"Luther… You're here…."
Maevie was so into watching the bickering between Abel and Zane that she did not notice the surrounding getting quieter at the arrival of that one person at pull in everyone's attention.
Dress in fine tailored suit, he looked nothing like the pop idol that he was. He would easily pass for a royalty. His back straight and elegance with every step he took. Eyes that were neither cold, nor overly warm. Just perfect.
That was the person he was. The one that Maevie used to like.
With her being stuck in different world living different lives, Maevie felt like she was an old lady who had lost the spark of youth. She had faced many loved related problems in those worlds and later opted to avoid such route for the best outcome.
When she came back, she was focused on correcting her ways and focusing on building up her career. She was more worried about her relation with Sienne and the rest of the family that she forgot there was another person who was a victim of her relentless pursue.
"You are here."
Tyler stepped up in front of Maevie and greeted his best friend for ten plus years. Luther smiled back at him and handed the bouquet he brought to Mrs. Cacia.
"Happy returns of the day. Mrs. Cacia."
"Oh! Darling Luther." The woman accepted the bouquet with a warm smile. "Thank you so much."
Luther's arrival caught the attention of Abel and Zane. The two, like the rest of the crowd who knew the inside story of Maevie's one sided obsession with Luther, were observing her reaction.
Abel quickly left Zane's side and stood beside Maevie on her left.
"Brother Luther. Haven't seen you for quite a while."
His hand gently placed on her back. Was her reminding her to behave or was he giving her his support, it was not clear.
"It's a busy year for me."
Luther relied. His eyes paused at Maevie for a single second. Before his attention was grabbed by Llyod and Sienne who came to greet him.
Tyler stepped to the side to look at Maevie's condition. The initial shock he had seen in her eyes was gone. She seemed to have collected her thoughts. Llyod's eyes kept on coming back to her as he engaged in the conversation with his artist who was also his big brother's friend. Sienne too joined the conversation since it was about her debut.
The time was enough for Maevie to handle her rushed emotions. Her eyes were now fixed on the man she had adored for more than half of her life. Even after so long, he was still the brightest in her eyes. It was as if a filter was attached in her eyes when it came to him. Right now, it was as if he was moving in slow motion like in the movies.
'How do I face him now?'
This was her worry now. How would she face him when his conversation ends with her brothers and Sienne? Before, she would have left everything behind and ran to him, clinging to his arm and talking about how much she missed him. She would have told him everything she had experienced to him, whether he listened to her or not.
If it was before.
But things have changed now. She could no longer run to him and cling to his arm. She was too ashamed of the actions she did before she came back, how much she disturbed his life.
'Should I just avoid him? Like how I do Sienne.' She thought.
But then she remembered all the little things he had done for her. Even after she had in many ways harassed him, he had never outrightly scolded her, and talked to her gently trying to correct her ways like a concerned brother.
It was only later, when her obsession turned for the worst that he started avoiding her. He used to visit the Cacia mansion every few weeks before. But now, other than the few events in the mansion, he did not appear in the mansion.
Maevie feared that her obsession had caused a hidden rift between her big brother and Luther's friendship. And if she started to avoid him now, she feared that the rift would widen even more.
So, she came up with the best solution.
The audience was waiting for a show to happen. But the free show they were waiting for seemed to have had a change in the script. Maevie did not rush to Luther and stick to him like a sticker as they expected her to.
Instead, she greeted the man from behind her brother.
"Hello Brother Luther…."
Luther did not reply immediately, probably questioning Maevie's distant action. But he was quick to put up a gentle smile and greeted her back.
"How have you been? I heard acted in a web series. How was it?"
"Oh that! It was not a big role. But it was fun. I'm focusing more on improving my acting skills now."
The exchange of words between the two left the onlookers wondering if they were really watching Maevei and Luther. They were conversing as though the girl had never gone all out, screaming to the world that she wanted to marry the man facing her. The man was acting as thought he had not been stalked by the girl at all.
Unaware, or unbothered by others' opinions, the conversation went on.
"That's good." Luther gave a little smile and looked at Llyod. "If you need anything, I'm sure our boss will take care of it."
Llyod almost rolled his eyes at the tease.
"I'm not paid enough to babysit all these ancestors."
His complaint made Maevie giggle and brought laughter to the rest of the Cacias and Luther. Luther said a few words with Mr. and Mrs. Cacia about how his parents were unable to attend the party before he was taken away by Tyler to join the rest of their friend group who were sitting at one lounge of the mansion upstairs.
The guests who were keeping the eyes on the group were surprised to see that Maevie could even have a simple normal conversation with Luther. Some eyes followed the duo, Tyler and Luther as they climbed up the stairs and disappeared from their sight. While some kept on watching Maevie's undisturbed expression. But all had one question.
'What just happened?'
And that was exactly what Abel asked Maevie in a hushed voice.
"What just happened?"
"Huh?" Voiced the confused Maevie.
"Why did you act so…" Abel was looking for the right word. "So distant from Brother Luther?"
Hearing the question, the girl let out a long breath.
"Well…" She began. "I've realized how much of a nuisance I must have been to him before."
"…"
Abel wanted to say, 'That you have. And still are.' But seeing her eyes down and her soft voice, he felt that she was a little sad. So, he decided to hold the brake of his mouth and quietly waited for her to continue.
"I had been so immature, following him everywhere like that… And I'm too ashamed of my actions and even wanted to avoid him. But he's Big Brother's friend so…"
'I'll treat him like a friend of her brother.'