.

Chelsi hit her hand with the other and spoke under her breath. "I knew something happened."

"It's not like that, Actually the thing happened after Robin went away with you,"

Slowly she started to narrate the rest of the story while Chelsi listened to her with great interest.

"How come you never told me about this? Oh, my poor child, You went through so much." Chelsi left her chair and hugged her close to her chest and rubbed her head affectionately. On the verge of tearing up, she spoke dramatically. "My child is finally grown up, She has fallen in love."

"Fallen in what?" Kiara was listening to her dramatic speech calmly but when her words reached that point she couldn't help but react.

Chelsi parted away from her and looked at her and she shook her head sideways. "Love? Isn't it obvious?"

"No, I am not! I am just worried about him." Kiara became defensive.

"Yeah, yeah, Sure. You are worried about competing for a random guy who you found in the alley late at night and proceeded on giving him a room at your house." She chanted in a loud voice.

"Well… yes!" Kiara thought it through and that seemed to be the only answer for that.

"Gosh! How many guys have you rescued in your life before? Especially when they have nothing to do with you?" Chelsi questioned.

"That…"

"My little muffin, I can smell love from miles away," She grinned.