“So, just to be sure, you are not planning to kill me and get rid of my body because I found out about your secret, right?” I tease him with a little smile just to keep the conversation going.

“Not today. I’m wearing my favourite jacket and I want it blood-free, you see?” he jokes along and my smile widens because he didn’t take offense.

If I really want to understand Zeke I need to test him, and I don’t mean to hand him a sheet of paper with questions. I need to see how he reacts to certain stimuli so I can collect date to draw a conclusion later. This is my chance to ask all I want and actually see him with my eyes, without being scared of being caught. I don’t know if a chance like this will happen again so I better make it count.

Now I can tell he knows when a person is joking and he is not absolutely serious, as one could think, he actually has a sense of humour.

“Oh good, my friend was worried, you know? I can tell her now that she doesn’t need to track my mobile anymore,” I continue and I see Zeke’s smile.

He has a very cute smile and his teeth are straight, probably because he had braces like I did. They are too perfect, I don’t believe he was born with perfect teeth. But it’s not only that, his smile is cute because his whole face smiles, too. His eyes squint a bit and light up with amusement.

“When I actually plan on getting rid of you we’ll let your friend know, deal?”

“How generous of you, I really appreciate it.” I laugh at our joke and his smile widens, his amusement increases and I can tell because the tip of his tongue sticks out between his teeth in what almost looks like a mischievous smile.

Zeke looks so different when he is smiling, like a complete different person. He doesn’t look threatening at all and it’s even hard to remember I was so scared of him before. Yes, his gaze is intense and that can make anyone anxious, if to that we add that I saw him beating people up rather ruthlessly, it’s no surprise that my body reacted that way every time our eyes met. Before my mind rationalised what was going on, my body was ready to flee.

Right now I’m looking up closer, without curtains of prejudice, giving him all the space he needs to show me the real Zeke and he is not half as bad as he seems.

“So, where are we going?” I ask, still keeping the eye contact. I like the shade of brown of his irises, it’s warm and they remind me of chocolate.

I like chocolate.

“An orphanage,” he replies and my eyebrows rise in surprise. “Unless orphanages make you uncomfortable. I can take you somewhere else if you—” he rambles but I stop him.

“No, no, not at all, it’s just that I’ve never been to one before and I didn’t think you would take me there,” I confess honestly.

“I was gonna go there either way but I’ve been thinking about what you told me the other day and just… I was curious to understand why you reacted differently. I don’t really know why I asked you to come maybe I shouldn't have—”

Once again he is rambling and for some reason that makes me smile. It almost seems as if he is nervous and that’s… adorable. He is acting so differently from what he looks in college, but I like this Zeke far better. This situation is easier to handle because I’m not tense, all my muscles are relaxed and I’m enjoying my time here next to him.

“I’m glad you invited me to come,” I tell him and I don’t know why but my hand reaches to touch his forearm. I’ve seen this gesture before and it normally has a soothing effect.

Zeke loses his smile but keeps looking me in the eyes. “I don’t normally do this, you know?” I nod, it’s obvious that no one else know Zeke does charity in his free time. “It’s no one’s business whether I help others or if I’m the leader of some gang,” he carries on and, although I haven’t heard that rumour I wouldn’t be surprise if people actually think he’s the leader of a gang. “I don’t need recognition or whatever, I do what I do because I want to, not because it’s good to do it, you understand?”

I myself have never done charity; I’ve always been so focused on my own plans that the rest of the world was meaningless so I don’t really know what he is talking about. Nevertheless, I think I understand. I mean, I understand his words, his intention at least. My plans were to do something big for humanity but in my mind I always thought of getting recognition. I wanted my name to mean something; whereas Zeke doesn’t care if no one else knows what he is doing, he just does it.

I think he’s far kinder than any other person I know, even if what others do is bigger or more important.

“That’s very noble,” I tell him and this time he looks away, embarrassed maybe?

“You said you wanted to understand and I guess I… I want to let you understand,” he says with a small voice and without meeting my eyes.

I don’t ask why because the way he said it makes me realise he doesn’t understand why he is doing this. Probably it’s his own curiosity because I’m the first person who was reacted like this with him, I’m the first who’s seen his other side and who has tried to understand the real him. Whatever the reason is, I’m happy he is willing to help me understand.

“Our stop is the next one,” Zeke speaks up and I look ahead, focusing on the landscape instead of the boy by my side.

When he stands up I follow him. We get off together and then he starts walking and I hurry to catch up with him. His legs are long so his steps are wider than mine, hence I have to hurry to keep his pace. But Zeke notices that this is not my rhythm so he stops and matches his steps with mine, which is quite considerate of him.

