His Little Flame

Chapter 18: Red Chrysanthemum

I trail my eyes up to a console table in the hall, set on top of the table is a bouquet of white chrysanthemums.

They remind me of the ones I put on my parent's and grandma's graves.

I wipe away a stray tear and hold up the red flower, it must have fallen.

I place it on top of the bouquet then I take a small step back and evaluate the whole arrangement. Once I step back I realize there's a portrait hanging above the console table.

The portrait is of an extremely handsome man who looks almost exactly like Elias, apart from his blue eyes and absence of facial scars... plus the man in the portrait looks at least ten years older than Elias.

This must be Alessandro Armani, Elias and Alessandra's late father.

Well... Elias is most definitely his father's son, he has the looks to prove it... probably the abs too.

I can see where Elias gets the dilf genes from, that's for sure.

I form a cross over my chest. I'm talking about a dead man for god's sake, anyway... rip.

I turn my head and see Elias at the end of the hall, walking slower than before. I run to catch up to him but make a fool of myself when I trip.

"Putain, that hurted!" I shriek, sitting up and retying my hair with my ribbon.
(French- fuck.)

I pick up the toy fire truck and move it into a corner so no one else trips over it. Gio needs to stop leaving his toys everywhere, I might die at this point!

While still on the floor I check my knees and sigh with relief because they're not bleeding this time. I look up and see Elias standing still with his head turned back ever so slightly.

Did he stop for me?

I quickly stand up and shuffle behind Elias. He continues walking as soon as I stand, quickly picking up his pace.

Soon Elias is walking at normal speed but since his legs are so stupidly long he's moving twelve times faster than me.

Elias walks straight down the hall, to his office. I haven't been in there since the night he taught me how to play the piano... or at least tried to teach me.

I wonder what it looks like during the day, maybe it's colorful unlike his room. I'm pretty sure I saw a computer, would he let me watch a movie in there?

Once we approach the door Elias walks in and slams the door shut on my face, leaving me on the other side. I hear a 'clicking' sound and reach for the knob.

This doofus locked me out!

"Why wait for me if you were just going to lock me out, you dumb doofus?!" I shout through the wooden door. I walk away, down the hall and stop instantly, and run back to the office door, "that was mean, I didn't mean it!"

No response comes my way, all I hear is the wailing of Elias's piano. He's playing the same woeful song he played the other day, it makes my heart ache just listening to it.

I stand on the other side of the door for a moment, wondering if I should say something else or leave Elias and his abs alone.