[21]: the convincing

________________________ 21 the convincing "Getting you to relent was something deemed impossible, but not to me, nor to your equally stubborn cousin." ________________________ It was a sunny and cloudy day. A perfect time to hit the beach and get the perfect tan with the sunlight gleaming down on one's skin, soaking in the gentle feel of the certain warmth that only the summer season can provide—along with the sweet and decadent taste of a creamy ice cream. The sun, the beach, and ice cream—the three things that Aurora would do everything just to get. There's absolutely nothing she wouldn't do but with her being stuck looking after her stepmother's bakery, she's forced to not do anything about the things she wants to have. Alexander cautiously made his way beside the dreamy-looking woman standing in front of the cash register, her head resting against her propped elbow. His eyes gazed over the woman beside him, his eyebrows furrowed together in thought of what made Aurora be like this before he slowly lifted his hand to gently poke her soft and smooth cheek with his point finger. The first time he did it, it didn't work—not even in the slightest. But during the second time, he was able to get her attention. It made her jump slightly in her place before she blinked her eyes in surprise and turned her head to the side to look at the person who just brought her out of the daydream she had about being at the beach. When she saw that it was Alexander, a look of pure wonder on his face, who did just that, she masked her face in a look of annoyance. "What do you want, Giovanni?" "What's with the dreamy look on your face?" "What dreamy look?" She asked, fully facing him and crossing her arms against her chest. "Oh you know," He gestured to her face. "the look you had on your face. What were you thinking about?" Just as she was about to answer, a family of three stood in front of the cash register with smiles on their faces. Aurora smiled at them right back before pushing Alexander out of the way and facing the family right after. "Welcome to S&T Bakery. What can I get you for today?" Alexander stumbled in his place before crossing his arms and glaring slightly at the woman who just pushed him. He knows that their interactions can be quite confusing, what with it being friendly and enemy-like the next, but sometimes, he still can't help but feel irritated with her and the way she acts. It's not like he can complain about it either because that's also exactly how he acts—hers just end up being more natural and not forced than his is. Upon hearing the orders of the family standing in front of Aurora and being the one who is near the pastries, he brought out a tray and put it on the counter table behind him before grabbing a box and tong to put the family's orders inside the box in his hand. Even when he felt Aurora's questioning gaze, he didn't look at her and just continued what he was doing—it's what he's here for anyway. Aurora being here just happens to be a bonus. With the order being done and the box ribboned to perfection, Alexander made his way towards where Aurora stood, handed out the box to the mother, and smiled at the family as he said, "I hope you all have a great day." They responded with a small thank you and a nod of acknowledgement, the little girl that held her mother's hand looking up at him with a sweet and lovely grin on her face. She gave him a little wave goodbye, something that he enthusiastically returned to the little girl before the family walked out the door and Alexander was left to deal with Aurora once again. He still had that smile on his face when Aurora asked, "Since when were you nice to kids that you don't know?" "I was always nice." He faced her as he leaned against the counter. "I was even nice when we first made friends with Aly, Dex and Kent." She couldn't help it. The snort that came out of her lips was something that she just couldn't restrain. His words did sound so unbelievable though that she just had to call his bluff and give him a sardonic chuckle. "Oh please. You snubbed Aly when she came over to say hello and dragged me along with you, pushed Dex out of the way when he accidentally got in your way and dragged me along with you—again, and glared at Kent so hard when he sat beside me inside the cafeteria and dragged me along with you yet again." Alexander rolled his silver eyes right after Aurora presented her argument. "So I was a little protective of you—big deal. That's what friends do, isn't it?" He argued back, unwilling to directly say it in her face that she, in fact, does have a concrete argument about her statement. He's just not so sure with his defense though—it totally was a stupid response. "Protective of me?" She scoffed in a way that almost seemed mocking; like she honestly couldn't believe that Alexander is even uttering those words just earlier. "It honestly just seemed like you didn't want to interact with people other than me. It was a good thing that three of them were persistent and weren't intimidated by your permanent scowl because you really won't have friends like them right now." She let out a breath. "It certainly was a good thing." Introductions and interactions was something that Alexander did not really excel on when he was younger. When someone was bold enough to approach him, it was either they were blatantly ignored or ultimately shunned—he was fine just dealing with people he's familiar with; he didn't have the time or patience to deal