I was glancing back from Noah to my sketchpad because he was busy making coffee and I can't help but to bite my lower lip because he is so handsome.

I was sketching him the way he ground the beans on the machine. Honestly, this is my first time to feel so sure about my feelings. Unlike Matthew, he made me feel that he was the only person who can help me or that I can depend on. He's kind and gentle before he shows his true intentions to me.

"No way! You're really good." Olivia complimented me when she sat beside me.

I smiled while sketching, "May I ask you something?"

"Yeah, anything."

"How did you meet Noah?" 

She let out a soft laugh, "Actually, he found me on the streets while running away from the cops."

I raised an eyebrow and I don't know if I should smile because she's serious, "Are you really serious? You're not messing with me?"

"I know it sounds not accurate but it is. Well, I just hacked into their system." I was like, WHAT?? She just laughed and shook her head, "I owe it to Noah because he saved me from getting locked in jail. To my surprise, he knew those cops and bailed me out."

"Then, he hired you in his cafe?"

She nods, "Your man is incredible."

"Hey, Olivia! your shift is not done and yet you were gossiping." A man in his—wait, they were young and he has this beard, mohawk fade black hair, and has a tattoo on his arms. 

Olivia rolled her eyes at him, "Why do you bloody care??"

The guy smirks at her and walks towards us, "I bloody care because you keep faffing!"

Olivia snorted, "Stop being groovy, Nate. You're not cool."

"I'll tell the boss you're doing it again." 

Olivia clicks her tongue and sighs, "He knows."

Nate stops moving then whistles, "Right. Oh! Who's this beautiful lady?" He suddenly turned his attention to me and with a smile.

"She's Athena. Boss's girlfriend." Olivia introduced me while doing a hand gesture.

"Nice to meet you, Athena. I thought Noah will forever be grumpy."

I let out a soft laugh, "He is?"

Nate sat beside Olivia and he's in front of me, "Don't tell this to him, okay?" He said then leaned closer to me to whisper something, "They say he is a sadist."

I blinked many times at what he said, then raised an eyebrow, "Sadist?"

He stared at me in the eyes and nodded. Then I look at Olivia who is shaking her head while trying not to laugh.

I smirked then leaned my back on the couch and crossed my arms. They were testing me. 

"You better not spill nonsense on my girlfriend, Nate or I will get a sense out of you." Noah said then walked towards us.

"Yo, mate! She's the one! Don't screw it up." Nate said while standing up. He taps Noah on his shoulder then wink.

"You two get back to work and don't mess with my girlfriend."

Olivia raised her hands, "We're just getting to know her for her not you, Noah and don't be jealous! Let's hang out sometimes, Athena!" She said then waved at me and she got back to the counter.

Noah just shook his head then sat beside me, "Hi."

"Hey." I smiled at him then he caressed my cheeks, "You should know, I'm not easily persuaded."

"I know." 

"Um, I didn't know that you are amazing." He narrowed his eyes while smiling, "Well, Olivia told me that you helped her to get out of jail."

"Yeah. She bumped into me while running from the cops and she dropped her wallet. I couldn’t let her ruin her life so I gave her a choice.  Actually, she's the one who turned down the video."

My eyes widen as I realize what Olivia said earlier. I hug him then he hugs me back, caressing at the back of my head. 

"Thank you for everything."

"I will do everything for you." Those sentences reminded me of someone. Someone who decided to kill himself for me.

I sighed and tried not to think about him. I convince myself that Noah is different from him.

My phone suddenly rang and then I let go of his embrace. It is the alarm I set up because it's already the time that I need to go to Thomas place for our project.

I make a sad face, "Noah, I have to go." I told him yesterday that after class, I will go to Thomas place to do our project and it's okay with him.

He groaned and then bit his lower lip telling me he didn't want me to go. I slightly smile and kiss him on the lips.

"Let her sister drive you home. Don't take buses, alone. Also, don't stay out late. Text me if you get home, okay?"

"Okay." I said softly then kissed him again and then I stood up but then again when I was about to leave near the doorway, he grabbed me by my waist and then kissed me again, "Okay, they were looking at us."

"I don't care." He smiled between our kisses and then I broke it for him because he didn't seem to want to let me go.

I waved at him before I let go of the door. I took a deep breath. I can feel his desire for me. He's a guy after all. But, he knows how to control his desires and I trusted him on that. 

So, I just got to their gate and I smiled at the helper on my way to their door. I stepped on their porch and then, I rang their doorbell and I smiled at the door camera. Cielle opened the door for me with a bright smile.

"Come in!" She said then gave a way for me to get inside, "You know what, you don't need to punch that bell. You are welcome here or just get inside. I will give you the passcode."

I shook my head with a hand gesture, "No need for that Cielle. It's not okay."

"It is okay. Especially you!"

I wanted to say something again when she spoke so fast and gave me the passcode. I just smiled and then let her. I walked my way upstairs and found Thomas at the balcony of their second floor.

"Hey there." I said.

"My friend. Come here." He said then hugged me.

"I miss you at school. I'm always alone and you're not there to ruin my day." I laughed when I sat on the chair.

He laughed softly, "I guess I have printed my presence on your day." 

I put out my blueprints and showed it to him. He examines it and then he suggests that we add a little design for the surface to make it alive.

"Does it look gloomy?"

"Frankly? Yes. But, don't worry, your partner will spice it up."

I groan softly and pout, "Ugh. I'm really not good at making things bright. Even my paintings feel sad and gloomy."

He smiled while sketching the added part, "You're not always gloomy. You have a bright side, you just have to know it."

"There you are again. Seeing the side of me I never see."

"Again?"

"Yep. Like the first time you talked to me in class."

He narrowed his eyes and thought then he smiled, "Oh, that day I said I fancy you? Well, I really do, and I have a talent to see you through." I stopped moving and stared at him. There is a silent between us and he felt it so, he looked at me, "Athena..." I looked away because I didn't see that coming, I thought… "I always like you. Even though you rejected me, it's always you. I wanted to be your friend and I don't want to ruin that because of my feelings for you. Just be comfortable around me and I accepted the fact that we're just friends."

I sighed and looked at him, "I'm sorry."

He snorted, "Don't be. I just wanted to tell you."

I sighed and then smiled, "I wanted you to teach me to brighten up my paintings.”

He sketches again and smiles, "Your feelings reflect on the way you do, you can't force it. Just be natural and be yourself. In the right time, you will find your light."

"Oh, I don't know what to do without you."

"There." He said then I saw the added part that makes it alive.

We both agreed about the project we were making. It is the rest house I dream of and he dreams for his family.

A rest house where anyone should relax and have peace inside it after a long battle. A house at the beach.

"Why do you want to build a rest house at the beach when your family owns one?" I asked him while we were cutting the edges of the balsa wood. 

"Well, my dad owns that and I didn't really enjoy it there."

"Oh, really? You look enjoyed in that picture."

"Well, yeah before he cheated on my mother. I wanted to create something without him in it."

"That's anger. You told me the feelings we have reflected on the way we do. But, don't let your emotions control it. Anger is what you feel right now so you are now creating sharp edges." I said while looking at him, sharpening the edges of the wood.

Thomas took a deep breath then put down the wood, "You're right. I wanted to create memories without him in it. But, I also wanted to create peace for those who will live in it."

"I also wanted to create a bond in it. That, even though someone disappears, bond is not dragging with it."

We stared at each other for a moment then Cielle shouted while walking toward us with a tray of snacks.