Alessandra Heathrowe's Story

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”Why’d it have to snow tonight?” The unvoiced question was met with nothing but his breath. His eyes were locked on the ground, his feet to be specific, it was his only way of remaining remotely calm. Although it was only a light snowfall, he personally perceived it as a sub-frigid maelstrom. But he staved off any sense of deviation and gulped down fear, continuing to the monotonous melody of feet digging through the snow. He had five layers on for god’s sake, yet flurries like this were enough to make the guy overreact. He hated it. It was the only illogical and inexplicable aspect of him, and he truly loathed it.

Ender would have hazarded to break into a sprint if it wasn’t for the other person on his back. Well, person may have not been the correct word, but there really wasn’t much evidence to state otherwise. The currently lifeless figure was a bonafide, genuine human. ”...Maybe I should have installed a heater?” If she was to awaken right now, the wave of emotions that would run over her would be insurmountable. But luckily she was deactivated at the moment. Only a few more blocks, and they would be at his relative’s house. House was an understatement. Ender didn’t even know he had relatives swimming in so much green, but after a series of unfortunate events, they popped in his life. And on paper, Allesandra also beared some relation to them. That’s what he decided to call her, Alessa for short. Elegance with a tint of brilliance. ”Defender of mankind.”

Suddenly his ears picked up the humming of his cellphone. He instinctively reached for his pocket, removing his arm from supporting the girl. The equilibrium of the weight on his back instantly shifted to his side, nearly making him topple over. It’s not that she was heavy, he was just weak. The boy managed to produced his cellular device and catch himself and the girl from falling into the dusted sidewalk. Ender took a few moments to catch his breath before he glanced down at the caller ID. ”That Guy.”A sigh escaped his lips as he removed his arm once more, answered the call, and placed the phone in his shirt pocket.

”What is it?” He questioned in his monotonous voice as he paced onwards. The voice on the other side was in a panic. Ender was also able to hear a very faint hissing. ”...Gods take me now.” He would have rubbed his temples if his arms were free. After hearing out the caller’s issue, he paused for a moment and mulled. The snow had only increased in intensity and was now falling in clumps. ”Oh, it’s probably her main core. Check her central compartment, probably a few cogs aren’t completely locked into place. You know where to find it.” The boy wanted to add an ”... I hope” to the end of that sentence before he made progress with the trek. Then another complaint arose, this time the voice was extremely flustered. ”What are you talking about ‘A maiden’s purity’? Don’t worry, trust me. It will probably be the first and last time you undress her.” The joke may have had more potency if it wasn’t made with such an emotionless tone. Or maybe that just made it all the more brutal.

”Anyways, I have to go. I can’t reach the phone right now. Would you mind hanging up?” The caller could have taken the chance to get back at him for that low blow. But thankfully, he gave the guy a friendly farewell, ending off the call with a well-needed ”Stay warm!”

”You don’t need to tell me.”

The intimidating gothic gates autonomously opened, giving access to a driveway somehow not caked in white. The colossal house was a mixture of old styles and avant-garde. Basically his relatives’ way of saying ”We maintain our origins, while being modern.” In other words, they’re just plain rich. Ender shifted his standing and eased the girl off of him, keeping one of her arms around his neck. He gave off the appearance that he was helping her walk, and then proceeded to the front stoop. The student opened the door and helped Alessa inside. Ender, dear, welcome ho-” His adoptive mother began to shout in her iconic endearing voice as she rounded a corner, but then stopped at the sight. ”Oh my wo- is she alright? I didn’t even hear the cab!” She instantly hurried over to them and took the girl from him, giving the boy leeway to take off his shoes and his two external layers, leaving his school uniform and undershirt.

”Not surprising, it only got to the gate. I arrived at just the same time, so I guess the stars aligned. Jet lag must have hit her.” He provided as an explanation before he hung his coat and hoodie. ”Well, I’ll check on her and tuck her in, still have to finish packing though. But make sure you fill Alessandra in on everything tomorrow.” Her worried gaze shifted over from Alessa to Ender, quickly scrutinizing the boy. Even though he was within a heated house, he was still shivering like crazy. It would take a few minutes before he completely warmed up. ”Get yourself settled too.” Ender silently nodded and ascended the stairs to his room.

Later that night, who knows at what hour in the morning, Ender initiated the activation process. She was already tucked under the covers, completely stagnate. He was surprised his mother didn’t notice the fact that she wasn’t breathing, but there were a lot of things that slipped past her when she was in packing mode. The boy sat down on the bed and eased the girl onto her side, then pressed on the nape of her neck. A faint light scanned over his hand, then the compartment decompressed and gave him leeway to a bright red button. Out of all the intricacies put into the roboticas, this was the simplest. He simply pressed on it, and waited for the girl to come to life.