with unfamiliar people. Aurora understood that because he's always been naturally reserved and aloof, but sometimes she worries about him and his lack of interaction with other human beings besides his family, her and her family. So when Alicia, Dexter and Kent had shown great determination to really become his and Aurora's friend, it didn't leave his attention how she was instantly glad about it. Ultimately, his strong urge to please and make the one person who stuck through him with everything happy won out. He eventually agreed to their offer of friendship rather reluctantly but he tried his very hardest. In time though, he has come to learn to accept them wholeheartedly, surprising them all when he suddenly opens up a topic for all of them to talk about, or converse with one of them just like how regular friends would. Alexander looked at her indifferently. "So what if I only wanted to interact with you? You were my only friend in that wretched school when we first stepped foot there." "Do you really not realize how unhealthy that is? You're going to need someone other than me." She glared at him to prove her point, but he was having none of it. His stubbornness is really starting to piss her off. "Well it wasn't like people were lining up to become friends with me." He muttered in reply. "That's because you scare them away, stupid! You were lucky enough that there were three people who were just as stubborn as you are and didn't take no for an answer." She replied with a huff. Alexander released a breath before he looked directly into her sea blue orbs with a glint in his. "That's because I don't need people who can't take s**t and walk away and give up the first time someone says no." The stunned expression on her face was something that left him confused in his place. He's not exactly sure what he just did to make that certain expression appear, but he has a gut feeling that it had something to do with his words from earlier. Indirectly hearing Alexander say that he did all those things in purpose was something that completely took her off guard. She always just assumed that it all had to with him being his usual reserved self, but it actually has a lot more to it than his own human nature. "You mean you did all of those things on purpose?" The surprise in her tone of voice never left her. "Of course I did." He rolled his eyes. "What good are a lot of friends who aren't even really your friends at all?" That statement made Aurora sigh in her place, but she knows that he has a good point. There's really no use in having a lot of friends that only end up disappointing you in the end. Of course, there's nothing wrong with having a lot of friends but when you're an extremely cautious person just like how Alexander is, the "wrong" that can be found in it is endless, not to mention a lot of things that need to be considered. "Fine. You have a point." He grinned. "I'm just glad that you were able to make friends and at least knows how to socialize with people." He tries to look at her with a blank expression but eventually fails when a slow, but sure smile manages to make its way onto his pink lips. "I have always known how to socialize with people." His smile turned into a smirk. "I just choose very carefully on whom I socialize with." To be quite frank, she's not all that surprised to know that that just so happens to be his answer. In a way, he does seem to be doing everyone a favor by not socializing with everyone so he wouldn't be bothered by their incessant blabbers and them with his constant and unwavering cold words. She guesses that in a way, he does seem to be kind, but it is mostly just overshadowed by the more than likely appearance of his rudeness. Not everyone understands that, of course, but then again, if she were not friends with him from the very moment they were both born, she wouldn't even give him a time of the day or even bother making friends with him—it would be a complete waste of time and energy, what with him always rebuffing everyone who is trying to befriend him. Alexander has decided that they have talked about him more than he's wanted, but somehow, there's a part of him that's glad of it. He does seem to feel a bit lighter because of their talk and because of the knowledge that Aurora still knows him enough to be able to figure out just what his actions mean. And besides, he's not entirely forgotten their previous conversation about the dreamy look she had plastered on her face. "You know, enough about me." He said. "I'm still insanely curious about what that dreamy look on your face was all about." "You're still not over that?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "It could really just mean anything. What's it to you anyway?" "Well, aside from the fact that you never usually have that look on your face, I'd say it was something interesting." He puffed out a breath as he ran a hand through his hair to try and tame his naturally unruly hair. "But knowing you, it's most likely something ridiculous or minuscule since your definition of interesting is a whole lot different from mine and other people's meaning." "My definition of interesting is so not different from yours." Defiance flared in her eyes as she looked him in the eye. "And for your information, the beach is something interesting." Alexander let out a sigh. Of course her idea of interesting is something as trivial as the beach. How completely silly. "How you can ever find the beach interesting is beyond me." The distaste in his