Touch Of Solicitude

VEINTISIETE

The sound of the wind rustling and the cold breeze of the wind welcomed us in the Garden of the Hotel. Elias showed me to the Garden for a private audience.

"Why are your surnames different though?" I asked the man, "My Father and Mother had me when they still weren't married, that's why I have my Mother's surname." He explained.

I did not notice it at all, I thought we could not meet again, but here he is now, in front of me, now standing as a model known to everyone. The little boy I once knew, the Eli that would always be on the ground crying because of the bullies, would be the Model Elias.

Indeed, it is such a small world; who would think that Luigi's Father was Mister Eduardo's best friend, whose son turns out to be my school friend, Eli, who is now the renowned model, Elias Salazar.

"Sunny," He called out, sitting down near a table, "Now that I am finally absorbing what happened, my mind just hit me that it was almost fifteen years since we last saw each other," He laughed out bitterly.

"You won't know time, it sometime flies fast or slow depending on you, also, Mister Salazar-" He cut me off, "It's Elias, or Eli," I slowly nodded my head.

He took a deep breath and looked at me, "Really..." He said with a sigh, "You've change, Sunny, more to that- a lot,"

"You're almost unrecognizable," I shook my head, "When we were children, I thought that you were out of my reach because of how beautiful, smart of a girl you are," I just glanced at him as he narrated.

"Coming back to Ylury I had a goal in mind, now that I'm not fat or left out, I thought that I could at least reach you out now, I proven myself and became a top model," He chuckled bitterly, "It is still not enough? You became the editor in chief of Ylury top magazine company,"

In my mind, all I thought was the opposite; it was him that was out of my reach. To say it more precisely, it is more like he is out of my league. I closed my eyes, composing myself, "After I majored in journalism at university, I went at The Bulletin for my internship, they liked how I worked and was instantly recommended for work," I narrated, "After working for five years, endless overtime schedule, running errands, soon I just realized that I was first in line for the promotion of Editor in Chief."

I stared at him and saw that he was earnestly looking at me as if every word I spoke had a significant impact on his life, "That's great to hear, your hardship always pays off, I was only a nobody who wanted nothing, but after you showed me the brightness of life-" He took a deep breath and smiled at me, sincerely this time, "You helped me become the person I am right now, without your love for magazines, I wouldn't have loved who am I and probably would just stay slumping at the corner looking at the fat and ugly Elias,"

"It seems like everything happened the way we wanted things to happen," I smiled back, "Not everything..." I heard him mumbled, but it was enough for me to hear him.

"What?" I asked him to repeat what he stated, "Oh, it's just that, I really didn't plan on coming today, I just heard from the class representative that you decided on coming here after three years of skipping the reunion,"

"After seeing that you agreed on coming to the event, I went hastily and asked Father for permission to use the hall especially for the reunion," He continued, "Why, is it because of me?" I said it to tease him as a joke, but he showed me an expression as if he was caught off guard.

"N-" He stopped himself and took a deep sigh; he looked like he was building courage, "Yes, I came here because of you," I stood on my ground, my mind could not process what he said, but I knew myself that I knew what he meant.

I was about to answer when I heard familiar names and voices from afar, "Mister Ferriero, I hope you give thoughts on our company, it would be a big help," I saw my former classmates circling Luigi, "I will, the company will contact you if the proposal is agreeable," I thought that this would be another meet and greet session because of the reunion.

However, with Luigi here, others would likely take the chance to help with their business. He is a man good with money, no wonder they would flock over to his side. "Do you know that man?" I looked back at Elias, who called my attention, "Oh, Luigi- I mean, Ludwig, yes, I know Mister Ferreiro," I responded.

"He is a man who is sought after magazine companies but in the end he agreed to be with The Bulletin, after all we are Ylury's top magazine company, having him here gives justince to my name," I narrated, "Oh, is that so? What's your relationship with him?" I could notice an uncomfortable feeling from him.

"An acquaintance, a friend, well, more likely, I treat him as my brother," He nodded his head, grasping the situation, "Really, then why did he came here with you? Knowing how famous of a person he is, he should be spending his time on his files instead of escorting you here,"

I laughed out, "No, it's more like I'm grateful for him, he even sacrificied his time for me, it seems like I have another debt to be paid, he can't keep me company at all times and let his career flunk," I concluded, "I didn't know that Mister Ferreiro would be this generous despite his stingy personality to others," My forehead creased, trying to identify what he meant.

"Well, he must have a reason," I retorted, "Not really, because for me, looking at a point of view from a man, he looks like as if he's pursuing you,"