"Student exchange program?"

That was the furthest Alessa could recall about her first night in the huge mansion. It was snowing all the same and yet she didn't feel too cold. At least, not to the point where she would've been disturbed by it. Three years seem to pass by quickly. A light breeze caused her to stir a bit, disturbing the hem of her skirt and the locks of black hair framing her face. Soon, she would be resuming school; somewhere fancier this time, unlike the sorry excuse she once attended back in the day.

"Come to think of it, it was much colder back in that house--"

An old memory. From what she can recall though, they weren't much of a family to her. Her father had a difficult temperament making their stay in that old house a waking nightmare every moment. Her little sister--as much as she would've loved to believe they cared for each other, ran away once the opportunity presented itself. Unless--her father had some involvement in it? Did he kill her? She wouldn't know and at this point, she doubts if she will ever find out. And her mother? Her mother--

"Mother..."

Memories of her mother were not there. The face of the woman who supposedly gave her her life failed to register in her memory. What did she look like? Did she bear any resemblance to the daughters she raised? Did she die? Or did she leave? What role did she play in their whole family affair?

A face she can't remember. A woman who was never there. In her real family, there were only three of them. Her, her sister, her father and--nothing. There were no memories to recall. Everything was just a complete blank. Any attempt to remember results to--

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!"

Alessa immediately bolted up screaming from pain and aggravation due to memories she can't seem to recall and faces she can't remember. She bolted upright on the bed, grasping the sides of her head which was still a bit throbbing from some residual pain. The only person sharing that room with her right now is one of her distant relatives...Ender, if she recalls correctly. Hopefully, she wasn't loud enough to disturb the others.

Her new relatives; the people who took her in were much more amiable, as far as she can recall. Although, it also made her feel uncomfortable at times. Feeling indebted to some people causes one to feel a degree of hesitation when asking things and asking for things. Also, this branch of the family was very distant from her own; what other reason could they have for taking her in aside from kindness? So as much as possible, she avoided asking for too much and refrained from causing any trouble for them, even with the most trivial of things.

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Was the resurgence of her memory that startling? She definitely succeeded in catching Ender off guard, who was just blankly staring at the girl moments prior until she jolted to life. After she let out a cry, the eyes of the person who was in the midst of rest frantically darted around the room, trying to grasp their current situation. Ender almost stretched out a hand to quell her, but by then she had already calmed down and began to cooly analyze the room. Alessa then scrutinized the boy while coalescing her prewritten memories, trying to make out what this kid meant to her. The laxing of her timid demeanor implied that she had dug up where Ender was in that brain of hers. But now they had ran into a roadblock. It was dead quiet in the room, or rather, the whole entire house. The only audible thing was two sets of breaths.

Breaking the silence, Ender started, ”Don’t worry, my mother’s cab is long gone. My father is also away, so nobody will be storming into this room,” He paced his way over to the girl and placed his palm against her forehead, ”You passed out right after you were dropped off. Wasn’t sure whether you caught a cold or jet lag broadsided you… Seems to have been the latter.” He let out a sigh of relief and took a step back, ”Carried your luggage up as well. Looks like there wasn’t a lot of home to bring for the flight.” Ender nodded his head in the direction of her single suitcase, filled with essentials, outfits and a few personal belongings. It was unsettling how knowledgeable Tomohisa was about women’s attire, especially in the underwear department. But Ender wasn’t one to question when he was graced with a co-worker who saved him a lot of time.

”Um… yeah.” It was evident that the boy wasn’t labeled as a conversationalist. He turned away from the girl and made his way to the other side of the room, then parted the curtains to the outside world. The snow was now heavily falling in clumps, caking the streets and sidewalks. From the safety of a heated house, it was an almost soothing sight. Moonlight leaked through the windows and filled the room. Ender stared up at the orb high in the sky for a few moments before looking back at his guest. ”Your name is Alessandra, right? Mind if I call you Alessa? Would save me a couple syllables.” He fully faced the girl, standing there with his emotionless expression.

”Erm… Welcome home, Alessa.”

It may have sounded more cordial if it was uttered in such a monotonous voice, but that was the extent of Ender’s facial capabilities. At this point, at least.

It was already late, and school was only a few hours away. But he didn’t want to abruptly leave during this moment. Not like he needed sleep anyways.

As if the boy in the room had sensed her very thoughts, he spoke up. ”Don’t worry, my mother’s cab is long gone. My father is also away, so nobody will be storming into this room,”

"Is that so? Odd thing...leaving in the middle of the night." Alessa felt her forehead, checking to see if she can feel any residual pain and was slightly relieved that she wasn't feeling any.

