CHAPTER 2: THE UNSPOKEN CARE

Days turned into weeks, and the rainy season seemed to linger, much like the memory of that first meeting.

Zander became a constant presence in our lives. He was always there, either at our house or wherever Liam was. And every single time, his eyes would somehow find me.

It wasn’t obvious. Not to anyone else, at least.

To others, he was just being nice. He was just the good older brother figure, the responsible friend who happened to be good with kids.

But I felt it. The way he treated me was different.

Whenever we were in the same room, he would make sure there was always something for me to eat or drink.

“Elara, do you want milk tea?” he would ask, already pulling out his phone to order, or sometimes holding a cup he bought beforehand. “Less sugar, right?”

I would always stare at him in surprise. How did he remember? We barely even talked.

He would just smile that familiar smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “You looked like you’d like this.”

He never made me feel awkward or left out. Even when the conversation turned to things I couldn’t understand—topics about college, work, or things that adults talked about—he would find a way to include me. Or better yet, he would make sure I was comfortable just sitting there, playing with my phone or doodling on a notebook, without feeling like I was intruding.

One afternoon, it started pouring heavily again. I forgot my umbrella at home, and I was standing by the school gate, hesitating whether I should run or wait for the rain to stop.

Then, a familiar black car stopped right in front of me.

The window rolled down, revealing his face.

“Get in,” Zander said, his voice clear despite the sound of the rain. “I was passing by.”

I blinked, confused. “But… aren’t you supposed to be at the university?”

He leaned his head slightly, looking at me with that amused expression. “Can’t I pick up my favorite little girl?”

I blushed furiously but opened the door and got inside. The car was warm and smelled like his cologne—something fresh and calming.

He handed me a towel. “Dry your hair. Don’t get sick.”

As he drove, I secretly looked at his side profile. His hands on the steering wheel looked strong and capable. His jaw was sharp, his expression calm. He looked so mature, so reliable.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked suddenly, without taking his eyes off the road.

I jumped slightly, quickly looking away. “N-nothing!”

I heard him chuckle softly. The sound was low and warm, filling the quiet space between us.

He didn’t know it, and neither did I back then.

But every time he bought me food, every time he waited for me, every time he looked at me with those gentle eyes…

He was building a wall of protection around my heart.

He was taking care of me in silence, long before he even admitted it to himself.

He treated me like I was something fragile. Something precious.

And slowly, without realizing it, I started looking forward to seeing him too.

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