We walk in silence until we’re in front of a big three-storey house. By the door there’s a sign that reads ‘Antoinette Meyer’s Orphanage.’ I have no idea if that name is important in history but it doesn’t ring a bell. Maybe it’s the name of the person who founded the orphanage.

Zeke walks in as if this were his house and I just follow him. What we first encounter is a receptionist behind a desk next to a door that must be the office of the person in charge of the whole place. She looks up to see who has walked in and her face lights up with a wide smile. She’s probably in her late thirties, her hair is black and with thick curls that she keeps short, forming a kind of afro. Her skin is dark and it looks so soft I want to touch it. She’s a bit overweight but she wears clothes that have the right shape to fit her body.

“Doris,” Zeke greets her with a smile of his own. Clearly, they know each other.

“Zeke, dear! I’m so happy you’re visiting us again. We haven’t seen you in a while. The kids have been asking for you,” the woman, Doris, tells him as we keep approaching to her desk. “Oh, and you’ve brought a lady friend!” she looks at him with suggestive eyes and I feel my cheeks burning. Oh boy, I’m blushing again.

“She’s a classmate,” he introduces me. “Allison, this is Doris. Doris, Allison. I hope there’s no problem that I brought her today. She wanted to help,” he carries on and I notice his voice is different, his tone is kinder when he’s talking to her. I guess he holds this woman dearly.

“Of course not! The more the merrier, you know that,” Doris replies cheerfully. “Welcome, dear. Zeke never brings friends but I’m glad he’s invited you. The kids always appreciate new faces. Especially the little ones.”

The reality of what an orphanage really is finally sinks in. Orphans. All of them are kids who have lost their parents or whose parents never wanted them. Kids that have no one else in this world. I might have very cold parents who have no idea how to show affection and who make me doubt they actually love me, but I do have parents.

“Is it okay if we go in there now?” Zeke asks and Doris smiles widely again.

“Please, go! You don’t even have to ask, Zeke.”

He smiles at her wholeheartedly and then he turns to look at me. His smile disappears when he sees my expression and I see concern in his eyes. “You okay, Allison?” he asks, his hand on my shoulder.

“Yes, I just… I was just thinking. Let’s go,” I reply and try to smile honesty again but I feel ashamed that I’ve lived for so long ignoring so many things. I’ve taken my life for granted for so long and just now I opened my eyes.

“If you don’t want to go—”

“No, I want to go,” I cut him off. “I really want to go,” I reassure him because nothing here is the problem. This is just reality slapping me across the face, once again.

Zeke places his hand on my back this time and guides me inside the house, to a large common room where many kids are playing. I can see babies in the arms of women, toddlers crawling across the floor, kids playing games and even some teenagers reading books or just chilling. There are many, probably around thirty and I feel my chest tightening at the sight.

“Zeke!” a boy exclaims and that breaks through the mist of my thoughts just in time to see the boy running towards us. Zeke’s hand leaves my back and he kneels to receive the, probably, five-year-old boy in his arm.

“George,” Zeke says giving the boy a hug. In a matter of seconds almost everyone else has noticed our presence and have come to say hi, even the teenagers. All of them know Zeke and seem so happy to see him, nothing like the people in college. None of them are scared of Zeke, none of them think he’s a bad guy.

“Hey, this is my friend Allison, she came to see you, too,” Zeke introduces and I look at him surprised when he says the word friend. Are we friends or is he saying that just to make introductions easier? I don’t think we can be friends just yet.

Everyone greets me, although some girls in the group seem a bit reluctant to do so. They are basically glaring at me and I wonder why.

Once introductions are done, Zeke is literally snatched and dragged to a corner to play with some kids whilst I’m left behind. He looks at me over his shoulder with that amused smile I saw during our ride here and I smile in return.

Seeing him playing with these kids, looking so bright and happy has destroyed all the doubts I had about him being a bad guy. He is not faking now, I am positive of that, which means that he doesn’t show his real self in school, and I wonder why.

Good thing now I can actually ask, I just have to wait for the right moment. For now I’m going to focus on what I’m here for: spend time with the kids.

-:-:-

I honestly thought it was gonna take you longer to reach the goal! Wow! I'm super happy with your reaction, thanks. Don't you just love Allie and Zeke already? I do... but I'm bias 'cos I love them since this story began due to all the things I know that will happen... fufufu

Dedication to @Kourtnieloves1D

Bel, xx

PS: remember the fastest way to reach me is twitter: @BelWatson