Acumen: Riddling Life

Why are you here! (21)

"I saw you... two years ago, correct?" Theodor inquires.

Adrien's eyes widen, his eyebrows shooting up for a moment before he nods yes.

A satisfied smile makes its way to Theo's face and looks at me before continuing, "I got lost on Stanford's campus, he gave me the directions to your dorm."

I arch an eyebrow at him and roll my eyes. So what?

With defiance, he sighs and faces Adrien, "Sorry to intrude your..." his voice trails down as he takes in our table with the half-empty cups of coffee, "breakfast, but I have to talk to you," he claims at last.

"Theodor!" I snap at him.

He has no right to show up here and act as an overprotective brother and ruin my one chance at trying to be normal and live.

This time, he rolls his eyes, "Though, I first need to meet my uncle, afterward I'll come..." He surveys our surroundings with uncertainty.

"I'll be right here," Adrien says with a smile.

He acknowledges with a grateful nod. "So I'll see you in minutes," Theodor states.

"How long will you be staying?" Arianna asks, surprising Theo and me.

I look closer at her and catch that she's biting the corner of her bottom lip, her eyes round and shining with hope.

With hesitation he replies, "Not much,"

"We're leaving tonight," I tell him.

I hope he gets the point I'm implying on. If he had shown up twelve hours later, we were gone.

"You can join us, we would love to have you," Arianna offers with a beam.

I hold my tongue to not blurt out that I wouldn't. In fact, I can't wait for him to leave.

"That's very nice, I-" he starts.

"He has pressing work waiting in New York for him," I interject, glancing at Arianna. I fix my stare on Theodor, I try to sound quizzical, "You're leaving tonight," but to my disdain it turns to a statement.

"Yes, my flight is tonight," he glares at me and I hold his glare with same intensity.

Finally, he gives up, shaking his head. That's when I notice Adrien is struggling to hide his smile by looking anywhere but us.

Arianna stares at Theodor with her head tilted to the side, her entire attention focused on him. Dylan is the only one who is watching between Theo and me with curiosity.

"See you in a few minutes, I guess," he repeats himself.

Before he finishes his sentence, I walk away, making Theodor hurry behind me.

"Did you seriously had to do that there?" he asks with visible irritation as we make our way to the elevator.

"Did you seriously had to come here?" I fire back.

He huffs, "I rode a ten hours' flight to get here and check up on you," he begins.

I interrupt him by snapping, "Did I ask you?"

"As your brother, I had to be sure who you're traveling partners!" He defends.

"I told you with whom I'm traveling! Unless you didn't believe me, which makes me a liar in your point of view, giving me more reasons to be mad at you," I argue as we stop in front of the elevator.

"I had to see them in person," he claims with the usual stubbornness lacing his words.

"To scare them off with your law degree?" I shoot back.