Chapter 11
About two hours later, Seraphina found herself back at Leandro’s front door.
From the entrance, she could see the garage, and Leandro’s car seemed to be missing. Just as she was about to ring the doorbell, the door suddenly swung open from the inside.
Karan was slinging a big bag over her shoulder, yelling back into the house as she stepped out, “You stay put, no running around, got it? Your dad will be home tonight!”
Mid–sentence, she turned her head and saw Seraphina standing at the doorway, looking taken aback and then annoyed, “Didn’t you already take off? Why are you back here?”
“Karan, I think I left something here, so I came back,” Seraphina replied with a smile, then glanced at Karan’s bag. “You heading out?”
Karan grimaced, adjusting her bag and grunting in response.
Seraphina hesitated for a moment before asking, “Can I go in and look for my stuff?”
Looking like she was pressed for time, Karan shot her an irritable glance, “Just go in and find whatever you need, and leave as soon as possible! And don’t go chattering with Valerio, gol it?”
Seraphina nodded promptly, “Alright, got it. Take care, Karan!”
With that, Karan hurried off, looking like she was indeed in a rush.
spotted Valerio sitting at the table, working on a pile of
waved at him with a smile, but he quickly looked down and
bother with him further, she took a symbolic stroll upstairs and was back down in no time. Despite having spent the night here, her recorder had always been in her bag, so if
but to wait for Leandro. But how would he react when he saw her in
seemed to sense her approaching, his sketching grew even more
as she picked up the assignment brief from the table.
to create a family album with the help of their parents, featuring a
obviously working on the family portrait four identical stick figures, big heads atop bodies made up of a few strokes resembling matchsticks.
represent Bruce, Gloria, Leandro, and Valerio himself. But it seemed like a crucial person was missing. However, the rough sketching didn’t seem
Seraphina’s gaze, Valerio’s sketching became erratic.
help you with this assignment,” Seraphina sighed, “You’re one lucky kid. I haven’t drawn for seven years, and now I’m picking up a pencil to help
and Gloria. When it came to drawing Leandro,
stared at her sketches of Bruce and Gloria for a moment before accepting the pencil from her and copying her style
13-26
resembled Leandro.
and pointed to the last empty spot
deep thought, but
took the pencil from him, “Let me help
Valerio’s chin, studying the little boy in front of her. Valerio was truly beautiful, with flawless skin, dark hair, and bright, clear
lowered her gaze, starting to sketch with her long eyelashes casting a shadow
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