ESTRELA
"What happened?" Kian asks me as soon as he enters the studio. He looks at my father who is lying on the floor.
"He missed a step and fell, spraining his right foot," I explain. Kian crouches down next to me and puts a hand on my father's shoulder, eyeing him with concern.
"You okay, Harrison?"
"Yes, yes, it's not that wild. I just can't get up myself," my father replies, a little annoyed. I roll my eyes.
"Nothing's half as wild as that, Dad!" I snap at him. My father is too stubborn to accept help, so he didn't want me to call the ambulance. So I had to resort to other means and decided to call Kian.
"Come on, we'll help you. Estrela, you take his right arm over your shoulder, I'll take my left," explains Kian. I nod in agreement. With difficulty we manage to get my father upstairs to his bedroom and put him in his bed.
"I'll get you something for your foot," I explain to my father and quickly disappear into the kitchen.
With a sack of ice cubes, I return to the bedroom just in time to see Kian placing a pillow under Dad's foot. I carefully place the ice pack over the sprained foot.
"Thank you two. I'm sure my foot will be fine tomorrow." I roll my eyes
"We won't see until it's morning, Dad. Now go to sleep. If anything, call me. Okay?"
"Yes thanks, honey." He squeezes my hand before I leave the room with Kian.
"Everything okay?" he asks me. His gray eyes regard me with concern.
"Yeah, um... okay. Thanks for coming," I say, slightly embarrassed. "I hope I didn't wake you or... disturb you."
"No, you didn't," he assures me, touching my shoulder lightly. The touch is so unexpected that I gasp involuntarily. It's just an innocent touch, yet it feels like a thousand electric shocks. When I see Kian's eyes suddenly darken, like that night on the roof, my heartbeat quickens. With slow steps he comes closer, pushing me against the wall that is behind me. I hear him take a deep breath. His gaze rests on my lips and mine sinks into his beautiful gray eyes.
"Ela?" As if a bucket of cold water had been thrown over my head, I back away from Kian and scurry into my dad's room.
"Yes?" I ask him, a little too breathless.
"Could you please turn off the light?"
"Of course... Dad." When the lights go out, I whisper goodnight to my dad before leaving the bedroom again. I quietly close the door behind me, then I notice that Kian is no longer there. I can't find it anywhere in the apartment either. Apparently he left. I also go to bed with mixed feelings.
When I get up the next day, I go straight to my father's room. To my amazement, I don't find him there. I frown at the empty bed. "Dad?" I call out.
"I'm in the kitchen, honey." The image that awaits me in the kitchen is hard to believe. My father is standing with a cup of coffee in his hand as if nothing happened yesterday.
"How's your foot?" I ask, slightly uncertain.
"Good. I said it's better today," he said with satisfaction.
"Okay..." I still look at him skeptically.
"Ela, don't look at me like that. I'm fine. You know I'm a fighter. And such a slight sprain is not for me. Really." Of course, I know my dad can take pain, but he still acts like he's invulnerable.
"Whatever you say, Dad. But if it keeps hurting, you should see a doctor." My father nods in agreement. Then we put the topic aside and have breakfast together.
"Oh yes, I can move into the apartment today and the furniture will even come too," it suddenly occurs to me.
"Very good. What about the furniture? Will it be carried into the apartment and set up?" he asked curiously.
"Yes, the suppliers carry the furniture upstairs, but I have to assemble it myself because it would otherwise be too expensive," I explain. "And no Dad, you're not helping me because you clearly need to take it easy!" I add sternly.
"Maybe the guys can help you," he says.
"The boys?" I repeat.
"A couple of my students. Kian, Aiden and Dillan will definitely help you. I'll call them right away and..." I quickly interrupt my father.
"Oh no, Dad! You don't have to do that."
"Of course they will. And if I tell them that my daughter needs help, then they will surely agree. No arguments, Estrela. They will help."
"Okay." I admit defeat because I can't talk him out of it anymore. My father goes on the phone and returns to the kitchen a few minutes later.
