Chapter 12: Dinner Invite

"You really didn't have to walk me back. I could've taken the carriage." Abidemi said to him as she walked with Burning Sol. She also looked at the many bags and boxes in his arms. She sighed as looked at them with annoyance. "And you definitely didn't need to buy me all these things."

"What? I wanted to spoil you." Sol said while he walked with her.

"You could have spoiled me a lot less. I could barely see your face." Abidemi said while looking at the colorful boxes.

"A price to pay for my Demi." Sol said happily which only made Abidemi smile.

The sun was starting to set and the sky was now closer to bright orange with a purple hue. There weren't many people out and about. Just a few maids here and there. Throwing things out and cleaning things up.

Some maids didn't pay any attention to them since they were so busy. Other maids looked in curiosity and wonder since it was probably rare to see her with a man. A masked man but a man no less.

' The main mansion is going to know about this tomorrow.' Abidemi thought with an exhausted sigh. She looked up at Sol who hummed a tune. ' Well, I'm sure Father will know about him sooner or later. I'm just surprised it took this long

"Like what you see, Demi." he said with a grin.

Abidemi only giggled before closing her eyes. How could he tell that she was looking at him? Maybe he felt it. She smiled. "I'm just thinking that my father will know about you tomorrow."

Sol hummed. " Do you think he would care?"

She started to play with one of her braids. "Probably not. I think I stopped wanting my father's attention when I was six years old."

"What happened when you were six years old?" Sol asked her.

Abidemi laughed a bit nervously before saying. "I fell off a tree." she said as if it wasn't a big deal. Sol stopped walking which also made Abidemi stop as well. She turned around to see that the bags and boxes were shaking. " Sol?"

She heard him sigh before he started walking again. She walked beside him once he caught up to her. "How can you say something like that so casually?"

"Because it mostly happened when I was really young and I turned out alright." Abidemi said while she rubbed the back of her neck.

"But still Demi.." Sol said with a groan. "What if you got seriously hurt?"

Abidemi blinked before saying. "Well, according to the maids. I did get seriously hurt."

Sol groaned. "Demi." Abidemi just smiled at him. He whined. "I don't think this whole thing is funny."

Again how could he tell what she was doing?

Abidemi shook her head. "No. It's not funny. It's more bittersweet if anything." Abidemi looked up at the sky and placed her hands behind her back. "It was the day that I realized that I'll never get my father's attention. Yet at the same time, I realized that everyone in the Sunflower Mansion cared about me a lot. So I stopped acting like a spoiled brat and tried not to cause too much trouble for them."

Sol laughed."Much trouble?"

" Just because I decided to be good doesn't mean I didn't get into trouble sometimes." She said with a shrug.

"What kind of trouble?" Sol asked her. She looked at his box-covered face. "Just so you know I'm smirking right now."

"I could imagine." Abidemi said with amusement in her voice. She shook her head. "The usual stuff. Like climbing up trees, getting lost, getting my clothes dirty, and so on. It drove my nannies and maids crazy but nothing too dangerous like falling off a tree." Abidemi paused for a second. "There was that one incident with my step-sister but I didn't get much scolding for that. Yet my public image did become the vicious woman."

Sol hummed. She could tell that he was thinking. Even if she couldn't see it. Finally, he asked. "What did you do to get a title like that?"

"I lost my temper and I slapped her in the face." Abidemi said to him. Sol let out a low whistle. " Yeah. You're precious, Demi slapped someone."

"Knowing you, you will never do anything unprovoked." Sol said. Abidemi sighed.

"She did say something to me but we're in Valtis. A lady here is supposed to be calm and composed. They should never let their emotions show." Abidemi said to him.

" So it's just okay to let someone insult you?" Sol asked. Abidemi let out a sigh. " If we were in Elov, you would have some kind of duel. If you were a warrior then it would've been a sword fight."

"Seriously, Sol. A sword fight." Abidemi said while shaking her head. "Women don't usually swordplay here and I'm no warrior. Sure I know self-defense but that is not enough for me to get into a duel."

Sol laughed a bit. "There are other ways. My dear Demi."

Abidemi looked at him oddly as she crossed her arms. "What other ways, Mr.Sol?" she asked him with a smirk.

She heard him humming. "I'm sure there are other things that you're good at but others can't do. Just challenge them at that."

" Can it be anything?" she asked him with a smirk. The boxes shook a bit which made Abidemi laugh a bit. "Did you just nod your head?"

Sol laughed. "Yes. I believe I did."

Abidemi shook her head as they made a turn. "Do tell me, Mr.Sol? Will this be treated like any other duel?"

"Of course. The loser has to do what the winner wants. Also, you could also make things interesting as well." Sol said.

Abidemi smiled at him as she looked forward. "Mr. Sol. You really are something."

"Abidemi, my dear. Who's your friend?" Abidemi and Sol stopped at the sound of a woman's voice.

Abidemi made a face as she turned around to see her stepmother, Freya. She noticed that Freya was looking at Mr.Sol with a deep frown. Abidemi just shrugged her shoulders and gave her stepmother a pleasant smile. "He's my old friend. Mr. Burning Sol."

Freya's eyes narrowed before looking at the girl. "What an odd name."

"He doesn't like giving out his real name."Abidemi said to her stepmother. She kept her hands in front of her. She could tell that her stepmother was tensed up. "If you don't need anything, Mother, we should get going. I don't want Mr.Sol to strain himself with all these boxes."

"Why not bring him to the main mansion? I'm sure the family would love to meet him." Freya said with a small smile.

Abidemi bit the inside of her cheek but she kept the smile up. "I don't think it'll be a good idea, Mother. I don't think he wants to be an inconvenience."

"Nonsense." Freya said while she waved her hand a bit. "I'm sure we could make some room for your friend."

Abidemi frowned deeply before looking at Sol. She couldn't see him but he was probably thinking."Mr.Sol Do you want to have dinner with my family?"Abidemi asked him. She suddenly got a bad feeling when she heard him chuckle.

That can't be good.

"Sure. Why not?" Sol said. Abidemi frowned at him. Freya just smiled.

Sol faced Abidemi. She got the feeling that he was winking.

"Wonderful. I'll tell the butler to put another plate out." Freya said with a pleasant smile. She quickly went back into the house which made Abidemi groan.

She glared at him. "What are you up to?"

"What can you possibly mean?" Sol said with a smirk.

Abidemi put her hands on her hips. "I know you. I know when you're up to something." Abidemi said while pointing at him. "So what are you up to?"

"Nothing that will embarrass you. My dear Demi. I promise." Sol thought with a warm smile. The two turned around as they started to walk down the path. Sol smiled as he thought. 'After all, I'll never do that to you."