Chapter Three

To be forthright my apartment is not that far from my parent's place, so I can just go around the blocks instead of wasting cash on a taxi. Oh and I almost forgot, I love passing by the seawall... it is beautiful and today is a full moon so I might get a beautiful picture to add to my collection, Alora thought to herself delightedly.

The streets are extremely gratifying up close, for a person who wants to get a glimpse of other people's calm and happy moments, this is most certainly the place.

Just as in any other city or nation, there are criminal cases, but most of them are mild cases of robbery, scams, and money laundry. Nothing intimidating and horrific as manslaughter, rape, suicides, or anything related to bloodshed has been recorded in years.

Alora smiles to herself as she admires the people and remembers her best friend Zariah, who normally says there are more horrific cases beyond imagination but are more likely covered up for reasons she is yet to discover. No one would blame her, after all, that's what she gets for watching crime films and being a reporter at the same time.

For Alora it is not the concealed events that she frets about, It's more about these smiles that she sees every day which might still be lacking some sincerity in them. "Are we all really happy? Or do we just want to match our surroundings while sulking in our misery and yearnings?", Alora's secret thoughts.

Looking at herself, she honestly has no regret about being an editor but when they announced her selected career to proceed within the college, she felt like it was mostly unfair they chose for her what she should pursue professionally without knowing a thing about her.

And guess what? They are not even allowed to change to what they want. Deep inside photography is what she loves, what she would die for but can't fight for because that would just make her a protestor of the adoring peaceful system that serves them all... if only the president could change this, she might maybe come to terms with his deserving position.

Walking is great therapy, Alora feels like she is interacting with people even if she doesn't get to talk to them. some of them wear straight faces as they are busy with what they do while others look jolly and excited somehow.

How everyone describes the people and the harmony around is quite different from what she observes, for her it feels like the things they don't talk about are greater than what they compromise with... it feels weird to even tell anyone else about her antagonistic thoughts other than Zariah.

Alora stops by Wendy's to get some hot chocolate, it always gives her a good start when she wants to take pictures.

Before taking a seat on her favorite bench outside, Alora spots a figure fully dressed in black working on a painting. Who paints at this particular time? She thought silently. Her curiosity gets the best of her and decides to seat on the bench right across from his position.

She gets intrigued by what he is working on since he is facing the seaside and his back is blocking her view from the painting.

Halfway through the hot chocolate, she realizes that it would be a great idea if she takes a picture of him doing the painting... so it will be like putting art inside art... that's a great idea, and she excitedly agreed to her thoughts.

Right after dumping the cup of hot chocolate in a trash can nearby, Alora pulled out her camera and took several pictures, she decides to get a little closer to him for better shots that would include him and the painting.

She freeze for a moment seeing his artwork, she thought he was painting the serene but seemed like he is painting a woman. Alora ignores her astonishment and clicks some pictures that turn out to be extremely beautiful with the dark theme of the night sky.

She averts her gaze back to his work, he seems to be very engrossed with what he is doing that he doesn't seem to notice anything from his surroundings.

" She is beautiful," Alora tells him, and that startles the man that he even accidentally flips his brush across the painting..... oops." Oh my God, I didn't mean to spook you... I'm terribly sorry" she pleaded and felt unbearably guilty.

He stays quiet avoiding her gaze not saying anything as he intensely looks at the painting. She tries to explain herself a little more but he acts as though he has buds in his ears, can he not hear her?

After what seems like ages for Alora, he finally starts packing his tools in his backpack and she panics from his reaction, can't he just scold her or something or say it's okay as other people of Ocrya do?

She patiently watches him pack, maybe he will answer her when he is done, but no... he just grabbed his stuff and walked away as though he didn't hear or see her.

" Sir I know it's my fault but can you at least say something, I am sorry" she tried to convince him.

Alora is a very persistent person, she walks behind him blabbering her apology all the way, but no response. Could it be? He must be deaf, or else he would have answered me right?, But why is he not even looking at me? 'he is shy you fool' her inner thoughts convince her.

She rushed ahead of him and stops right in front of him. The man automatically stops and looks at her as though she is crazy. She ignores his glare and tries to deliver her message in sign language which she is terrible at.

Alora feels helpless and there is nothing she can now do, she knows he understands her but maybe can not respond to his feelings.

She stops following and decides to go back in the direction of her apartment, a phone ringing makes her turn and she notices him from a distance taking his phone out of his pocket and answering it.

" That fool! so he actually can talk huh? But just saying ' miss its okay, it was an accident or I understand' was just too hard for him... arg!!! how could I be such a fool to think he is deaf while the reason he startled was that he heard me" she face palmed herself while thinking out loud and a couple nearby that were making out giggled at what she was saying as though she is a lunatic.

" I am sorry" she quietly mumbled looking at the couple in embarrassment and back to his disappearing figure in a distance.