"Good news, all three boys will help you." OK, I wasn't expecting that. And having to spend time with Kian again isn't good for my heart or mind at all.
"Okay ... Then I'll pack my things together."
You have to give my father one thing, when he tells his students to come to the studio on time, they come - and they really do come on time. You could almost say they're afraid of my dad. First, Aiden introduces himself to me. He has short-cropped blond hair and bright blue eyes. On the other hand, Dillan is the complete opposite. He has black hair and dark brown eyes. I smile at Kian and to my surprise he smiles back. He looks amazing again. He just wears jeans and a plain shirt. But he would definitely look good in a potato sack too. If he wasn't a boxer, he might as well be a model.
"So where is your new apartment?" Aiden's voice tears me away from Kian. I clear my throat.
"Not far from here."
I give the boys the address, then I say goodbye to my father, who gives the boys a stern look and tells them to do a good job. That's a little uncomfortable for me. I mean, I've only known the guys for a few minutes, except for Kian, but again I haven't known him long enough to ask him something like that.
"Nice," Dillan comments as we enter my new home. Yes, the apartment really isn't bad, and I'm really glad that with my savings over the years, I've been able to afford a nice apartment here in Henderson. Unfortunately, there wasn't that much money left over for the furniture, which is why I only got the essentials: bed, wardrobe, dining table and a sofa. When I have some money again, I'll buy the rest of the furniture. But for starters, they should do it first. And fortunately for me, there is already a built-in kitchen in the apartment, which I can take over.
"I suggest everyone build a piece of furniture," says Kian. He leans casually against the wall and lets his eyes wander through my small but nice apartment. When his gray eyes meet mine, I clear my throat and look away.
"Yeah, sounds good," I agree.
So we decide that everyone should set about building a piece of furniture. Dillan the wardrobe, Aiden the table, Kian the bed and I the sofa. The guys are pretty quick at it. Aiden is the first to finish, then Dillan and I. And because the bed was so complicated, all three of us ended up helping Kian. And my furniture is there after just three hours.
"Thanks guys, really! You've been a big help." I `m smiling.
"Hey, we'll do anything for Harrison's daughter," says Dillan, winking at me. I laugh and blush a little.
"I definitely owe you guys, guys," I say. I look at Kian. He's kind of quieter today.
"How about a date with me," Aiden suggests jokingly and I laugh, then Kian elbows him in the ribs and glares at him. What's his problem now?
Aiden meets Kian's gaze and then looks knowingly in my direction. I frown. "Oh okay, I see. It's yours, mate," he then says.
"I don't belong to anyone," I sometimes say. Dillan bursts out laughing.
"I think you should paint the walls too," Kian suddenly says, skilfully changing the subject. He points to the wallpaper, which is adorned with a few brown stains. I don't really want to know exactly what that is.
"Thanks for noticing that, I didn't see that," I say as ironically as possible. Dillan giggles and, like Aiden, gets a punch in the side. "I'll paint them over the weekend," I explain.
"It's good that you're here next week to help Kian and Ela paint them," says Aiden and then turns to me. "Dillan and I would love to help you again, but starting next week we'll both be out of town and going to a fight."
"It's not a problem guys. I can handle it myself," I assure.
"No, I'll help you," says Kian. His gaze is serious.
"No, that's rea-" He cuts me off.
"Estrela, I'll help you. Period." I have no choice but to nod.
"Okay," I mumble.
"We're on our way now. Take care Ela, we'll definitely see each other again," Aiden and Dillan say goodbye to me.
"Yes and thanks again." With a wave of their hands, the two boys disappear.
Kian doesn't follow them as expected, so I look at him expectantly.
"When should I come over?"
"You really don't have to do this," I try again. Kian rolls his eyes.
"Listen, Estrela, I wouldn't help you if I didn't want to. Okay?" His gaze is so intense I'm afraid my legs will buckle just below me. I nod reluctantly.
"Come on Friday around noon. If it's up to you?"
"Yeah, sure. I'll be there."
"Thank you... Kian." He gives me a short smile before he also leaves my apartment. I exhale and collapse onto my new couch.