4 a.m

Most times I would be awake before 5:00a.m and my first point of call was to say my prayers and go to the kitchen for a glass of water.

Next was my art corner.

Today, my routine was broken for the first time in eight years.

I didn't have a art corner to go to, I didn't have a kitchen to pour myself a glass of water, but I had to pray all the same.

Not yet.

Once my eyes get adjusted to the lighting in the room I'm in, I sit up, quicker than a lightning bolt.

What?

First, I feel warmer than last night. Two, I'm in bed, three times larger than my room, no kidding.

And the actual room could fit my entire apartment.

I wonder what this place is.

There have been rumours of girls kidnapped and taken off to different countries for the most sinister reasons, like prostitution.

While I'm freaking out, he enters.

This man should be a Greek god because how do you explain the glorious sight before me, a mass of well sculptured muscles?

His face is an entire different reason to send my heart on a marathon.

"Most normal people aren't usually awake by this time." He folds his arms.

I snort. "There's nothing normal about me."

"Tell me about it."

After begging him to put on a shirt for obvious reasons, I follow him to a bar where he pours me a glass of water and another drink for himself.

I tell him everything.

And this man listens.

Keen Harrison.

My hazy mind recognises that name from somewhere, but it's hard to say exactly where.

Until the later parts of dawn, say six or seven.

My glasses are not deceiving me.

I search up his name.

He's one of the biggest figures in the world of sculptures and paintings.

I'm sitting in the house of my greatest role models.

I ate in his house. I slept in his house.

9:30 a.m

I ask him if he doesn't have work to do, well, that's mainly so I can snoop around in a non creepy way.

"Is that your way of getting rid of me so you can snoop around?"He smirks.

Caught!

I manage a half-smile. "I was concerned."

He returns to his laptop, while I continue fidgeting in the sofa. We're on the balcony offering us a perfect view of the vast property.

It's huge.

"Tell me what you want, Amira."

"I don't know.".

He closes his laptop. "It's not possible to not know what you want."

It's possible.

"At the moment, I'm clueless. I don't know what to do, where to start, I lost my family, and my boyfriend-"

"-both sets of people are big fools."

I chuckle because he's right. However, I make no further comments.

That's when he lays out his offer.

To help me get my shine back.

11:00a.m

Any observer seeing us at Thann's would swear that we're couples because Keen picks out different clothes for me to try on, casual and formal.

While he's talking with someone who had recognised him, I sit on one of the fancy blocks, still in a daze.

I keep repeating in my head that this isn't real.

It's just a dream.

I'll wake up and find myself passed out on a stupid bench. Useless and jobless.

A shadow casts over me. Keen's."Are you okay?"

"It's still hard to process everything. I know this has to be a dream-"I look up at his handsome face and sigh. "-when I wake up, you'll be gone."

He smacks me on my left arm. "You're a dramatic one. Come on, let's go somewhere."

1:00p.m

"You forgot the clothes you bought for me." I notify Keen when he stops his Audi in front of a skyscraper.

Looks like a corporate organisation, judging from the formal clothes and men and women trailing in and out.

"No, I didn't. I have some friends you should meet."

3:03p.m

By this time yesterday, I was sitting in Amaze, wallowing in self-pity, all fragments of my self-esteem shattered.

If anyone had told me I'll be recieving keys to my own studio, and getting an invite to an Art Exhibition tomorrow, I would have told the person to back off.

But it all happened in a space of twenty-four hours.

Amira Hopkins.

"You look petrified."Snow says.

Snow is this lovely young woman who works next to my studio. Beautiful white hair which she says is natural, hence the name Snow.

"It's hard to believe my fortune."

She rests her hip against my workbench, eyes traveling to every corner. "You're good."

"Thanks, Snow."

Snow sighs. "Oh please, get rid of that woebegone face and cheer up. We have an exhibition to plan for."

That brings a smile to my face. "So, what paintings do you think I should bring?"

She points at one which I intentionally hid from all eyes. "What about that one?"

"It's what I was working on before things went south." I turn the portrait so she can have a look."

5:00p.m

Keen returns to drive me home. He's focused on the road while I read through the news.

One particular column makes me shriek.

Keen is worried. "What is the matter?"

"Stop the car."I keep slapping my palm against the dashboard.

He obeys. Rolling the car to a stop without shutting down the engine.

"There's a picture of the two of us together at the mall."

I show him the headlines :

MOST ELIGIBLE BACHELOR IN NEW YORK HAS A NEW GIRLFRIEND. WHO IS SHE?

The man is unfazed and it tones down my excitement. "If you want to survive this world, pay no much attention to the media."

And he drives.

7:00p.m

After showering and changing into an oversized hoodie and my favourite blue leggings, I sit on the kitchen counter.

Keen had declined to let me make dinner. It's the least I could do to repay his kindness.

But no.

That is why I'm currently staring at and admiring his backside. Shamelessly, might I add.

After dinner consisting of spaghetti and meatballs, I hang a little outside in the balcony.

Snow messages, asking if I've got a dress for tomorrow. I said yes. I'll just pick from the clothes Keen bought.

Keen.

He's in his art studio. I see him while heading to my room.

Cautiously, I peep in through the door, unexpectedly meeting his gaze right from across the room.

"Sorry, I wanted to see."

He chuckles. "Nosy as always. Come in."

I appreciate the sheer size of his studio and the paintings that occupy most space on the walls. Ahead, behind him is a perfect view of the outside world. Car lights travel in yellow dots, and skyline buildings rise here and there.

"Lovely view you've got there."

Keen looks up from his painting. "My best view in the building."

From my angle, I can't see what his working on, so I move closer, surprised to see a finished painting of me.

"She's beautiful."He said.

That night I barely get an ounce of sleep.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

One more chapter to go and it's going to be twice as long as this one.

I'm so happy for Amira. One disappointment might just be a blessing in disguise, so keep pushing ahead.

I love you guys.

major rant:

so, Presidential elections were conducted in my country over to weekend, and sadly, the results are being manipulated in the favour of a set of rotten old men.

I wonder why there's so much corruption in the world

A lot of people are suffering, prices of foodstuffs skyrocketed over the past eight years and now that we have the chance to vote in who we want, there's a lot of alterations in the figures.

Smh.