Chapter 22

It was a blissful Thursday and the day that Scarlett had her family session. She was so eager to see her family, it had been over a week since she had seen them. She had to admit, she was feeling much healthy and stress-free in just 1 week of staying in the rehab. She had 2 people that she would talk to who also happened to be females her age. Dorothy was 21 and Portia was 20. Her conversation with them hadn't reached the point that she would call best friend status, but she was decent friends with them.

Marvin was a nice person as well. The four of them hung out during free times. They spoke about things they did that got them into the rehab. The other three were surprised that Scarlett put herself into the rehab.

Scarlett's attention was diverted from her thoughts when she saw her siblings walking or rather ran to her. She walked in their direction and gave them a tight, older sister hug. They were smiling at her, their happiness radiated off from their faces. Her parents came and gave her a loving hug after her siblings were done.

They asked her the pleasantries and then settled down for the session. The person who was watching them was surprised that their family bond was really good. Once the session had come to an end which was filled with jokes and laughter. " I think you are making an amazing recovery from your addiction Scarlett. You can actually get out of here sooner if you keep this up." Her charge told her. She smiled at her and thanked her.

The days in the rehab were becoming lively as she spoke with more people. She realized that talking wasn't as bad as she had interpreted it to be. She felt more lively and outspoken than she ever had. Once in a while, her mind wanders to her encounter with Zander. She had to admit, he was a funny person. She didn't know why, but she actually looked forward to meeting him soon. She knew that it was near impossible for that to happen. But can't a girl dream?

The following Saturday they were taken to the library and Scarlett decided that she wanted to try a hand at reading romance novels. A difference was that this time the table that she occupied had three more people. Dorothy, Portia, and Marvin. They weren't the type of people who engrossed themselves in books, so they were talking in silent whispers.

Scarlett found herself enjoying a classic romance novel. Thought the book was cheezy as hell, she silently knew that that was the type of life she wanted. Someone like the Prince Charming in Cinderella. She was smiling when she was reading the book.

" Never took you as a person who reads Romance novels." She looked up as she was shocked. Zander was sitting next to her with an amused smile gracing his lips. " You?!" She asked and there, she felt that weird feeling of a tug in her chest again.

" Yes, me." He said as his smile grew wider. " What do you want, Mr.Miller?" She asked and she noticed something flickering in those eyes of his. " Zander. Please, you make it sound like I'm your boss or something." Zander's eyes crinkled when his smile was wide as ever. She finally laughed and gave in.

Zander felt like he was flying when he saw her smiling, something he was seeing after a long long time. He felt happy that she was laughing because of him, male ego was a nasty thing eh?

"Alright. Zander... Why are you here?" She asked with the slightest smile when she spoke. " Because this is a public library and I haven't been banned from entering?" He answered her with a question. She gave him a playful glare and looked at her 'friends' who were looking at the two with some sort of emotion.

" So you know each other?" Dorothy asked. while Portia had a better question. " Are you two dating? I so ship you two!" Scarlett turned Scarlet at that and Zander's breath caught in his throat. Marvin was just looking, no questions left his lips. The guy knew how to mind his own business. Zander's rosy cheeks might have given him away if not for the book in his hands.

" We're going to be leaving..." Scarlett broke the pregnant silence and Zander looked at her. " To the museum?" He asked and she nodded. " How did you know?" She wondered out loud. " I know the people who run the rehab, it's my friend's father's." " So you know that I'm from the rehab..." She was embarrassed that he knew. " Hey, it's alright. You're making a move to correct the mistake that you did... I respect you a lot for that. Not everyone takes the initiative." He was a really nice person. Scarlett felt that tug again. She just smiled and got up.

She was wrong if she thought that he was going to leave because he was right behind her when she was walking towards the museum. " Are you following me?" She couldn't help but ask. " Who? Me?" He asked and faked innocence. " Yes. You." She said with a sarcastic smile. She never warmed up this fast to anyone. He was different. She didn't know why she was even talking to someone she knew for only one day, but she felt a sense of familiarity with this guy as if it was a natural thing for him to tease her and her to tease him back.

" Not at all... I thought that you were following me." Scarlett rolled her eyes and slapped his arm playfully. Zander froze momentarily, been long enough she had done that.

" Really. Tell me." She said and he laughed. She thought that he looked goofy when he laughed. " I'm an archaeologist. I'm doing the weekend shift there which starts at about the same time that you go there." She gapped at him. " Archaeologist?" He nodded and tapped her nose gently, she giggled and turned away.

Dorothy was smiling behind them and Portia was cursing out loud that she couldn't bring a phone to take pictures of her favourite couple. " Is my ship sailing?" Portia asked in a hushed tone to Zander and he chuckled, following the lady he loved and Portia squealed earning a weird look from Marvin. " Don't squeal, it's annoying." His irritation showed through. " You're the drug dealer, not me... So I can squeal and you ain't my papa." She flipped her hair dramatically before walking away.

" You don't want to look around?" Zander asked his Letta as she sat down with her books. " If you want to be my guide, why not? " She shrugged thinking that he'd say something like 'I have better work to do.' But what he said made her feel that tugging again. " At your service m'lady. Shall we?" He asked and offered his arm. She looked into his eyes which changed colour every now and then. Now it was brown. She got up and wrapped her arm around him and laughed at how cheesy it was, just like the novel she was reading in the library.

Zander showed her around the museum and told her much more information than the small engravings in front of each monument or excavated item. " My team excavated these." He showed her the terracotta pots, jewelry, and stone weapons. She looked at them with her wide eyes, they were dancing with joy. " You did? Wow!" He smiled at the way she was appreciating his work.

Zander's parents knew about his love for Scarlett and supported him to get her back. He thought that they might be against his love after hearing their story, but it was the opposite. They were supporting him in every step that he took.

" Do I know you from somewhere" He froze when the question left Scarlett's lips.