”You passed out right after you were dropped off. Wasn’t sure whether you caught a cold or jet lag broadsided you… Seems to have been the latter. Carried your luggage up as well. Looks like there wasn’t a lot of home to bring for the flight.”

"Thanks. Though--" It was then that Alessa strangely felt odd. Had they gone somewhere? She couldn't really recall. He mentioned something about flying. But from where? She was about to implore further but it was then that she recalled that her adopted family did have a penchant for traveling. She may have gone with them although the novelty of such trips were slowly starting to wear off. "Never mind. I doubt anything relevant happened there."

”Um… yeah.”

"Hehe..." Alessa let out a small chuckle, not even considering the possibility that his words weren't a response to her statement just now. She gazed out the window for a moment, observing the falling snow. Back then, she would suffer severe colds as she tried to make do sleeping in a house with no heater for the winter. Now, she didn't really feel cold at all, being in a much warmer house with a relatives who, for all intents and purposes, chose to take care of her for once. A different kind of cold swept her though as deep inside, there was that nagging feeling of never truly belonging in that place.

”Your name is Alessandra, right? Mind if I call you Alessa? Would save me a couple syllables. Erm… Welcome home, Alessa.”

The boy sounded a little stiff at first which Alessa found strangely intriguing. Turning to face the boy in the room, her eyes caught his for the first time. Somehow, her knowledge of who this boy is was starting to kick in her mind. He was adopted...probably around the same time she was. Maybe a little earlier. God, their relatives were sure kind. Although, aside from her and Ender, she doesn't recall seeing any other children around so maybe that was why? But, weren't they a little too old? Alessa wondered. Probably. Though it may seem a little rude to pry any further.

"Alessa...Haven't I always gone by that name?" She paused to see if he was still listening before carrying on. "My father, my little sister... they all call me Alessa. And now there's Aunt and Uncle. It was always Alessa. Never Alessandra. You're the first person who's ever mentioned my full name. And probably--" Alessa trailed off there, starting to feel a little uncomfortable. "--my mother... The woman who was never there." Then again, she doesn't recall having interacted with Ender much back when she first came in to live with them. To her, this was the first time they're actually speaking.

Alessa sighed. It wasn't good to keep dwelling on these things. Right now, she was alive thanks to this family's help. And she recalled that she was now to start school after being away for some time.

"Hey? Cypress Academia--what kind of place is it? Entering through an exchange program in the middle of the semester... Do you think I'll be able to fit in there? Are the people nice?" She implored about the school she was about to attend. It was still a few hours away but she didn't really feel sleepy and talking about present matters may help distract her from the cloudy memories she can't seem to recall.

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”Well, I was just going off of the paper. Human nicknames are always more difficult to pinpoint.” It was rather ironic, given the tone lacking any stacatto he spoke in. The robot was more human-like than the actual one standing in the room. Alessa seemed to have eased up at this point. Her shoulders and overall composure had notably relaxed, a stark contrast from the terrified stature which was screaming in shock a few minutes prior. Ender took the spectacle to heart. Wasn’t really much of a heart to go off of in the first place. The only people who designated by her nickname were the relatives who truly knew her. That was what the programming dictated, at least. He was a bit lax when it came to coding her backstory, and purposefully left a plot hole or two. Like the good scientist he was, he intended to monitor how she adapted and compensated for what wasn’t there.

The student may have not fully come to terms with it, but he didn’t want Alessa to never find out the truth. As his adoptive father once told him, ”Women always find the truth.” Even the robotic ones. And he sure as hell did not make his better half a dunce. But technically, this was a fresh start. For the both of them, albeit Ender was given a bit of a head start.

And then the girl questioned how well she would fit in. He didn’t blame her for being anxious, but it’s not like Ender was the best source of reference on how to coax oneself into a community. The student never really made it a point to follow trends many of his classmates were adamant about, but after factoring in Alessa’s personality, he made a deft nod. ”You’ll be fine. People there are… manageable.” He left off the sentence with a bit of suspense before shutting the blinds, ”As for the academy itself, it’s definitely a sufficient place to cultivate young minds. Even though many don’t exercise their capability when it comes to resources, if you strive, your efforts will be rewarded as such.” Ender didn’t want to spoil all of the school’s facets. That would be an experience left for tomorrow. With a quick glance at the clock resting on the night table, he decided to make his way to the other side of the room. ”Speaking of which, schools is in a few hours. I’m sure, unlike me, you need your sleep.” He turned the doorknob and began to open the door, ”If you need anything, feel free to wake me up. My room’s right across from yours. Get some sleep.”

