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"Wow," was the only word Lara could voice out when she laid eyes on his apartment living room.

Pierre closed the door behind him with his bags of groceries and smiled at her reaction.

"You like?" He gestured her to follow him to the sofas and she did.

"Like? Like? I love." She stood and glanced around the living room of his apartment, "I still can't believe it's for an apartment."

"It is." He stated matter-of-factly. "And it's all yours now."

Lara looked at him disbelievingly, "Is this the part where you hand over the keys and be oh so romantic?"

He laughed and said, "No, this is the part where I tell you to feel at home. I'll be right back."

He placed the grocery bags on the kitchen counter and started taking out the groceries.

When he turned to put some fruits in the fridge, Lara was at the door.

She walked in and stood beside him, looking at the counter with the grocery bags. He was taller than her by a couple of inches.

"Where do I start?" She asked, and proceeded to take out the groceries from the bags but he stopped her,

"Lara, you're my guest, not my maid. You don't have to."

Lara stared into his eyes and felt her chest tighten. His words were simple, but they made a great impact on her. He had no idea how his simple statement had meant a lot to her and how they filled her inner being with euphoria.

Katy made it clear to her that she was a simple servant, so did Mrs. Benson and everyone else in the house. She was nothing but a maid in that house, whereas Pierre took the title away from her. In Pierre's eyes, she wasn't a maid; she was a person.

"Did I say something wrong?" Pierre stared at her with confusion in his eyes.

She stared back as the corners of her mouth slowly emerged into a smile.

"No, you didn't. But I'm helping you anyways."

She snatched the three packs of strawberries from his hands and walked towards the fridge, but he immediately carried her bridal style and walked out of the kitchen.

"Pierre!" She laughed, "I'm just trynna help."

"And I said you shouldn't." He walked towards the middle sofa, "I said I wouldn't touch you but you're forcing me to."

He gently put her down on the sofa saying, "You're so stubborn. It's okay to just sit and relax, Lara. You don't have to do everything. Now eat that while I cook something for you." He took two packs of the strawberries and left her one, then walked back to the kitchen to cook for her.

Lara stared at him walk away and smiled. Then she realized that she had been smiling non stop since she met him at the grocery store. Yes, he had that charm.

Pierre was done preparing something for her in twenty-five minutes. Throughout the process, she conversed with him from the living room, and he responded from the kitchen.

He found her to be funny, lively, smart, and most of all, stubborn, but he genuinely loved spending time with her.

"It smells so good!" Lara anxiously watched Pierre come into the living room with a wooden plate in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other.

"Don't give me credit till you taste it." He placed the plate and bottle down and arranged the table, before placing the plate in front of her.

"Quesadillas." Her hunger shot right through her system once more and she moved from the sofa to the floor.

"Chicken and Avocado Quesadillas, the best you'll ever have." He said whilst walking to the kitchen to get his plate and two glasses.

"I would have made chicken fajitas with guacamole and salsa," He placed his plate on the table and proceeded to open the wine bottle, "but I didn't want to starve your poor little stomach any longer."

She smiled as she lifted her glass to him for some wine. She lifted his glass after hers and he filled it.

She took her first bite of the quesadilla, then swiftly turned to him, "Pierre, you've got to be related to Gordon freaking Ramsay."

Pierre was sitting beside her, watching her every reaction.

He laughed out loud which made Lara laugh too.

"That has got to be the best compliment I've ever received. Thank you." He smiled at her, and she smiled back.

"A toast," Lara rose her glass, "to winning me over with your food.."

"I'll toast to that."

Their glasses clinked, and they sipped their wine simultaneously.

"Mmmm, this is good." Lara said, and reached for the wine bottle, "Campo Viejo Rioja Tempranillo Red Wine."

"One of the finest from Spain." He said after chewing.

"I could tell."

"I'm sure you'd love the Italian one. Next time, then. And I'll also cook my fajitas for you."

Next time? So he wanted to see her again.

For some strange reason, Lara loved the sound of that.

***

Lara walked into the Bensons' residence with the grocery bags in her hands.

