Cece is someone extremely social and I really mean social. He can talk to anyone without any problem and have fun and everyone seems to like him. He makes friends instantly so at some point it's just Gareth and I because neither of us is the social type. However, between the two of us I'm better at interacting. However, I think Gareth would seem more interesting and people would be keener to find out about him whereas as I'm so average people can look past me without hesitation.

The point I was going for is that Cece leaves us alone so Gareth and I end up playing darts whilst the makeup artist is enlarging his social circle. Not that I mind or anything because although it seems Gareth also likes Cece and enjoys his company he isn't as comfortable when he is around. Or that seems because when it's just the two of us he looks more relaxed and open to answer about him or even ask questions.

"So you're an only child? No one else could do this for you or are you just the oldest one?" he asks at some point after mentioning how tiresome being the acting CEO of Tachibana Productions is. I just told him a bit about all the things I have to take care and keep an eye on and he seemed very impressed.

"Only child," I answer. "I don't think Mum would've minded having another child, she is so loving and it would've been great for her to have someone else to take care of, but Otousan—I mean Father," I correct myself because Gareth doesn't know Japanese so referring to my father by the polite term doesn't fit this situation. "Father is quite older than her so being a father when he's over fifty is not so wise. I would've liked having a sibling, though. Or maybe it would've been sad because maybe he or she most likely would've been bright and would've completely outshone me." I smile at him as if knowing that anyone could actually do that doesn't hurt me. I don't know if I fool him, but I don't pay much attention. I focus on the target again, aim and throw. "Yes!" I say when my dart almost hits the centre.

"Maybe it would've been better if you had an older sibling. He or she could've done this instead of you. It is quite a lot after all and you're still so young. You couldn't even finish sixth form, right?" he continues and I shrug after stepping aside and letting him stand in front of the target with a dart in his hand.

"Maybe, but despite everything I'm enjoying it. It is tiresome, I can't deny that, and more often than not I think it's too much for me and I don't think I can do it, but still, it's fun. I always saw Father making it look so easy and I thought he just provided the budget and everything else was the director's doing. Silly me," I laugh and Gareth nods. He is in this industry, he is aware the director doesn't make everything happen, that there's a lot more of work besides shooting. "It's loads of work but at least I like it and I'm excited to finally see this project completed."

"It'll be your first production. Surely that can't be compared to anything else," he comments with one of his smiles. It's small and doesn't reach his eyes but I'm sure it isn't because he isn't sincerely about it but because that's how he smiles.

"What about you?" I ask next when he is aiming to throw his dart. "Do you have any siblings? You've mentioned your mum before."

"Only child, too," he replies, throwing his dart and hitting the middle mark. He makes this tsk sound and shakes his head slightly whilst I beam because I'm still winning. "In fact it's been always Mum and I since I was a little kid."

"Just the two of you? What about your father... oh, sorry if I'm intruding. You don't need to answer if you don't want to," I hurry to explain when I realise how rude I'm being by asking such a personal thing.

Gareth shrugs and goes to the target to retrieve the two darts we've thrown and then comes back to hand me one. He steps aside so now I can stand in front of the target again to keep playing. During that time he just shrugs, as if the question wasn't a big deal.

"That man just left Mum. She doesn't talk much about him and I don't ask either," he explains and his voice is cold and detached but he is still speaking and I guess it is because of the subject and not his marketing strategy. "I just know they dated for a while and the moment Mum told him she was pregnant he just disappeared. He didn't even break up with her or anything, he just packed his bags and left without saying goodbye so Mum was left alone."

I can't even look at the target and I only squeeze the dart in my hands pretty much like he is doing. I just stare at him with shock filling my veins. He looks angry and I can even feel his resentment and rage when he speaks, that fury against the man that left his mother. No wonder he doesn't even call him father but just that man.

"Mum lost her parents when she was still a teen so she was completely left alone. She didn't have anyone with her when she gave birth to me. That man couldn't even stay until then with her." Right then he lets go a humourlessly chuckle that almost sounds like a snort. "So it's always been just Mum and I."

"It must've been hard," I comment and Gareth looks up to meet my eyes. Until now his were on his hands and the dart he was squeezing there.

For seconds that seem to drag we can only stare at each other and I don't know what he sees but I hope that he at least sees the compassion and admiration because growing up like that can't be easy. I also hope he doesn't misunderstand and think I pity him.

