CHAPTER 5

Kol opened the door and hardly had dropped his briefcase when the boy flew into his arms.

“I got you this time! I know I got you!” he said and Kol smiled then shook his head.

“Yeah, I think you did get me, little man. You are getting faster,” he said and the boy grinned, flashing a set of gums from where his teeth had fallen. Kol kissed his forehead.

“I missed you today. Had fun at school?” he said as he walked in, still carrying Andre.

“School is not fun. There is nothing there but books and teachers that talk and talk and I get really tired,” Andre complained.

Kol nodded, amused, “Yeah I understand but you need to stick to it, alright? It gets better the older you grow. Besides, it cannot be all that bad. You have the kids from the science club, yeah? They are cool. You said so yourself,” he said and Andre’s eyes lit up

“Yeah. They can be cool. We are working on some projects, really nice things. I wanted something that could go boom but Mister Richardson said that it is not healthy and that I should do something else instead,” he said and Kol nodded.

“Mhm. Blowing things up can be bad for your health,” he said quietly then ruffled the boy's hair as he lowered him to the ground.

When God closes a door, he opens a window, Andre had congenital heart disease, and he was smaller than his age, but he had bright eyes and a quick mind, quicker than many children.

The sickness still affected the child’s performance in school and sometimes in public. It was only at home that Andre could reach his full potential without any worries.

“Kol? I did not realize that you had come home. I heard you with Andre,” his mother said behind him.

He turned to hug her and then kissed her forehead. She had soft eyes and a round face, with a smile that was both comforting and reassuring. She brushed a strand of auburn hair from her face.

“How are you? How has it been at work? I know that it can be challenging this time of year. Don’t think that I do not know how you stay up awake every night. You should rest, baby,” she said to him and touched his cheek fondly.?

She had never stopped seeing him as her baby and if it had not been for school and his father’s influence, he was pretty sure that she would have spoiled him rotten.

“I am okay, mum. I can handle it. It is nothing. Just a few more things to sort out and I can have all the time in the world to rest,” he said then snapped his fingers at Andre who was running off.

“Not so fast, little man. Don’t you have homework?” he asked and Andre muttered something that he could not exactly make out. He smiled and then turned to look at him.

“Yeah, it sucks but you still have to do it,” he said. Andre rolled his eyes. He heard his mother chuckled.

“I will help him with them. You should go rest and eat. I have had the cooks prepare you something nice. Trust me, you’ll love it. I thought that it’d help you relax,” she said to him and he smiled and then kissed her forehead.

“Thank you, mum,” he said then walked away from them but not before ruffling Andre’s hair again.

Autumn glanced at the wall clock and wondered why her best friend wasn't back. It wasn't long after she thought that Aria arrived home, it was almost midnight.

“What kept you out for so long?” Autumn asked, worriedly.

Aria gave her a guilty look. “I was going to tell you but you said you didn't want to hear anything about boys.”

Autumn gasped. “You’re seeing someone?”

“It was a blind date the first time and then we decided to continue and take it slow, see where it leads us,” Aria explained quickly.

Autumn smiled. She didn’t want to hear about boys but if her friend had finally found someone worthy of her then she could go ahead.

“I’m glad you’re happy.”

Aria pulled her into a hug. “Are you sure you don't wanna talk about him?”

Autumn shook her head. “Not until after my big interview.”

Aria smiled. “I thought you already had the interview today?”

Autumn shook her head. “The company called and rescheduled the interview to 7 am.”

Aria glanced at the clock, it was past midnight. “Then you should go to bed.”

Autumn nodded. She wanted to tell Aria about the creepy guy at the bagel shop but Aria seemed so happy and Autumn didn't want to be selfish by ruining that so she kept quiet. She could tell her another day.

“Good night, Aria.”

“Night, Autumn.”

Kol drove out to the bakery the next morning.

He was always happy whenever he spent a night with his mom and son but that happiness was short-lived when Andre asked for his bagel.

It had reminded him of the encounter with that girl and even though Andre had tried to act like it didn't matter to him, Kol had seen the huge disappointment in his eyes.?

Here he was at the bakery so early in the morning and yet, the girl was here!?

Did she live in this bakery?!

Anger started to fill him as he stared at her for a while then he gritted his teeth and walked to the counter.

“Hello, I want to buy all the bagels available,” he said.

The girl at the counter stared at him with round, wide eyes.

“Sir?” she asked, surprised but he nodded.

“Yes, I would like all of them. As many as there are. Just give me the bill,” he said to her and the girl nodded.

He turned to see a lot of angry eyes but that did not matter to him. The eyes that he was staring at were the eyes of the girl that had bought the last bagel the previous day.

This was a very petty thing for him to do but he did not mind much. He was annoyed and he wanted to vent it a little bit. Besides, he could not let the girl get away without consequence.

As he walked by her, he heard her smooth, quiet voice ring out at him.

“What is your problem?” she asked.

He stared at her and gave a confused expression as the bagels were being loaded into his car. She was annoyed.

“Hmm? I did not hear you,” he said to her then she turned to face him.

“I mean…what is your problem? So because you want to get back at me, you make all these people here go without their bagels?” she asked him.

He frowned a little like he was confused.

“I do not understand what you are saying. All that I want is to eat my bagels in peace. Just like you. Good day,” he said then walked away with his head held high and satisfaction in his chest.

Autumn stood at the door of the office, her heart pounding against her chest. She had looked over her clothes more than a few times and thought that they were presentable at least but she could not shake off the feeling of fear that was on her.

She had woken up with a pounding headache and gone to get her favorite snacks and coffee but the man from yesterday had bought everything up.?

She didn't know what his problem was but she knew he had done what he did to get back at her so she had arrived for her interview without taking anything.

She was a little on edge but she had to get this job. She had to prove to Shawn that she wasn’t useless. She muttered a little prayer under her breath then the door opened and a woman walked out.

“He will see you now,” she said to Autumn.

Autumn nodded and followed the woman who opened the door and the man at the table raised his eyes.

Fuck.

She met his eyes and her heart sank. She knew instantly that she wouldn't get the job.