ᴠɪʟʟᴀɪɴᴇss ɪs ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴛʀʏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴇ!

13

Third POV

Silence filled the room. Brandon keep silent and feels awkward the the moment. But Calista break it off.

"Can I call you Brandon!?" she asked with a wide smile.

Brandon widened his eyes. "Y-yes! Of course Lady Tresor!" he bowed as Calista chuckled. Thinking that he might be new into this kind of society.

"You can call me Calista." Calista smiled at him.

"Y-yes.. Lady Calista." he blushed a bit while looking at her.

"Then, let's go shall we?"

-

The familiar palace where Calista always visits when she was 12 years old make her smile. Everything feels nostalgic the moment she stepped on the Palace's ground. They headed towards Axel's office and find him managing some documents. He notice Calista's presence and ask her to sit as Brandon stand beside her.

Axel look at Calista. "Calista, from now on, Brandon will be your personal guard." he said loud and clear making Calista widened her eyes. However, Brandon is familiar of the news.

"What? Why?" Calista asked with a raised eyebrow. She remembers that her father and mother asked her about personal guard before, but she rejected it.

"I rejected my parents because they assign the captain to be my personal guard and it'll be double work for the captain. But now that Brandon has to be my personal guard..." she look troubled a bit as she look at Axel. "How about Brandon? What is his opinion?" Calista glance at Brandon.

"N-no need to worry about me Milady! I accepted it wholeheartedly!" he bowed nerveously as Calista chuckled.

"Then I guess there's be no problem about this." she smiled at Axel and Brandon.

"That's good. He will stay at your household. He seems unreliable at first sight but don't worry, he's more than reliable." Axel said nonchalantly as Brandon flinch by his statement, whether it's a compliment or not.

"Yes. I think he's reliable! He look strong!" Calista grin broadly as she look at Brandon. Axel gets a little irritated but let this one slide.

"I'll be quite busy for the next days. And you might meet the others as well." he said while looking at Calista. Calista look at him questioningly and nodded afterwards. As Axel want to turn to his seat, he notice Calista's bracelet that she got from Xander. "Brandon, leave the room." Axel said with a serious face. Brandon seems to notice it as he bows and exit the room.

Calista sit there nerveously. "What's with this heavy atmosphere...?" she asked to herself while looking at Axel awkwardly.

Axel walk towards her as he grab her wrist. "I didn't recall that I give you a cheap bracelet." he said as his tone changed.

Calista look at the bracelet. "Hey! It's expensive y'know! I just like simple design!" she thought angrily. "...Uh.." she avoids eyes contact. "This bracelet is from Xander." she said loud and clear as Axel widened his eyes in surprised.

"...Xander...!? When the hell did she starts to call his name casually!?" he thought angrily. "I gave you a bracelet but you wear his instead...!?" he glared her.

"You see, the bracelet you gi-" before Calista could finish her explanation, Axel pull of the bracelet from her wrist making her flinch by the slight pain. She grab her own wrist and look at Axel. "Axel! Give it back!" she shouted at him.

"That's it. You can go." he said with a calm tone but his anger has piled up inside him.

But he's not the one who's angry, Calista is angry as well. "Axel, give it back." she said with a calm tone. But Axel keeps silent as he continue his work. Calista clench her fist and leave the room.