”Well, I was just going off of the paper. Human nicknames are always more difficult to pinpoint.”

"Human nicknames...? Indeed. Sometimes you go by a name for so long that it becomes more real to you than your true name. Becomes your true identity, somewhat." Alessa mused to herself at the thought. Alessandra...no matter how she looks at it, it really was too wordy. Still, she was fascinated by the thought of whoever gave her that name. It wasn't her father for sure; the man lacked any form of appreciation for the complex. Her mother probably? The notion gave her some small hope that even if she doesn't seem to remember her, if her mother took the time to name her something like that, their relationship was at least positive.

"You’ll be fine. People there are… manageable. As for the academy itself, it’s definitely a sufficient place to cultivate young minds. Even though many don’t exercise their capability when it comes to resources, if you strive, your efforts will be rewarded as such.”

"Almost all schools say the exact same lines. Work hard and you'll be rewarded. Strive in order to succeed. A reward for the winner...and a punishment for the loser. I suppose it'll be easier to fit in--if there's a familiar face around..." Much of the lines she uttered were for her though the last one was intended for the boy in the room. Knowing someone will ease the transition period. As far as she's aware of herself, she wasn't really sociable. "People will find it hard to believe we're related though..." Alessa muttered, taking note of the difference in name and features.

”Speaking of which, schools is in a few hours. I’m sure, unlike me, you need your sleep. If you need anything, feel free to wake me up. My room’s right across from yours. Get some sleep.”

"Is that an order?" Alessa attempted one last shot at a question but the boy had left the room before she can turn around to face him again. She knew she needed rest yet she didn't feel the slight bit sleepy. On the contrary, she felt like she had just woken up from a long sleep like some animal who just finished hibernating. She wasn't even sure how she was able to make that connection.

"And why did I ask about orders?" Alessa recalled. It wasn't something intentional. Rather, it was something she said on instinct. A spur of the moment thing. It probably stemmed from past memories, she reasoned with herself, as she shifted a little more to the center of her bed. "I think I'll just find something to read to pass the time..." She reached for the copy of her application form for Cypress which was placed on top of a book on the bedside table. As her fingers swiped the documents off, she caught a glimpse of the book's title: The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren.

"Life...purpose..." She muttered the words to herself. It was as if her dictionary had just been updated for the first time though the meaning of these words typically fall under common knowledge. "What exactly is my purpose in life? What did I come here to do? Back then, I could've just given up. Yet something forced me to struggle for my life against my own father. My father..." Alessa got back up again, now sitting upright on the bed. She read all the fancy spiel that came with her application form. A standardized curriculum that helps their students achieve what they want most out of life. The words came calling out to Alessa.

"What I want--is to piece together my past. At least for now. There's just so many things confusing me at this point in time. The mere fact that I'm unable to remember faces that I shouldn't have forgotten is rather aggravating." With that, Alessa laid down again. Time feels fast every time she's lost in thought. "I doubt I can find anything by asking around. My adoptive relatives tend to go away for long periods of time and that boy didn't seem too entertained by my ramblings. Besides, if it concerns memories, you don't start by looking at what's there. You look for what's lost. After that connection's been made, I'll need to find the start of this story. Where everything cut off. Where there are loose ends to tie up. Now with all those things considered, there is only one place to go back to--" Alessa felt her resolve build up, even though she wasn't really sure she understood what she meant herself.

"I'll need to return to the ghetto. To the place I once existed."

Dismissal time...

Alessa stretched her arms as soon as their last class ended. Overall, it was a rather smooth lesson though it could get pretty stressful for those who aren't as interested in the subject matter. She stood up and scanned the room, noticing that most of the people around have started to pack up and leave. The remaining ones tend to form packs of their own, chatting about nothing of particular interest, at least to her.

For a short while since her transfer, Alessa was the class' "shiny, new toy" and the topic of countless whispers and murmurings among the old timers at Cypress. No, it wasn't just her. As far as she recalls, two more names had been brought up at some point. One might expect the excitement to die down as time passed yet, somehow, people tend to notice things concerning foreigners better than they do the things around them. Just as she had started getting used to the place, talks about her and the boy Ender arose, where the general consensus regarding their relationship was viewed as "romantic". Nevertheless, the rumors that spread didn't seem to affect her negatively and she was able to go on her days without much interruption. It seems the people were more amiable than she initially though.

"As Ender said, the people here are "manageable"." Alessa quietly murmurs to herself.

