Adan was still at school, it was getting over three, Glory wondered if he was out with friends? Ivan wasn't back yet, too. Aleah had came in but excused she had a parlour appointment and won't be back till five, and Valerie had gone for her exhibition . She didn't know where Giselle was because, well, Giselle was Giselle, and after the weirdly horrifying encounter at the dining table, Glory preferred staying out of her way.

However, that didn't mean she was alone. After her call with Zac, she had received bundles of texts from Jazail. Ashley and Ian had called her, too.

Boredom was still eating her, and her stomach was aching. She had never really been the kitchen type, blame to the Hamilton life, again, and since no one was here to cook, she decided to go out and catch a glimpse of the town. She could stop at a restaurant and get something in, anything would do actually.

But then, Zac had stopped her from going out for a day or two. Could she wait?
Only a kilometre around, no more, she thought, and ran upstairs to catch her red purse and a matching hoodie and opened the main door. The Scarsdale air filled her nostrils; smoggy cold air, and she immediately felt her nose turn a light red. Closing the door behind, Glory started striding down the hill, looking at the neighbouring Victorian houses around. All were big, huge, but the one where she was staying was the largest of all. Glory's eyes crossed a house, three houses from hers, and she stood stunned at the acknowledgment of the fact that it was the absolute twin of her house. The same red curtains, and an orange one at the far corner. The same map, the same curves, edges, vertices. Now, that was cool.

"Hello Miss, can you give me a way into my house?"

Surprised, Glory turned around to discover a lean old woman in a deep yellow long skirt with her dark hair tied in a small, tight, grey bun.
"Oh, sorry." She apologised, and noticed she was standing exactly in the middle of the doorway, blocking the entrance.

"It's okay, child." She mumbled, and paddled into the pink stoned pathway, the same as in the house she lived.
"Oh, and, are you new here?"
The woman had turned back, and was facing her again.
Glory nodded in response.
"Oh, nice, nice. Where do you stay?"
"In House 13."
"The thirteenth?"
Glory nodded again.
"Oh, well, they are good people there, have a good time child."
"Thank you." She answered.
The woman turned to walk, but stopped again. "And yes, I am Alister Morpurgo, if ever need anything, my door is always open."
"Thank you, Mrs. Morpurgo, that is really good of you." Glory chirped.
"No, no my child, and why do I feel I have seen you somewhere?"

Glory's face turned pale at the realisation that this woman may recognise her from the news.
Immediately, she muttered a "goodbye, see you around" and ran back home without a look back.

Once out of the Morpurgo premises, Glory inhaled deep breathes of air and felt  like smacking herself a dozen times on her stupidity. What if she recognises her and report the media? Or the police? She couldn't go back to jail, happened whatever. And Zac had stopped her twice, yet she went out. How, how stupid of her.

"Glory? Is it you?"
Glory's ears stood alert at the call of her name, and she slowly turned around, and relaxed to find Adan standing behind.
"Phew, I thought it was the police."
"The police? Come on, we aren't criminals here." He enquired, with an eyebrow raised.

So, Zac hadn't told them yet.
"No, I...just, you know..."
"Ah, I see. You stayed with Zac earlier right? Seems like you still have that insecure effect yeah?"
In favour of the excuse, Glory wobbled a smile and nodded.
"Went out for a walk?" He asked?
"Yeah, was alone at home, so decided to take a look around."
"That's good, interesting place it is, right?"
"Absolutely. And House 17 looks so like ours."
"Yes, the owners of these houses were brothers.   But they kept the distance since they were not on good terms."
"Oh, I see." Glory replied.
"You see?" Adan replied, a glint of play in his eyes.
"Uh huh. Don't you?" She replied, daringly.
"Giselle's home, isn't she?"
Surprised at the sudden topic change, Glory stared at Adan, confused. "Yes, I mean, I don't know."
"Giselle's not really bad. She just gets those moods sometimes."
"Yeah, maybe."
"Yeah."

