All through dinner, Elini's eyes never left Theodore. Theodore had a vague impression of Elini, he remembered she would always follow him around like a little tail whenever he was home, she'd stare at him with bright eyes all day. Theodore wasn't dense, he could subtly feel Elini's feelings towards him and he couldn't deny that he had once had an impure thought about her. But Elini deserved someone who was younger and more vibrant, someone within her own range. And Theodore had always felt Elini liked him because he was Irida's brother and he took care of her whenever she came around. Theodore looked at Elini's bright smile and secretly shook his head, such a vibrant little girl shouldn't be hindered by someone like him
"Dad, did Nick call?" Theodore asked Andres
"Oh yes he did" Andres replied "He said he wouldn't make it cause he had a mission in a few days, but he'd try to visit when he's done"
"And how's Maria? Is she adjusting well with you guys?" Theodore asked
"Yes ste has, she spends most of the time being a little and going everywhere with me, barely ever wants to be separated from me" Andres explained happily.
After all, Maria was the only grandchild he could be with, rest of his grandchildren were so far away
"Demeter and his family are spending the new year holiday with his wife's family again this year " Andres said a little sadly
"He doesn't like coming back, when you have time you can visit them" Theodore said with a smile. "Nick doesn't like coming back either"
"They should at least visit princess more, not just send money and gifts over. It's not been easy on her all these years, I watched my princess force herself to grow up stronger everyday " Andres said in pain
"Dad, don't talk about the past anymore. Princess has friends now and she is happy, that's all that matters to us" Theodore said with a sigh
Theodore stood up and patted his dad's shoulder "I'll check up on the girls and get some rest. You shouldn't stay up too late"
Theodore got to Irida's door and was about to knock when he heard Elini's words
"Do you think I should confess to him now that he's around?" Elini asked Irida
"He might turn you down" Irida replied tiredly
Theodore could hear the fatigue in Irida's voice, he couldn't but chuckle, he was sure Irida had been persuading Elini not to like him
"If he rejects me, I'll just keep pestering him until he feels my sincerity" Elini said with conviction
Theodore knocked lightly on the door and he walked in
"Princess, Elini you girls shouldn't stay up too late" Theodore said
He glanced at the two girls whose head were almost touching and they looked really funny
"Okay Theo" Irida said with a smile
"Uhm..... Theo" Elini called "can I speak to you for a few minutes?. I promise I won't take too much of your time " Elini asked
"Oh okay" Theodore replied
From the corner of his eyes, he could see Elini giving Irida a triumphant look, Theodore shook his and slowly walked to the backyard. It's be best if he could desuade Elini completely
....
For as long as Elini could remember, she had always looked up to Irida's big brother. She could remember the summer she had first seen Theodore. Elini was just eight years old, she came over to play at Irida's house as usual. But when she got into Irida's house, she saw a young man on a buzz cut quietly sitting on the chair. His white uniform seemed to compete with his clear eyes on what could shine brighter. He had a slight smile on his face as he listened to Irida who was yapping beside him. Elini walked up to them and Irida quickly introduced Elini to her favourite brother.
That was when Elini finally saw the brother Irida would always talk about and wait for his calls
Theodore gave Elini a polite smile and since that very moment Elini regarded Irida's sweet big brother as her whole world. Whenever he came back to the house, she'd always be there, like a little tail, following him around and pestering him, Elini always made sure Theodore remembered her existence.
Looking back, it had been almost ten years since that fateful encounter, and her love for this cold big brother seemed to have grown from admiration and infatuation to a full blown love that even Elini couldn't control