"It was, especially because we struggled a lot to make ends meet," he continues, still looking me in the eyes. "Mum had always two or three jobs and I started working since I was very young. I was lucky I looked older than I really was because that allowed me to find a job before I was thirteen," he explains and my eyes widen in surprise and disbelief. "I just wanted her to have a better life so I didn't care about anything else but working and bringing home some money or doing anything that made Mum happy."

"What about acting? You said she introduced you to it, kind of," I bring up and he nods.

"I agreed to do that because she insisted so much and she said I should do something besides working because I was still a kid. I think she just wanted me to make a friend or something and overcome my shyness. I wanted to refuse but I then understood back then that seeing me only work and study also hurt her and made her feel guilty so I auditioned even if that meant I would have less time for working. I didn't think I'd love it so much or that it'd make Mum so happy."

This time I see a sad smile that even changes the look in his brown eyes. It's nostalgic and it makes me think his mind is very far away, probably back then when he discovered his love for acting.

"Mum was so happy every time she saw me on stage and that filled her with more pride than any amount of money I could bring. Seeing me acting made her happier than having something for dinner at night."

I also smile sadly, instinctively taking a few steps closer to Gareth as his voice also grows quieter. "I'm sure it did made her happy to see you having fun instead of working so hard, besides, I'm sure you shone brighter than anyone on stage so she must've felt extremely proud," I comment and his smile widens a bit.

"That's exactly what she used to say every time," he laughs and my own smile widens.

It is weird to see Gareth like this, so open and warmer than ever. I'm not sure if it's because he's tipsy—although by now I don't think he is that much—or because he is just that comfortable around me, but I must admit I really like seeing him acting this way. I really like knowing more about him, understanding him and why he is so serious. Considering he had such a difficult upbringing and tough infancy I'm not surprise to know he is an introvert and takes his work so seriously. I am not surprised either to know he never has fun and only works, even if it's doing what he loves. 

"Still, helping her was my first priority so when I got an offer for a commercial I barely thought about it. It wasn't what I wanted, you know?" he continues and I nod, making him know I'm listening. "But I knew working on the telly paid better so I just accepted."

"For your mum," I state and he nods.

"To be honest, all the entertainment industry kinds of repulses me. Tabloids and gossip shows are the worst of this civilisation, in my opinion, but it's part of my job now. If things were perfect I think I'd just be in a theatre troop instead of making films, but that wouldn't make the same income and Mum wouldn't be able to have the life that she can finally have because I'm doing this."

"So you also agreed to making films because of her?" I ask and he nods once again. I take another step and I realise we are like thirty centimetres away from each other. "So you're still making sacrifices for her."

He blinks at me, surprise written all over his face, I can read that clearly and not just because I'm getting the hang of reading Gareth's expressions but because this one is that clear.

"I guess... you can say that," he replies, frowning a bit before composing himself and going back to the almost expressionless facade. "But it's not that terrible, though," he adds next. "I mean, I can still act and I really love that, even if it has all these drawbacks like fame. I never thought I'd become that famous, though. Maybe I would've thought about it twice if I had known."

"Would you have refused if you knew back then you'd be this famous?" I ask and I know he is thinking about it, his eyes look to his top left in that way that tells me he is really giving thought to this.

"I would've probably accepted anyways because doing my first film actually allowed Mum to stop working and dedicate to take care of herself. My second film bought her house. So yeah, even if I have to become even more famous, I would still do it for her," he confesses and I swear my heart races.

Seeing him like this, talking about this and looking at me now with sincere and open eyes, almost exposed as he opens up to me is throwing a party inside of me. It's like a summer festival during the firework display, the night sky fully illuminated and so loud I can't even hear what's happening around. And it's so pretty, it makes me feel happy and bubbly, almost as if I would burst out giggling any moment. It makes me feel as if these fireworks are going off in my chest and I can barely breathe.

This guy... the so called Ice Prince is doing everything for his mother. Working on something he doesn't really like, at least the whole fame part, just for her. He is putting himself second just to give his mother comfort. How can he be made of ice when he acts like this? How can people even think he is selfish and stuck-up? He is the opposite and the only reason he is an introvert is just because he's never had time to even develop his social skills, he's always been working and he never cared enough to make friends because helping his mother was first. 

I take another step closer because I'm just drawn to him and he doesn't step back even if he could, he doesn't complain for the invasion to his personal space; he just looks down, still meeting my eyes. I smile, fighting the need to raise my hand and cup his face because I almost have this feeling that he is not real, that if I try to touch him he won't really be there.

