A Painter's Mystery

8. An Unexpectededly Sweet Visit

Ignore any typos, or better yet, tell me about it.

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I reached home all right and surprisingly enough, Frank wasn't there. I checked my phone and saw I had about ten missed calls from Beth. I swear, it's as if this girl is always high on sugar and some energy drink. Deciding that she would quite possibly kill me tomorrow if I didn't call, I decided to ring her up.

"Heyoo Bethzoo." I greeted.

"Never, and I say ever, try to sound like a chill frat boy. I assure you will fail quite miserably."

"Yah yah, potato-potahto. Anyways, do you know where Frank might be? I swear to god, he's been late quite often these days. And he's hiding something. When I asked if I could use his phone to check something out, he rushed midway as he was preparing the meal and snatched, yes my dear Beth I'm not exaggerating, he snatched the phone right out of my hand. Do you think I should confront him?"

"Oh my dear foolish Fray, I think, give him space. When he decides to tell you, listen and react carefully. If he's hiding something, it means he is scared of your reaction to it. Although, I would never deny your right to rile him up." I swear I almost imagined Beth wink.

"Beth, I must say this, you would make a great mother one day. One day, yes, right now, I do not want newspapers to write about a girl who shouted her kid to death." I started sniggering as I heard a hurt Beth yell hey. When we stopped laughing, I realized Beth must be getting down to business.

"Now Ms. Fray, where, may I ask, have you been? You missed ten entire calls. Don't tell me you were listening to the ringtone again." I rolled my eyes. "Of course not. You are the only person whose calls I pick up voluntarily. I had just been busy....doing something." I muttered apprehensively.

Beth gasped. "Don't tell me that that something is Leo. Oh Hailee, were you doing him?" she asked entirely seriously.

I nearly shouted. "What! No! Shut up, you and your dirty mind both."

"Then, pray tell, what were you doing?"

And I spent the next fifteen minutes relaying the events of today. After I was finished, Beth could no longer hold it together. "Wow, just wow. Our ear cat/dog lady was inside the house of none other than the school's official bad boy. You move fast honey."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah yeah. Anyways, I was going to invite him to my house tomorrow 'cause Uncle's going to busy the entire day. And well, we still have half a novel to finish. I must say, he sure is one hell of a tutor."

"Uh-huh. And I'm sure that he'll be tutoring you something else pretty soon." She replied coyly. Before I could shout, the door opened and Beth hanged up at the same time. Hoping to see Frank, I was surprised when Leo's awkward self appeared at the doorway. "What are you doing here?" Realising how rude I sounded, I corrected my tone. "I mean, why are we meeting again?"

He gave me a small smile. "I thought I could return your books."

"Well, I thought we agreed on tomorrow. You were going to give me the books tomorrow. Then why....."

He suddenly had a red face. "Oh well, I must've forgotten. Sorry to interrupt, I'll just leave." As quickly as I could, I waved my hand. "No, no, wait. I didn't mean it like that. I was just surprised."

"Nahh, it's cool." He waved his hand in a dismissive manner. What followed was an embarrassing stretch of awkward silence before I interrupted. "Umm, so, I was thinking that maybe we could complete the other part of the novel. If you were free tomorrow, that is."

He gave me a cheeky grin. "Oh so eager to spend time with me, are we?" Before I could nap at him, though, he continued. "Sure, we'll complete the other half as well. My house again?" I shook my head and retorted. "No, I was thinking mine. So, come over tomorrow after school." Although I was aiming at a question, it came out as more of a command.

Instantly, he stood up straight and gave me a salute. "Sir, yes, sir." I laughed as he went to the door again and waved goodbye. "See you tomorrow Lady of the Flames."

"See you Watson." He closed the gates and went out, and I swear to god I wasn't staring. After a minute or so though, the door opened again. I rolled my eyes and turned. "Honestly, Leo, so desperate to meet me, you're coming of creepy." But standing at the door, much to my chagrin, was Uncle Frank.

"Glad to know you think me a teenage boy. Sad to know I'm creepy." He closed the door and turned around to give me a parental look he reserved for such only. "Care to elaborate?"

I gave him a nervous grin and replied. "Oh, just a partner in class project." But my subconscious had already scoffed and retorted nastily "As if."

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A/N

Not even going to apologise for no updates. I'm just not a good person. Anyways, I started not liking this book anymore but then I saw I had gained reads as well as followers and I decided to whip a pencil again. I know this was sort of a smooth chapter, and I wanted it to be more of a filler but guys and gals and dudes and hoomans, wait for it 'cause a bomb just might be blasting in the next chapter.

Anyways, Q n A time- Anyone interested in international politics?

So I love international politics. Like I can talk about it day and night. I want o know anything and everything and I will put forth my opinions quite harshly sometimes.

Special note- I was thinking of starting a new novel- a historical fiction. Swear to god, it'll have regular updates. What do y'all think? You might even get a glimpse in the next chapter.

Don't forget to vote, comment and recommend.

Peace out, beansprouts.