In your Arms

Chapter Seventy Two

Alexander stood for awhile in front of Henry's study as soon as he closed the door. He gave out a sigh of relief and felt his stiffened muscles relax. The turmoil of facing Henry made him very much anxious that he somehow understood why Amity decided to flee the place just to be away from him. Henry is a firm, strict man. Always straight to the point. If he didn't manage to compose himself Henry might have swallowed him whole. And for that, he's thankful. The odds went on his favor. Alexander finally smiled.

The thought of Amity entered his head. She would be happy to hear the result of his conversation with her father he thought. With a smile still plastered on his face, he hurriedly went downstairs.

He heard voices in the dining room and went there. There he saw his friends having coffee and tea and they all stared at him as soon as he arrived. Amity's mother is also there, standing at the corner of the table talking with the others. She smiled at the sight of him.

"Alexander." Elenor walked up to him. She took his hand. "Thanks for taking good care of our Amity."

"I-I.. Ma'am it's.. To be honest, I.." Alexander couldn't find the right words to say. He was caught off guard by Elenor's modesty and warmth.

"Your friends told me all about you and what you've done for my daughter." Elenor told him. "Accept my never ending gratitude." She kissed his cheek. Alexander blushed a little.

"I-It's nothing. Ma'am." Alexander smiled a bit.

"Well, if you may excuse me. I have to go back upstairs and check up on my husband." Elenor told him and the others. She called Heidi and told the young servant to attend to their guests and went upstairs.

"What would you like to have sir?" Heidi asked him.

"A glass of water will do. Thanks." He answered. Heidi excused herself and went to get him one.

Alexander sat on a chair beside Uno. All eyes were locked on him. His friends' faces looking eager to know what happened.

"So?" Uno was the first to speak. "How'd it go?"

Alexander scratched the back of his neck out of habit. "It went.." He pretended to look glum and looked at each of his friends' faces who instantly looked worried. "..fine." He slowly grinned. All of them let out a sigh of relief. Uno placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it tight.

"Well? Aren't you gonna spill the beans?" Therese asked him.

"I would love to, but I want to tell Amity first." He smirked and looked around. "Where is she by the way?"

"Uh.. She's out." Therese went a bit uneasy on her seat. "She's uhm.. talking to Quinn."

Alexander felt a pang of jealousy just by hearing Quinn's name. "Did they leave?" He asked with wrinkled eyebrows.

"No they're just outside." Patty butted in.

Heidi arrived carrying a glass of water and gave it to Alexander. He hurriedly emptied the glass. "I gotta see her." He told them and walked towards the door. The thought of Amity and Quinn talking made him a bit irked. What if Quinn is still insisting that she should marry him? What if she'll change her mind? What if Quinn would touch her? He would really break his face he thought to himself.

He opened the door and saw Amity and Quinn at a distance. They were standing just outside Quinn's car; both of them looking serious while talking about something. He gave out a deep breath and clenched his jaw. He was about to walk towards the two when he heard someone speak beside him.

"You shouldn't be worried you know? She loves you."

Alexander turned to see a guy standing beside him wearing a white suit. The guy smiled at Alexander as soon as he looks at him. His face is familiar, Alexander thought to himself. It seemed like he has seen him from somewhere. Maybe one of the guests earlier, he couldn't remember. Alexander was about to ask him who he is but the guy spoke again.

"I've never seen her this happy since.." The guy trailed off and his eyes darted towards Amity. For a moment there Alexander noticed a hint of sadness in the guy's eyes but then he smiled again. "Thank you for making her happy."

Alexander, though curious about who this guy is, replied. "It was her who actually made me happy at first." He smiled a little.

"Amity is a thoughtful and loving girl; though she could be really hard-headed at times but.. once you get to know her, get to have a special place in her heart, rest assured she will hold you dear for the rest of her life. She loves people unconditionally. She takes care of the people she love. And.. she never forgets." The guy turned to him again and gave him a smile. "Do you really love her?" He asked Alexander.

Alexander was suddenly caught offguard with the question. He doesn't understand but he felt that it's as if he should be honest with this guy. "I do. She's the only girl that I love."

The guy looked at him for awhile making Alexander feel a bit conscious. What's with this guy? Alexander thought to himself. Somehow, he felt that he could open up to him.

"Take care of her. Don't make her cry." The guy told him.

"I will." Alexander answered and turned his attention back towards Amity and Quinn. He saw Amity hug Quinn making him feel a bit jealous though it was just abrupt and it was like they were just saying goodbye to each other. He watched as Amity waited for Quinn to leave.

Alexander, trying not to feel more jealous by the minute spoke to the guy beside him. "By the way, are you a friend of her?" He turned his head only to find out that he was alone. "What the.." His eyebrows furrowed and looked around. "He's gone.." Alexander looked confused.

"There you are." Alexander turned to see Amity approaching him and had her eyebrows crimped as she noticed his face looking dumbfounded. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing it's just.. I was just.." Alexander checked again and looked around. "I was just talking to some guy here.."

Amity raised an eyebrow. "A guy? Just now?" Alexander nodded his head. "But I didn't see anyone, Xander."

Alexander licked his lips and bit the inside of his lip. "There really was someone here you know.."

Amity smiled at him and reached for his cheek. "Okay I believe you."

"I'm not being crazy."

"You're not." Amity gave him a sincere, knowing smile.

Alexander drew a deep breath and held her hand holding his cheek and kissed it. They looked at each other for awhile.

"I'm just glad that you're here.." Amity kissed his cheek and cupped his face. "No more pretending. No more leaving each other behind."

Alexander finally smiled and pulled her close. "No more leaving each other behind." His lips slowly reached for hers when all of a sudden, someone let out a faint cough from behind. The two slowly pulled away from each other and saw Fred.

"Excuse me young miss, but master Henry wants to talk to the both of you." He tells them.

Amity looked worriedly at Alexander who squeezed her hand in an assuring way. Amity turned to Fred and nodded her head. "Thank you, Fred. We will go see him." Fred excused himself and went back inside.

"You don't have to worry. Everything's fine." Alexander told her. Amity smiled at him and both of them went in.

They were holding hands and headed towards the stairs when Alexander caught a glimpse of the pictures hanging by the wall in the living room. One picture caught his attention making him stop and look at it. Amity felt him stop and saw that he's looking at a picture. She did the same.

"That's Andrei." She spoke. "My older brother." She tells him.

That's when it hit him. No wonder the guy awhile ago looked familiar. He has seen a picture of Amity and her brother before. Alexander felt the hairs on the back of his neck raised. He just talked with a ghost. He swallowed hard.

"What's wrong?" Amity asked him sounding concerned.

"N-Nothing." He tried to smile.

"You're acting weird." Amity chuckled. "But in a cute way." Hearing her laugh somehow made him feel a bit relaxed. Her brother's still looking out for her. Well at least he had the chance to talk with him.

"Let's go. Father is waiting for us." Amity told him and he nodded his head. The two of them finally went upstairs.