For Samuel, it was something personal. He began looking for Aliza, in the web, fumbling, seeing that actually had quite little. Their social pages were virtually empty, wich contained only professional information.
Just when he thought to send her a private message on her blog, he found a recent news where her name appeared. It was referred to the public opening of an old building, construction of early twentieth century, that was in restoration for years, and wherein Aliza Amily appeared briefly from a monumental list to collaborators, as an assistant restoration.
The building would open in a small public event for all concerned, in a couple of days. It was the right time. She would be there, he was sure of that. And he was sure he would not tell Fisher.
The building opened, recovered, whole and a little newer, with low turnout. And it was more than obvious, most were those who had worked on its restoration.
Drake approached a guy that seemed serious and professional, and that surely was one of the top managers of the work. In addition to falsely praise but with elegance, he asked directions to give him to Amily, pretending to be an anthropologist looking for some information.
He indicated where she would be, away from the crowd, in a rear area of the building that remained to restore minimally.
He walked, thinking, watching the rear, without people, except a figure. A woman. His heart gave a little leap warm.
He walked slowly, looking her, absurdly white skin as a spirit freshly fallen on earth, something plump, tall, matted hair short and curly, like a sponge copper wires. Simple clothes, jeans and shirt, a black backpack, a folder full of papers.
She carefully looked at a brick ledge, which contrasted with her papers, and looked again.
- ¿Aliza?- He asked, quite close.
The woman gave a slight jump to the opposite side, almost like a rabbit avoiding an eagle, and she stared him at the face for a second, through a round adorably lenses in her big brown eyes. She was not the most beautiful or young woman in the universe, but she was unusually curious to see.
- ¿Y-yes?- She murmured shyly.
- I did not want to scare you, sorry. Hello- He smiled broadly, approaching with outstretched hand- I'm Samuel Drake.
- Hello…- She took his hand, very briefly, before returning to hug her notebook, one step back.
- I am delighted to meet you, really. I tried to reach you several times, but there is nothing you anywhere, i mean, you don't even put a contact email. I was about to send you a message direct to your blog when I saw this place opened.
- Emmm... thanks...
For a moment, Samuel stood there, close, staring, smiling, waiting for something. Only he saw her stand still, look him very occasionally and set aside her eyes every time she clashed with him. That seemed odd, so he returned to scold.
- Your writings are truly amazing- Samuel again approached, gesticulating energetically- ¡Seriously! I never saw anyone write about these things like you do. It would be really fantastic we could go to a bar and to talk about it more comfortably, you and I ¿Do not you think?
- I…
- ¿You know what? Give me your phone number, I'll call you or send you a message, so we can arrange time. It may be this week if you want.
- N-no... I can't...- Aliza muttered, walk off.
- ¿Why not? ¿Why do you go back?- Samuel laugh- I will not bite you. Well, unless you ask me ¿Don't?
She looked at him laughing, before walking away with a frightened trot.
That was very strange to Samuel. Something had frightened her. ¿But what?
- ¡You are a stupid!- Elena huffed, entering in the Samuel department.
- ¿What? ¿Why? ¿What did I do?- He looked at her, confused.
- ¡I told you you to stay away Aliza!
- ¿How do you know that...?
- ¡Because she said it, you idiot! ¿Do you think that there are many Drake here?
- Well… But I did nothing, I just went over to say hello, asked the phone number... In addition, she is quite pretty...
- Stop- Elena sighed- You can't get close to Aliza in that way. She is not like you or me. She is… different…
- Yeah, a little shy.
- No, it's not shy, idiot... She has something called Asperger.
- I've never heard of that...
- Yes, I realize. She has difficulties interacting with other people...
- In her blog she writes wonderfully, she does not look it.
- She writes well, she is intelligent, yes... Shut up and listen.
- I am sorry…
- It is very difficult to her to understand what subject they want to talk others, she can't tell when someone is bored, she does not know console... She is very naive, very gullible, very scary, does not like strangers touching her or get too close, look in her eyes.
- Oh...- He began to realize his mistakes.
- She is very rigid with her routine and her personal interests, she does not like talking, is physically a little bit clumsy… But she is not dumb, is very intelligent, incredibly skillful to see details and patterns, she understands the animals better than anyone, is very careful with things, very responsible, very fast to work.
- You mean… I approached wrong...
- You scold her in a public space, you came beyond what she considers convenient, you pressed her it to give you her number...
- ¿What I do now?
- Nothing. You fuck yourself- Fisher arched shoulders- Only for her accept you, you need some time, and above all, she first have to make friends with you, as a thinking, before human. Attack as if you were a fool, It was a blunder.
It had been a gaffe huge, giant, monumental. All thanks to be too hasty.
