Four

Grace fell silent, lowered her head, and stared at a drawing book sitting on the table. While her hands were busy scribbling the book.

"Hi"

She immediately stopped and lifted her head when she heard the voice. And she could see Theo who was standing in front of her and looking at her with a smile etched on his face.

"May I sit here?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Sure," Grace nodded. "This place is part of the school facilities and you study here. That means you are free to sit anywhere including this chair"

"Thank you" Theo smiled. Then he sat down on a nearby chair.

"You're welcome," Grace replied, nodding her head and smiling. Then she turned to look at the drawing book that was on the table and continued her activities.

"By the way, we haven't officially met. My name is Theo Hawthorne" Theo said, reached out, and looked at the girl.

Grace stopped and lifted her head. "Hi, Theo, nice to meet you. I'm Gracelyn Lenderking, and you can call me Grace" she said, shaking Theo's hand and smiling.

"Nice to meet you too, Grace" Theo replied with a smile etched on his face. Then he turned to look at the drawing book on the table. "If I may ask, do you like drawing?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," Grace nodded. "I have loved to draw since I was little. At that time my mother gave me a drawing book and colored pencils as a gift for my 7th birthday. Since then I started drawing and can't stop doing it. Because for me it is one of the fun things" she explained, staring at her drawing book and smiling.

"An unintentional coincidence," Theo said making the girl turn to look at him. "Because since childhood I also like to draw"

"Wow! That's cool" Grace said, looking at the man and smiling. "And that means we can draw together next time"

"I hope so. But I'm not sure" Theo replied, shaking his head and smiling wryly.

"You're not sure?" Grace frowned. "Why? Are you so busy?"

"No." Theo shook his head. "But I haven't drawn for so long. I'm not sure if I can do it and get the result I want"

Grace smiled. "It's okay, it's not a problem," she said, holding Theo's hand that was on the table. "After all we draw just for fun and to pass the time. And if you want I can teach you"

"Thank you. You are a good girl" Theo said, looking at Grace with a smile etched on his face.

"You're welcome," Grace replied, nodding her head and looking at the man with a smile that didn't fade from her face. Then she let go of his hand.

"By the way where is your friend?" Theo asked, raising an eyebrow and looking around the bustling cafeteria.

"She doesn't go to school," Grace replied, shaking her head.

"Not going to school?" Theo frowned and turned to look at Grace. "Is she sick?"

"No." Grace shook her head. "But she woke up late because last night she couldn't sleep" she explained, turning to the drawing book and continuing her activities.

Theo nodded. "Oh, I see," he said, averting his eyes and looking around.

"Now may I ask you a question?"

"Sure. You can ask anything you want to ask. And I will answer it" replied Theo nodding his head.

"If I may ask, why did you move here?" Grace asked without looking at the man sitting in front of her.

"I miss this town. And I feel like it's been too long since I've been away from here that I decided to come back" Theo replied, turning to Grace and smiling.

"You decided to come back?" Grace frowned and looked at Theo. "Does that mean you've lived in this town before?"

"Right" Theo nodded. "I've lived here before and this is my home country. For some reason, I had to move to Canada and live there. But I missed this country so I decided to come back"

Grace nodded. "It's true what people say, no matter how far you go you will always miss your home country and want to come back"

"Yeah, that's true. Because otherwise, I would never come back here" Theo replied, nodding his head and looking at Grace with a smile etched on his face.

But Grace just smiled, turning to stare at the drawing book without saying anything. Then she lowered her head and scribbled on the book again.

***

Theo was silent, sitting in the living room alone and staring straight ahead. Watching the television screen showing a movie.

But then he remembered what Grace had said when they were chatting in the cafeteria.

"Hi, Theo, nice to meet you. I'm Gracelyn Lenderking, and you can call me Grace"

"Lenderking?" he frowned. "I feel familiar with the name and like I've heard it before"

"That name?"

He immediately turned around and snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the voice.

"What name?" a man asked and walked up to him.

Theo sighed. "Lenderking," he replied, averting his eyes.

"Lenderking?" the man frowned and sat down next to Theo. "Wait, I think I've heard that name too," he said, making Theo turn his head.

"Do you remember who the person with that name was?" Theo asked, looking at the man from the side.

"Unfortunately not," replied the man shaking his head. Then he turned. "And why did you suddenly think of that name?"

"I met a girl who has that name. I feel familiar and have heard of it before. But I can't remember it" explained Theo, averting his eyes and looking straight ahead.

The man nodded. "It's okay. You don't have to force yourself to remember it" he said, patting Theo on the shoulder.

"But I feel very curious!" Theo said, turning to the man and making him raise an eyebrow. "And I'm sure I've met someone with that name before," he continued, averting his eyes.

"Has it been so long?" the man asked, looked at Theo, and raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know. Because I really can't remember it" replied Theo, shaking his head without turning to look at his friend.

"If it's true, then it's only natural that you can't remember it," the man said, nodding his head and averting his eyes.

Theo was silent, staring straight ahead without saying anything. But he tried to remember who the owner of that name he had met before.