There was silence then. Giselle was weird, no doubt, but maybe she was good in another way? Like, Aleah seemed good, but turned out to be the 'momma' around. Valerie's funny, cool, but stubborn. If Giselle is weird, maybe she has a story behind? Because well, time changed Glory, too. The proud Hamilton girl she used to be, she no more had a bit of charm now, but maybe her real self was stored deep in still? And, maybe the real Giselle was stored in, too?
The trees rustled silently and the sound of a a helicopter flying came from far away. Adan stood beside a tall tree, his blue eyes fixed on the gravel path some metres away.

"Adan, where are you actually from? And what brings you here?"
Adan blinked. "I am from Europe. And why I am here, that's a long story. Well, Giselle wanted to come here, to be honest."
"Giselle is...?"
"My sister. She's my younger sister."
"Oh."
That was surprising. They both were the exact opposites of one another, Adan with his blue eyes, broad profile, and Giselle with her dark features and light skin, they really looked to be from opposite zones.
"I know that's surprising, everyone gives the same reaction."
"But if we see from the other side, you two do look alike. I mean, you both have the same lips. And, the same tall height."

Adan smiled and looked back at the path.

Glory was too curious to know more about him and Giselle. They were both mysterious, hidden, reserved. And they had a big history, a secret.

"Let's get inside, it's getting cold out here." He said.
"Yeah, Scarsdale is a really cold area."
Nodding, Adan followed her inside, and closed the door behind.
"Want some tea? I'll set the kettle." He offered, and gratefully, Glory nodded.
"I'll help you", she said, and followed him to the kitchen. She loved the kitchen. It was not only hot here, but the room was the size of a shoe, so to speak.

Adan filled in water and put it to boil.
"Um, Glory...I want to tell something."
Curious, Glory raised her brow.
"I saw you in the news. I know who you are."

Glory stepped back, fear crept her. "Adan, please, please don't let anyone know, please!" She begged.

"No, of course I won't let anyone know a word, relax. I didn't mean to scare you!"

Glory's heart beat was still erratic as she tried to relax her pulse, and get herself together.

"I'm sorry, really sorry. I just wanted you to know you can be open and I can help you protect yourself - "
"It's fine, I just- I met a woman today and I felt like she recognised me."
"Lady M from House 17?"
"Yeah, I guess. Mrs. Morpurgo she was."
"They call her Lady M at this place. That's the way she is. Whoever she meets, she feels like she knows him. She spooks everyone out, specially her same old coat she is always wearing, there's even a rumour she stole it from a grave."
"Woah, that's spooky."
"Yeah." Adan smirked.

"How much sugar?" He asked, pouring hot tea into two cups.
"One's enough, thanks."

The kitchen door burst open and Valerie entered, shouting.
"The judges loved my painting! I'm sure I'll win. But here was that beautiful portrait that other guy had made, and I'm scared if he takes away the award. But no, I am supposed to win!"

Glory stared at Adan, and the two of them laughed at Valerie's obsession.
"Dear Valerie, don't worry, you'll win, no one can cross you." she winked.
"Thank you. And for a reminder, it's Vana, there's no Valerie around." Saying this, she marched out if the room.

Woah. Vana.
"Well, I'll go now. Have to get Aleah home, she cannot help disturbing me, 'can you pick me', 'can we go out for dinner tonight', 'lets go to school together today?' and blah blah." Adan complained.
Glory laughed hard at his 'childish' complains, and winked, "Maybe she likes you?"
"Oh no, she better not."
"Seriously, you are mean." She giggled.
"Hey, not at all. You must have never seen someone as generous as me." He winked, and turned on the little television set on the shelf.
News headlines appeared, and Glory caught sight of "Criminal found dead in Venice."

Surprised at the possibility of Zac's idea coming true, her eyes popped out and she stared at the screen.

"Woah, and you are all alive here." Adan appreciated.

"Well done Zac, he is clever, isn't he?"

"I must say, yes."

Glory immediately took out her cellphone and composed a "Thank u so much, u are the best Zac!" and sent it to Zac's number.

Finally, she was free.