After eating, she had relaxed with Pierre in the living room because she had been too full to move. She had gone for a second round of food and wine, and Pierre had been amazed. Their conversation had gone smoothly, until she had commented,

"It's delicious! I could kiss you."

Her comment brought forth a quiet and unusual atmosphere, and they held each other's gaze, with their faces a whisper apart.

"You could," Pierre murmured, "but would you...?"

She was glad that a phone call had saved her from the unnerving situation. It had been her mother just calling in to check up on her, twice in one day.

Pierre had driven Lara home and it seemed that they had recovered effortlessly from the situation because they were laughing and cracking jokes like they were never about to lock lips and maybe go further.

Lara strolled into the kitchen after noting the time; 6:48 pm. She had literally spent the entire afternoon and evening with Pierre.

She wondered if Jayden was home because she still hadn't heard from him.

She took out her phone and called him.

She waited while it rang, but to no avail.

She tried again, but he didn't answer the phone.

Lara was beginning to worry. At first, she thought he was just super busy, but he would have called back after seeing so many calls.

He was supposed to be home the previous day. And Mrs. Benson, the next day.

She left him a voicemail, "Jayden, call me," She paused, "I hope you're okay."

She started arranging the groceries in the fridge, fruit basket, the freezer, and counter when she heard a voice from the door,

"Ella?"

Lara turned and locked eyes with Emma.

It seemed as though Emma panicked, before swiftly hurrying out of the kitchen.

Lara dropped the wheat bread on the counter and followed Emma.

"Emma! Wait!" She tried to catch up with her but Emma was fast, it nearly looked as if she was running, was she?

Emma climbed the stairs briskly and shuffled into the laundry room, which was down the hall to the right.

She closed the door to lock it, but Lara suddenly barged in.

Emma looked frightened when Lara entered.

"Lara!" Emma yelled and was grim-faced, "What do you want?"

Lara was stunned by Emma's outburst and suddenly fell silent. What did she want? What was she going to say? She wasn't prepared for it at all.

"Um," Lara began, "Why are you avoiding me?"

"I'm not." Emma simply answered.

"You were running away like I'm some serial killer."

Emma looked away, and Lara continued,

"We need to talk."

"Lara, don't. Please. Just get out of my way."

"Emma, you kissed me. We have to ta-"

"Why the hell are you yelling?" Emma rushed over to cover Lara's mouth, and Lara was surprised.

Emma made clear, "I did no such thing!"

Lara wanted to speak but Emma's hand had covered her mouth entirely.

She managed to gently but firmly bring it down and asked with concern, "Emma, are you ashamed?"

"I'm not! Just leave me alone!" Emma tried to leave, but Lara didn't give her a chance.

She held her shoulders and looked her straight in the eye,

"Emma! You don't have to be hard on yourself! And you don't have to be ashamed of who you are! You don't have to run away or be alone or live a false life! And you don't have to look down on yourself! You are still Emma, no matter what and I love you for that. Emma, you are unique."

Emma wailed and cried. Lara's words had seared right through her heart and she felt the barriers and walls she had built around her, start to crumble to reveal her vulnerable self.

Lara embraced Emma, who couldn't stop crying.

"Emma, don't cry."

"You're the only one who knows..." Her voice sounded muffled because her face was buried in Lara's shirt.

"What about your twin sister?"

"No! She doesn't!" Emma withdrew from the hug to look at Lara in the eye as she said, "Ella doesn't know! She can't. Please don't tell her. I will die."

"What?" Lara was so shocked about what she was hearing, "Why? She is your twin sister. She's supposed to love you no matter what, and be there for you always."

Emma cried again after what Lara said, "Lara you have no idea. She's my twin sister by face only. I swear I will die if you mention this to her. Please promise me."

"You don't have to hide w-"

"Just please, promise me!" She rose her voice, which startled Lara, "I will tell you the entire story."

"Tell me now. Tell me why Ella seems to be the devil here. Tell me why you think me telling her will have you killed."

Emma sniffed, wiped her tears and began, "It goes way back..."

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(Where's Jayden????)