Dark Faïz ( Book 1 ) [ COMPLETED]

Chapters 1-6

We decided to go for a walk on the heights of Los Angeles as soon as Charles arrived at the villa in the early afternoon. We abandoned Lily's Mustang for the family's black Escalade. Through the tinted glass, I admired the landscape with its peaceful coast made of a long stretch of beaches and cliffs. The Escalade climbed up the hills to the north of the city, revealing only the low roofs of the houses below us.

When we arrived at Griffith Park, almost three hundred meters above sea level, west of Los Feliz Boulevard, we parked in the observatory's parking lot. This one dominated the city with a spectacular view of three hundred and sixty degrees, which took my breath away. I breathed a deep breath, realizing that everything was real. In the distance, I saw on the south side the sign "Hollywood" in capital letters. I grabbed my smartphone to capture this moment with a photo.

— "You like that?" Lily asked as she approached me.

— "Yes, this architectural style is not common. It reminds me of a mixture between several cultures," I replied.

— "You have keen observation skills," said Lily, "indeed, it is a mixture of two styles, Art Deco and Egyptian. The rendering is unique."

While Charles and Victoria were walking a little further away, Lily took the opportunity to say a few words to me.

— "Zoe, I want you to know that if you need to confide in anyone about anything, we're here for you. You are part of our family. This year, there will inevitably be many ups and downs and I hope...very few downs." She hesitated at the end of her sentence.

— "Thank you, Lily. You have welcomed me so well. I know how lucky I am."

She put one hand behind my back and smiled at me tenderly.

— "Going thousands of miles away from home has been the only way to hope to move forward in my life since my mother's death," I added.

— "I can imagine that. You must miss her very much."

— "Yes, and it was only three years later and on the heights of LA that I really realized it," I admitted, saddened.

Lily hugged me, which comforted me more than any words. We then continued the visit for a few hours with Charles and Victoria. The astrological museum in the belly of the observatory surprised me with its pedagogical approach to earth. As dusk gradually fell on the city at the end of the afternoon, the sky began to change colors, giving a dazzling new spectacle. As I walked down to the parking lot, a bronze statue of a man looking at the horizon caught my attention. Below it was written "The Black Shadow."

— "Who is he?" I asked the three family members.

They continued to walk in the direction of the SUV without stopping. I then perceived a certain uneasiness over them.

— "Black Shadow," Charles confided to me after a few seconds of silence, "he is the guardian of this city, according to its inhabitants."

— "Like a superhero?" I persisted.

— "You could say that. Who's hungry? I suggest we get some pizzas tonight!" exclaimed Lily, obviously in a hurry to change the subject.

Back in Elora, I sat next to Lily around the living room table. After only a few minutes, the front door opened and Faïz appeared. The latter, dressed in jeans and a white V-neck t-shirt, seemed more relaxed than last night. His intense gaze was on me. I gave him a shy and polite smile.

— "Good evening," he said.

He went to kiss his mother's forehead. Lily gazed at him with a maternal look. He then addressed me, without even looking at me.

— "Tomorrow, I'll take you to class. We'll have to drop Victoria off at her high school first."

He went to the terrace without waiting for an answer from me. That was when Lily nodded for me to follow him outside.

— "Go and join him," she whispered to me, "you must both get to know each other!"

I complied. Outside, as I approached him, my hands became sweaty. The night had fallen, leaving a fresh atmosphere in the air. I gently closed the bay window behind me.

— "How is Baylor University?" I began the conversation.

Sitting on the bench facing the pool, Faïz remained imperturbable. Unlike him, I preferred to stand.

— "Well...there's everything you need. Which major did you choose?"

He glance at me.

— "Journalism. And you?"

— "International trade."

He took off his shirt, showing a much more muscular torso than I'd expected, and straightened up. As he unbuttoned his jeans, I turned around by reflex, observing what the Mattews were doing in the living room. Lily and her daughter were having a peaceful conversation. Charles had simply disappeared, probably in his office upstairs. When I turned around again, I discovered Faïz in swimming shorts.

— "Are you coming for a swim?" he asked me, even though he already knew my answer.

I cleared my throat.

— "Not tonight," I replied, uncomfortable in front of his nakedness.

As he passed in front of me, our eyes met and his smile vanished. I decided to turn to get inside the villa. Through the reflection of the glass, I perceived an indescribable expression on his face, as if he was letting me go reluctantly.