Chapter 23_ A Male Perspective

After the voracious activity between Arya and Kane, they sat on the sofa in the parlor, nestled together as Arya rested her head on Kane's chest while he ran his fingers through her hair. They were now fully clothed, relishing in the peacefulness surrounding them.

Suddenly, Alex appeared, not acknowledging their presence as he stormed into his room and slammed the door shut, catching Arya and Kane off guard as they untangled from each other. "What's wrong with him? He seems really upset!" Kane observed, causing concern to rise in Arya as she stood up and anxiously watched her brother's door.

"I...I'll go check on him." Arya declared as she walked through the hallway and knocked on his door. "Alex, may I come in?" She inquired from the other side.

"No." Alex replied tersely, his voice muffled from inside the room.

"But...could you at least tell me what happened?" Arya persisted, receiving silence for a few moments before she went to knock again and the door finally swung open.

"Would you mind telling me what's wrong?" She spoke softly, wanting to comfort him but Alex stepped back slightly, avoiding her touch.

"There's nothing you can do about it anyway." Alex stated.

"Come on, there's always something that can be done." Arya retorted, but Alex simply shook his head at her.

"Not this time." He retorted.

"Not even to ease your pain? I care about you so much, Alex, and seeing you like this is...torturous. I want to help you." Arya expressed, and Alex took a moment to calm down before meeting her gaze.

"I know, Arya...and I love you too. I'm sorry for snapping. I didn't mean to take it out on you." Alex apologized as Arya gestured for a hug, which he accepted as she tightly held onto him.

After a while, Alex pulled away. "Thank you."

"Are you absolutely sure there isn't something else I can do?" Arya asked for the third time, causing Alex to ponder her words.

"May I trouble you to summon Kane? It's urgent," Alex requested, and Arya furrowed her brow.

"Kane? Does he have any involvement in this?" She inquired, a concerned wrinkle appearing on her forehead.

"Oh, no. He's innocent in all of this. But it's a male issue... I could use a man's perspective." Alex explained, prompting a nod of understanding from Arya.

"I see. Shall I inform him that you need his assistance?" Arya offered, and Alex eagerly nodded.

"Yes, please! I'm too ashamed to ask for help myself," Alex admitted sheepishly, adjusting his spectacles.

"Very well, I'll take care of it for you," Arya assured him, beaming with pride as Alex smiled appreciatively.

"Thank you. You're a lifesaver!"

Arya returned to the living room and saw Kane pacing back and forth, clearly worried about Alex. As soon as he noticed Arya, he stopped and turned to her. "Hey, how's he doing?"

"He's quite upset, but I don't know why. He wants to speak with you. Can you lend him a hand?" Arya explained.

"Absolutely, I'm happy to help," Kane replied with a nod, motivated by his newfound dedication to his foster family. He made his way to Alex's room and knocked on the door.

Alex opened the door and ushered him in, quickly scanning the corridor before closing the door. Arya, who had been observing from a distance, rolled her eyes and thought to herself, 'I can't stand all this secrecy. What's going on with Alex?'

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As Kane and Alex conversed, Arya anxiously paced back and forth outside the door, attempting to listen in but to no avail... until...

"We should ask your sister for her perspective. We need a female's point of view," Kane suggested to Alex.

"Fine... You can come in, Arya. I know you're out there," Alex called out, throwing the door open before Arya could react. "Got you," he teased with a hint of annoyance in his tone.

"Come on, I was just worried about you," Arya defended herself, causing Alex's anger to dissolve into a playful grin.

Alex beckoned, "I know, I know….I was just teasing you." Arya breathed a sigh of relief. ‘He just needed to warm up to someone else before sharing what's on his mind with me,’ she reasoned silently.

"Okay, here's the deal, Arya. There's this girl at school that I really like, but she's unpredictable. One moment she's all over me, the next she's distant and uninterested. She says she wants to go on a date... but then she always cancels when I'm on my way there." Alex confided, shocking Arya that her usually composed brother was flustered over a girl. She couldn't help but smile to herself, "I guess it's just a teenage crush," she thought.

"Maybe she's unsure about going on a date?" Arya offered, but the subtle annoyance on Alex's face suggested otherwise.

"I've tried everything! Walks in the park, movies, studying together... I'm at a loss." Alex complained.

"She's got you wrapped around her finger, huh?" Kane quipped, causing a slight blush to rise on Alex's cheeks.

"Well... yes. But why? Last week, she wouldn't stop texting me. Now this week, I can't even get a text back." Alex sighed, "Who does that?"

"Maybe she's trying to figure out if you're just a friend or if she wants something more with you?" Arya suggested softly.

"Okay, but does she have to make fun of me in front of my friends to make up her mind?" Alex's voice was laced with hurt, causing both Kane and Arya to frown.

"Make fun of you?" Arya prodded, wanting to hear more.

"Yes. Tonight she told me to toss my clothes back into the 90's where they came from... and get an ugly hat to replace my haircut because it would be an improvement anyways. What does that even mean?" Alex elaborated, garnering a heavy sigh from Arya.

Alex's hairstyle was neatly styled, with a side part and short on the sides, creating a voluminous look at the crown. He donned a sleek, rectangular frame over his eyes and sported a casual button-up shirt adorned with vertical stripes. The shirt exuded a nonchalant aura, paired with faded denim.

"Oh, Alex. She may be experiencing some insecurities and does not know how to handle them." Arya commented.

"Is that why she behaves like such a derogatory person?" Alex questioned.

"Without a doubt. I believe she harbors a certain level of interest in you." Kane asserted in a confident tone.

"Hmm, I presume she finds you intriguing, but is unsure of her feelings." Arya added.

"But there is nothing remarkable about me. I am simply an intellectual adolescent proficient in computer science, programming, and mechanics." Alex remarked.

"What are you saying? You are the most captivating teenager I have encountered." Kane complimented, eliciting a smile from Alex.

"Thank you. I have one more concern, Arya. She is in a class of her own. She partakes in kart racing, travels, vlogs, and hails from a wealthy family. I believe they are involved in the automotive industry." Alex divulged, causing Arya to fall into contemplation. 'Wait a minute... Could it be that girl is...'




A/N: Hello, dear readers. If you are interested in seeing Alex's attire, please follow my Facebook page where I will also be sharing updates about my books and sneak peeks. It is a platform for interaction between my works and those of my favorite authors. Feel free to visit @ Anya's Literary Corner. Thank you.