words was something that he didn't bother hiding; there's no use for it anyway—the woman can unravel his thoughts in some way. While Aurora is someone who enjoys spending all of her time lying down on a towel with her bikini on under the sun's harsh light, eating ice cream as she talk to some friends, have a swim in the blue sea and any other stuff you can do while you're on the beach, Alexander is the complete opposite. Hate is a much too strong word to use, but he dislikes the beach—period. He doesn't get what makes it so appealing to almost all the people in the world, what with the place being insanely crowded and noisy, it's hard to decipher just exactly why. He would rather choose to be stuck somewhere in a forest filled with vicious animals than be in the one place that's the epitome of all things he dislikes. His friends had teased him a lot about it, always goading and jibing him but it never really got to him. The things they say do piss him off but better that than forcing him to go to the beach with them. Of course, that certain mentality didn't change even after him and his family moved to Columbia. "That's because people have different likes and dislikes." She told him with a sigh. "I'm sure there's someone out there who is more than happy with your opinion but some of us do enjoy being at the beach no matter what your stupid opinion may be." He had to roll his eyes at that—it seemed appropriate to do so. "Still doesn't erase the fact that beaches are crowded." They would never reach common ground with the way things are right now. Both of them are incredibly stubborn and it would take great power to be able to take away that stubbornness from them—well at least tone it down a bit. This is always how things work for them: argue and argue until one of them gives in and the other gets to gloat about being able to get through his or her point to the other piercingly. "It's meant to be crowded, you i***t! The beach is a large place after all and it's enough to cater a lot of people." She told him, the annoyance in her voice seemingly palpable. At this point, Alexander decided to just ignore her. It would do him no good anyway and hearing all her nagging is already making him feel like his ear is about to fall off his face. Besides, he knows that they would only end up arguing yet again, the one thing that never leaves them when they're together. He looked out the window, seeing all the people passing by the bakery with paper bags on their hand or a bag hiked up their shoulder. His thoughts wandered far and wide right then and there—how his life had been when he was still in Columbia and how different it was in his hometown. Everything was fine in his new home, but somehow, he knows that deep down, it just didn't feel right—even his family knows that's how he feels. Homesickness is just something that took him a long time to get over, especially since almost everything in his new room reminded him of his hometown—and Aurora; the one person he feels very strongly about. When a sigh escaped his lips, Aurora sent him a skeptical glance, but brushed it off and merely concluded that Alexander is just being his usual odd self; nothing new there. She went back to handling the cash register but stopped her movements when she felt a presence in front of her. Almost everything about the person in front of her seemed familiar, especially since she smelled apples and freshly mowed grass—there's only one person she knows that smells exactly like that. Slowly lifting her head to take a look at the person standing in front of her, her whole expression immediately turned blank when she saw that it was merely Edward, which made her hunch right. A grin was etched on his face when he gave her a small wave before saying, "Oh hey Aur. Fancy seeing you again." Alexander immediately perked on his place when he heard that voice. Of course the bastard would follow him all the way at the bakery—Edward's been trying to convince him to go to the beach with him ever since last night when he checked the weather and saw that it's going to be a real nice day tomorrow, hence, today. He's already declined his cousin's invite more than a thousand times since he really doesn't want to go to the beach but seeing as they're blood-related and how some aspects of a person's personality and attitude is hereditary, Edward is as equally as stubborn as he is—at least when it comes to getting what he wants. As cowardly as it sounds, he really doesn't want to deal with his cousin right now. He would much rather hide and cower away in some place that he won't find him than deal with his constant nagging about "bonding time". How his cousin can seriously get people to believe the words coming out of his mouth, he has no idea. And so, he leaned closer to the counter to try and obscure him from Edward's view as he listened to the ongoing conversation between his cousin and his beautiful frenemy. "What brings you here, Edward? Last time I checked, this is the last place you would ever think about hanging out." Aurora replied as flatly as she could. Edward scoffed, his elbows now propped against the small space of the counter that the cash register is placed. "Don't be ridiculous. Why would I not consider hanging out in this place? I have every kind of pastry at my disposal." He eyed the display beside him, eyes alighting in mirth. "You don't even like pastry that much." She told him matter-of-factly. "But it's free pastry." The cheeky grin that appeared on her face and the