A kept Promise

Aurora POV:

All night long, I barely slept a wink. My mind kept drifting back to what happened between Mr. Angelo and I.

Every time I closed my eyes I found myself kissing him again and it scared me I enjoyed it and wanted more of it. I was even more hurt, he said it was an accident and we should forget about it, I said the same but I didn't mean it, it meant a lot to me. It was my first kiss and it would always be my first kiss, there was no way It would mean nothing to me. I was bound to think about it over and over again.

I was more worried he would start thinking less of me again, I incited the kiss by teasing him on purpose. It was more or less throwing myself at his feet. I was afraid to fall in love with him again. And like that never happened, I shamelessly requested to come to his house and watch his cats. Who goes to people's houses to take a look at their pets? I do, I do just want to have a look at his cats but he thinks I'm throwing myself at his feet again.

I tightened the pillow against my face as I cringed at my thoughts.

I finally drift off.

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I heard a tapping sound which got incessantly louder and louder, till I opened my eyes to new surroundings but the rapt sound continued.

I realized My door was knocked upon early in the morning, I wasn't particularly enjoying the dream but I was comfortable with my sleep, and so was my mother, I was obliged to go see who it was.

I cursed under my breath before rising off my bed.

I walked to the door, just in time for it to be knocked upon again. I checked the spyhole to see who it was, it was a completely unknown individual. I haven't seen him in my entire life.

What could he possibly want? For a brief moment, my thoughts went wild. Were they people that poisoned me at the party, was he here to finish the Job? Then I remembered it was an accident and discovered how silly I was being, but I couldn't blame myself for my wild thoughts. You don't get closer to death than that.

Unsure what to do, despite rebuking myself I wasn't less nervous. I took a peek one more time and this time I took a long proper look. I saw a big frame wrapped in a brown paper he was holding, why had I not seen this before?

Now I know who he was and who sent him, Mr. Calhoun kept his promise. I never doubted if he would fulfill it.

I excitedly opened the door to see the frustrated figure who was about to start leaving.

"Good morning," I said

"Morning"

"Mr. Calhoun asked me to bring these," He said handing the wrapped painting to me.

"I have been knocking for so long," he said calmly

"I'm very sorry, I didn't know it would be this early " I replied, I couldn't tell him I thought he was a killer

"Mr. Calhoun Ballenge insisted I came very early before you left for work, so I came as early as I possibly could"

"Thank You, I appreciate it" I replied "I apologize for making you wait too" I added

"It's fine ma'am, I wasn't here for that long"

I nodded

"Do you need help hanging it?" He asked

I needed help hanging it, it was way bigger than I had thought and I didn't see my mom helping me.

"Yes, I would appreciate the help, if you don't mind"

I was so happy I didn't need to ask him and he offered.

"I'd love to," He said

He followed me inside before unwrapping the painting because of the sun. I didn't what he said about Ray's of sun ruining paintings faster than fire.

"Where should we hang it" he asked

I didn't think twice before pointing to the same spot Mr. Angelo pointed out yesterday night.

I watched him hammer a nail into the wall swiftly and hang the painting. I gaze at it from where I stand.

"This is beautiful," I said

"Incredibly beautiful. I'm surprised Mr. Calhoun let it go. He loved it so much, that he allowed no one to touch it no matter how important the guest was, they could only gaze and not touch. Several of them have attempted to get it off him for huge sums of money, he always insisted it belongs to a very important friend and he cannot sell. I presumed you didn't buy it from him, so him gifting it away seems unbelievable"

"Perhaps he grew tired of it," I said

"Nah I doubt, he gazed at it affectionately before handing it to me, so there's no doubt he is still attached to it."

Which begs the question, why did he let me have it then?

"He owes me one I guess and I wanted it"

"I wonder how much he owed you, but for him to have gifted you that, it means you could have asked him for anything ranging from a car to money. Picking a painting is a poor decision I'm afraid" He said

I wasn't angry, I knew what he meant and wasn't trying to be disrespectful, he was simply pointing out the obvious from his perspective. He was wrong, but not particularly far from the truth, it was quite apparent I needed money, and getting an expensive painting was far from what I need

"Yeah, I guess you are right. He still owes me another, I'd ask for money next" I said, it was just for him not to think I was an idiot, I would never beg or ask him for money.

He stared at me nonetheless, probably wondering who I was and how I got a man like Calhoun Ballenger to owe me a favor.

"Yeah, you should do that" he replied

"I'd be heading out," he said

"Thanks for helping me out," I said.

"You are welcome, but I was simply doing my Job"

He turned to leave and ushered him out before closing the door behind him and returning to the spot I was to further gaze.

I was still admiring the painting, observing how it added to the beauty and further added to the value of the room. My mother came out sooner rather than later and saw what I was staring at.

"Good morning Mom"

"Morning dear"

"So, what do you think, I immediately asked"

"The Painting Mr. Calboun wanted to send, this is it," She asked

"Yeah, how does it look?" I asked again

"It looks nice, but creepy, really creepy"

"Please don't tell me to take it down, I love it"

"How can you love something this creepy?" she asked

"You also said it is beautiful" I replied

"It would exhaust its beauty soon and will be just a creepy painting on the wall"

"That is preposterous Mom, how that be."

"It's art Mom give it some time, it will grow on you," I said

"I doubt it would," She said uninterested "But you may keep it up"

"Thanks, Mom," I said hugging her.

"Do you plan to glare at that all day, shouldn't you not be preparing for work already"