IN LOVE'S EMBRACE

CHAPTER 15: WHY SLEEP AROUND?

Although my mind was at ease as I focused on her, my heart was racing within. I cleared my throat and looked away

"We should probably get going" I croaked out

"Yeah, your friends are worried sick about you" She voiced and I smiled

It was no surprise, they always seem to go crazy with worry whenever I was out of their sight for a long while, especially on this day. I couldn't blame them though, I've put them through a whole lot.

"I can imagine" I said as I rose to my feet

It didn't take us long to hike down the hill. I wasn't with my motorcycle or car so we had to walk in hopes of finding a cab.

"There's a restaurant not too far from here, let's go eat. I'm starving " I voiced

"What about your friends?"

"I won't be alive to see them if I don't get something to eat now" I stated and was awarded with a light smack on my arm

"Don't talk like that, you need to be more careful with your words." She scolded

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Now let's go eat"

We didn't have to walk for long before we arrived at the restaurant. By the look on Alaine's face, I could easily decipher that this was her first time here.

We entered and took an empty table at the center of the room, the waiter came and took our orders and soon enough we were munching on our meal.

"I've passed by this route a couple times and I never noticed this restaurant" She said and placed a fry in her mouth

"Really?, It's a popular joint for me and the guys"

"Yeah. I can see why, their food's amazing" She stated and I hummed in agreement

"I've been thinking, you said you and mom lived on the streets until four years ago when she died. How old were you then?, You were probably old enough to get a job, why didn't you?, Also how are you living in your uncle's house now and how can you afford your college fees?, Car?, Motorcycle and all?" She asked and I answered without hesitation

"I was 18 when my mom died, I searched high and low for a job but who would want to hire a part-time smelly and dirty looking homeless person?, I was always teased at school for the clothes I wore and how I stunk. A few weeks after my mom died, I was found by my grandfather, I had met him before but I didn't know him all that well. Turns out he heard about what my dad did and had been searching for me for a long while, he took me to his place and I followed only because I needed shelter."

"I met my uncle, my dad's younger brother, there and we became close. It might have been due to the fact that he was only ten years older than me, there was a really wide age gap between him and my dad. Either way, when I chose this college, he told me he had a house not too far from it and suggested I lived there instead of renting an apartment. My grandfather signed all his properties and wealth to my name but I only have access to little now since he's still alive, that's how I can afford anything I want" I explained and she remained quiet, trying to process everything I had laid on her.

"Oh wow" She said after a while

"Yeah, enough about me. Let's talk about you, what are your life aspirations??"

"You're not playing around" She laughed "Well painting is one of my God given talent and something I really enjoy doing . A huge art studio where I get to paint all of the beautiful things inspired by him and his creations as much as I like and people come over to check them out, they give me jobs and projects to work on for them. Yeah that's the dream" She ended with a wide smile.