silly way he said it that made it seem like he's hopeful what he's saying is true was enough to make a small amused smile to etch on her lips, the smile stretching even further when he wriggled his eyebrows at her. With a slight chuckle, she s*****d Edward on the back of his head lightly and softly before saying, "Shut up. As if I would give you free pastry. The good and tasty pastries that my stepmother prepared would totally be wasted on you." "True, but," It was only then that she noticed the impish glint in his eyes, making her narrow her eyes at him. "it would totally not be wasted on the people who would be at the beach." Another sigh escaped Alexander's lips when he heard Edward's words. Of course he would try and get Aurora to side with him since the woman is as much as a beach lover as he is. With her on his side, his persuading power just doubled. He knows that Aurora has been trying to persuade him to at least try going to the beach but failed each time—he's going to use that to his advantage and make sure that this time, the both of them will succeed. He snuck a glance at Aurora, who had an enthusiastic expression but tried to cover it up with a questioning look. He can't exactly see Edward's face clearly from where he's standing, but he doesn't need to stand in front of him to know that a smug look is already plastered on his face; the tone of his voice is enough of an indication. "The beach?" He heard Aurora ask. "Why would it not be wasted on the beach?" Edward looked at his cousin's ex-lover with a blank look on his face, almost as if he can't believe that such a smart, yet stupid person could exist. "Um, hello? People? Selling?" He released a disappointed sigh. "Why do you think it won't be wasted on the beach?" She rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms, unaware that Alexander was already looking at her with his body now facing her. "Alright, Captain Smartypants. I get it." She released a breath. "I guess the beach doesn't sound too bad." If he can cut off his own tongue, he really would. Is he really that used to arguing with Aurora that even his body parts started having a mind of its own? He didn't even mean to say something, but when he heard what she said, he just couldn't have seemed to help himself. "Doesn't sound too bad?" Alexander scoffed. "You were even just fantasizing about it not too long ago." A light colored pink tinted her cheeks, exposing the embarrassment she felt deep inside of her. So what if she actually likes the idea of going to the beach? She's not literally going there because she has her temporary job to think about. "Oh shut up." She told Alexander with a scowl before turning her attention back to Edward. "So, beach?" But then again, the prospect of actually being on the beach while also being able to do her work does sound tempting—and an offer she would never refuse. Right in that exact moment, Edward knew that Alexander was going to give in any moment. He hates it when someone dumps all of their work on him just so said person could relax and be on their way so with Aurora going to the beach, he would be left here inside the bakery, doing all the things that Aurora is supposed to be in charge of—he would no doubt ramble on and on about inequality. The smug look he had on his face never let up as he gazed at his glaring cousin. "Oh Alex. How great it is to see you here. Are you done playing hide and seek with me yet?" Alexander crossed his arms in defiance but lifted his glare and kept his face void from any emotion; all cool and collected. Even after years of knowing his capabilities, Edward and Aurora were still surprised by how quick he managed to change his expression and put on a very convincing facade. He had definitely mastered the art of blankness and a human devoid of any emotion—the one talent that he somehow thinks is a curse, but the others think otherwise. "What hide and seek? I'm completely unaware of this, just so you know. But if you want, we can always play that childish game later on." He replied, his piercing gray eyes glowing. "Sure, no problem." came Edward's reply. "So the beach as the venue then?" Still, Alexander had on his calm facade. Despite the growing frustration and irritation he's feeling towards his cousin's unrelenting persuasiveness, he ordered himself to keep his cool and make them think that he is not affected by any of what's happening. After all, there's nothing wrong with a little fun, right? He just has to make sure that he has the upper hand and that Edward can do nothing to force him to go to the one place he would rather not be at. "Beaches are overrated and people are too busy swimming or tanning that they would not be paying any attention to what we sell." He replied as he leaned against the counter, his eyes fixated on his cousin. "Are you really that scared of being on the beach that even just the mention of it repulses you?" Aurora taunted, knowing that Alexander is a fool for taunts and challenges and would do anything to ensure that he gets his victory loud and clear. A smirk appeared on Alexander's face. If there's one person who he can read like a book even with the book being held upside down, it's Aurora. He knows exactly what she's doing and it would be stupid of him to fall for it, especially since he can already anticipate what she would most likely tell him or use against him as a taunt. "You want to test how strong my will is?" His smirk widened. "Fine. Test it all you want. You're still going to lose anyway."