The Mysterious Alpha

Chapter 4: The Mysterious Guy

❤ Isabella’s POV ❤

AFTER three days, the house looks decent enough for us actually to live in. We've cleaned as much as we could, but there are still some repairs that need to be done. As much as my mom wanted to get them done, I knew that we couldn't really afford to do so.

I've started watching YouTube videos to learn how to do some basic stuff. I planned to start by painting the bedrooms, and I did my research to find the best painting option and asked my mom and sister what color they wanted for their bedrooms.

I chose a shade of purple for my room, while my sister chose pink. My mom couldn't make up her mind, so she let me choose for her. I decided to choose gray for her since it's a very soothing color for a bedroom.

I had saved some money since I was quite thrifty, so I decided to buy the paint myself. My mom doesn't have to go to work until noon today, so I asked if I could use the truck to pick up some paint.

Erlinda: "Okay. Just drive carefully, okay."

Isabella: "There's not a lot of cars on the road, mom. I think I'll be okay."

Erlinda: "Can you find your way?"

Isabella: "I think so."

Erlinda: "Do you need any money?"

Isabella: "No, mom. I'm good."

My sister must have heard us talking and said, "Can I come with you?"

Isabella: "Why don't you stay here and accompany mom? I'll bring you back a muffin."

Angelica: "A chocolate muffin?"

Isabella: "Yeah, whatever you want."

Angelica: "Yey!"

My mom told me to be careful before handing me the key to the truck. I just recently got my driver's license, and I haven't been driving long, so I understand why she'd be concerned. I wouldn't learn unless I actually drove, though, and I know I have to start becoming more independent so I can start helping my mom. I'm even thinking of getting a job while I haven't started school yet. I could use the extra money to help out with the household repairs.

Luckily, the roads weren't very complicated in this town, so I easily found the main road. Almost every establishment here can be found on the main road, so I assumed that the hardware store would be there, too. Thankfully, the signage for the hardware store is pretty prominent, so I was able to find it quickly.

There weren't a lot of cars parked outside, so I was able to park easily. The truck is more than ten years old, and most of the cars parked were about as old or even older, except for the SUV parked near the entrance.

It looks quite new and shiny. It's black and has a dark tint as well. I haven't seen any big houses in town, but whoever owned this truck must be quite wealthy.

I made my way inside the hardware store and immediately saw the counter on the left side near the door. I decided to look around and not ask the person at the counter so that I could get a feel of the store. I might also find something that I might want to buy, like a door handle or something. I smiled and shook my head as I realized how much I'd changed in the short amount of time we'd been in this town.

I used to be concerned with clothes or new gadgets, and not household stuff. I used not to be concerned about that because I guess my mom took care of our home, with my dad paying for any repairs that might be needed. We used to live a comfortable life, and I thought our life was good until I found out that my mom was not happy and that my dad had been cheating on her.

I guess I never really thought of the big picture because I was too concerned about myself.

I found the painting aisle quite easily and looked at the different options on the shelves. I wrote the paint color I wanted on a piece of paper and was surprised that they actually came in a per liter and a per gallon option. I decided I could just ask the attendant because I wasn't sure how much I needed.

As I walked along the aisle, I wasn't looking at where I was walking when I ran into what felt like a hard rock. I realized it was a person and I was about to complain when I saw that the person I had run into was none other than the mysterious man that I saw when we first arrived in town. I stepped back a bit, and my heart beat faster when I got a good look at his face.

He's actually more good-looking than I thought. I focused on his eyes and saw that it was light brown. I couldn't stop looking at it, and I didn't know how long I had been looking at it when I got distracted by someone calling my name.

Arwind: "Isabella?"

I turned my head for a moment, and when I turned back to look at the mysterious man, he was already walking away. I almost called him back, but I didn't know his name, so I couldn't.

When I turned back to the man who had called me, I realized it was Armando.

Isabella: "Oh, hey, Arwind."

Arwind: "What are you doing here? Are you alone?"

Isabella: "Yeah. I'm here to get some paint."

Arwind: "Oh, really? What are you painting?"

Isabella: "I'm painting the bedrooms."

Arwind: "Oh, cool. I can help you pick up the paint."

Isabella: "Oh, that would be great."

I showed Arwind my list of colors, and he started walking the shelves, checking if the colors I needed were in stock. As I walked behind him, I asked, "Uhm, hey, did you see that guy that was in the aisle with me earlier?"

Arwind glanced at me for a moment and said, "Yes, I did."

Isabella: "Who was that?"

Arwind stopped walking and turned towards me before saying, "Why do you want to know?"

Isabella: "I was just curious. I don't know a lot of people here, and it would be good if I did."

Arwind looked more serious when he talked again.

Arwind: "That's Nikolas Guerrero, and he's not a good guy. Stay away from him."

Arwind looked pretty serious, and I wonder what Nikolas has done to him that made him think that he's not a good guy. I was curious when I heard that his last name was Guerrero. Does his family own the town or something?

I smiled and said, "Jeez. What did that guy do to you? And why is his last name Guerrero?"

Arwind looked around and spoke in a softer voice before saying, "You don't know him like I do. Just trust me when I say that he's not the kind of person you'd want to hang out with."

Arwind looked around once more before saying, "His family founded the town. They're very wealthy and powerful."

Isabella: "Relax, why are you being creepy about it? I probably won't even get to talk to him or run into him again."

Arwind: "Well, if you do run into him, run away. I can't warn you any more than I already am."

Arwind and I did not talk about the mysterious guy anymore until we finished getting the paint that I needed. He also helped me get brushes, rollers, paint trays, and other stuff that I needed. He also helped me load the paint into the truck after paying for them.

Arwind: "Remember, you need to buff the wall if there are holes."

Isabella: "Fine. You told me many times. I've also been watching instructional videos. I'll be fine."

Arwind: "Tell you what, why don't I come over to your house later and help you out? I just need to run some errands, and I'll come over right after."

Isabella: "That's not necessary."

Arwind: "No, I insist. I don't mind."

Isabella: "Tell you what, I have your number. If I need any help, I'll let you know. For now, I really want to do this myself."

Arwind: "Okay. Sounds fair. Well, it looks like you got everything you need, and I will leave you to it. Take care, Isabella. I'll see you around."

Isabella: "Thanks, Arwind."

I got into the truck and started the engine. The new SUV was no longer parked, and I didn't see any signs of Nikolas anymore. I started driving and looked for a bakery where I could get a muffin for my sister.

I eventually saw a small bakery and parked the truck. When I got inside, I smiled when I saw a variety of pastries on the display shelves. I got a half dozen of muffins in a variety of flavors. I've always wanted to learn to bake, but I've never had the chance to. My mom is an excellent cook and baker, and she used to bake pastries for us. Now that she's working, she won't have much time to do that anymore.

When I got out of the bakery, my heart skipped a bit when I saw a man leaning against the truck, and it was Nikolas.

I wanted to run away, but I was drawn toward him for some reason. What should I do?