"Gareth Maddox," I speak, not even daring to blink although I still have to, I can't help it. "You are seriously amazing. It's a pity people can't know the real you," I add and the left corner of his mouth lifts up in a half-smile.

"I prefer it like that, to be honest," he replies and I chuckle softly. "And thank you, Ann. It's actually nice talking about all this with someone. For some reason it's easy to talk to you," his right corner joins the smile and I feel my heart racing even more. "Maybe it's because I don't feel like you're just digging up for the secret to just sell me out next."

"Oh, maybe that's exactly what I'm doing. Maybe tomorrow it'll be all over the tabloids: the truth about Gareth Maddox," I joke and he really laughs this time.

"No, that won't happen. You wouldn't do that to anyone. You're just too honest to act so petty," he says with such a confidence that startles me. He then smiles at me in the warmest way he's done until now and I even feel my knees going week.

Apparently, that can really happen. I thought it only did in mangas!

"Well, I—" I have to gulp because it's a bit hard to talk right now. "I'm glad you trust me that much. I'll do my best to never betray you and I'm also honoured you told me these things. Your mum is one lucky lady. That man was an idiot for leaving her and you. His loss," I try to comfort him a bit and his smile becomes a teeny bit sad again and I want to slap myself for bringing that up again.

"Yeah, it's better not to have him in our lives than having to deal with him," he affirms and I nod enthusiastically to make him know I totally agree with him.

"Exactly. And Gareth," I add, trying to look at him with all my honesty before I say the next words. "You can trust me anytime. Even if you and your mum are okay just the two of you, it's good to have someone else to lean on."

The surprise is back on his face after I make that statement and he doesn't say anything, he just stares at me and that makes me nervous. I can't even hold his stare anymore because I think I spoke too much. I don't want him to see my blushed cheeks because I know for a fact I'm all flustered. 

"It doesn't have to be me, though, but I'm willing. Still, don't feel pressured or anything but, you know, keep in mind what I said," I mumble, not daring to look up.

I take a step backwards, feeling too suffocated for being so close to him but before I can take a second step, I feel his hand grabbing my wrist and stopping me. Surprised, I look up again and I meet intense eyes that completely surprise me because it is Gareth staring at me like that.

"Thank you, Ann," he says and I take a sharp breath. "I prefer if it's you, so thank you."

"O-okay," I mumble, barely managing to get that out because my heart is hammering in my ribcage and I think that it would be wise if he lets go of my wrist because otherwise he'll feel my pulse skyrocketing. 

We just stare at each other and once again it seems the seconds drag out. I don't know what else to say or what to do, I can't even move and he is still holding my wrist, I can only squeeze the dart in my other hand.

"Hey you two!" someone else exclaims, joining us and practically jumping over Gareth, wrapping his arm around the shoulders of the actor who, out of surprises lets go of me and tenses. It takes us at least three seconds to realise it's Cece. "Woah, what's with this mood? Did I interrupt anything?"

I adore Cece and I know he'd be thrilled if I told him all I learnt about Gareth tonight, but then that would be somehow breaking Gareth's trust after all what he told me, even if Cece won't tell anyone else. Besides, I want it to stay just between us and I'm sure Gareth wouldn't appreciate if someone else finds about that, even if it's not something he's ashamed of or anything; it's still his private life.

"Gareth was just trying to convince me to give him another shot to throw a dart and let him catch up to me. I'm totally winning," I explain to a quite drunk Cece, I notice.

"Oh, well I think you'll have to accept your defeat, Maddox, 'cos I was just told this bar is about to close so we should get going. Plus!" he exclaims, stepping away from Gareth and trying to stand still but he is rocking back and forward. "I think I might pass out any moment."

I just laugh and look at Gareth again. He meets my eyes and I can see the gratitude in his. What we shared today it's just between us and it'll stay like it.

~·~

Was the wait worth it? I put a lot of #Anneth and made it longer! (it's 1K words longer than usual!). This is my apology for not updating on Wednesday. Sorry again! Today I also had to eat many desserts but didn't get that sick, just a wee bit. I'm gonna develop a rejection for sweet things >.<

Dedication to @CookiesOnTheSidewalk For that enthusiastic comment! Remember that best comment gets dedication and mention on the next chapter.

Bel, xx

NU: Wednesday (hopefully)