"People like talking about the quiet ones; those who do not blurt out what's on their mind most of the time. Maybe they just find it alluring this, small scale mysteries lurking in their classrooms. More than mere curiosity, there is a romantic notion attached to it. No wonder why people want to see behind others' masks." Alessa typically chalked the rumors up to this rationalization. Rumors only live on for 75 days. By then, people gradually lose interest and turns their sights on something new. People aren't stagnant, Alessa realized. They're not the type who ponders on the past for too long and loses sight for the future in the process.

"But then, what does that make me?" Alessa wonders as she strolled past her classmates down the long corridor. "Someone who's devoted entirely to the past?"

She has tried to get out and pay the ghetto where she grew up a visit but, as soon as she finds the time, something always turns up, making her miss her own appointment. Be it schoolwork, helping around the house, research--whatever it is, it almost feels like some kind of force is conspiring to prevent her from finding out. However, these things hadn't dampened her spirits one bit as she continued keeping an eye out for the next opportunity to "slip out". Out of sight. Out of mind. Out of the watchful eyes of the boy who took her in.

Ring! Ring!

Glancing down at her phone, Alessa read a notification regarding a meeting of the Gentlemen's Club AKA the club her "other half" belongs in. She sighed as she proceeded to walk out the main building. The club rooms are just a short walk away, taking only a couple of minutes of brisk walking.

"If it's their club, then why do I have to go as well? What kind of activity requires my presence there anyway?" Alessa hesitated to go. She'd rather be out searching for her old house than standing by aimlessly at school. Unfortunately, security is rather strict and to leave by herself would certainly give the guards cause for suspicion for as far as they know, she always leaves with Ender.

"If it's a matter of grave importance, then they should find me themselves. Otherwise, I don't see the point of attending." With that, she decides to skip and head to the library instead. It was much more quiet and, the window side seats on the top floors afforded her a nice view of the school. She could see that the more athletic clubs were starting to finish up as well. Paying them no further attention, Alessa merely sat down with some random book she picked up to kill the time, reckoning that if her presence is absolutely required, someone will be sent to find her.

"Hiding out at the library will just make this a wee bit more interesting; this little game of hide and seek."

"Tomo-kun with me?" Amira wore a confused expression as her female classmates huddled around her outside the library entrance. The group of girls blocked the path while Amira carried a stack of heavy textbooks she was to return to the library on behalf of the teacher. Amira had offered to help but her journey had encountered many delays and this was another one. While she appreciated attention, she did not enjoy carrying heavy things for a long period of time. That did make her wish Tomo was with her if he would assist. "Yes, with you.. as in an 'item'. Are you?" One of the girls clarified and Amira shook her head. "No we are not an 'item' but he is a very good friend of mine and a nice person to live with!" she quickly felt the need to defend him. Amira had been a student at Cypress long enough to know that Tomohisa and his friends were not good at fitting in with the rest. She wanted to boost him and for others to see how cool he is. As she got defensive, heat rushed to her cheeks. Amira remembered her days staying with Tomohisa and she was growing to like him more and more. Maybe.. someday.

Her classmates began laughing. At what? Amira was not sure. She was just stating the truth or maybe the stack of books was not enough to hide her blush from her particularly nosey company. "Okay because if you were like.. a thing. It would just be soo funny. You two are nothing alike." Amira bit her lip discreetly before forcing a closed eyes smile. The comment stung more than it should have but she could not disagree. They were definitely different but... "Thank you for looking out for me but Tomo-kun has treated me well despite our differences... I also should be going now." she bowed her head as the crowd of girls split in two to let her through. Amira did like being popular but she did not enjoy the gossip and judgement she was receiving. She was worried it would affect Tomohisa too.

"Excuse me? I am returning these books for Mr Robinson." She said to the librarian before dropping the books on the table in a neat pile. The librarian simply nodded and Amira cheerfully replied, "Thank you very much!" She was about to leave the library but as she walked, she passed by a familiar girl she had not talked to before. Ohh she's a transfer student too isn't she? I should go talk to her! Amira did love being social and they had something in common. "Hi Alessandra! I'm Amira. We're in the same mathematics class." Amira had said as she leaned over the girl's shoulder while she was reading. "What are you reading? Is it for school or leisure?" she attempted to initiate conversation with a pleasant smile plastered on her face. She hoped that her fellow transfer student would be nice.

"Hi Alessandra! I'm Amira. We're in the same mathematics class."

"Amira...Amira..." Looking up from her book, Alessandra caught sight of another girl, looking at her with oddly colored eyes. Odd as in pretty and odd as in strange. A short glance and Alessa could already recall certain physical characteristics in her mind. She was a little shorter but much more well-endowed, Alessa saw. And if one of them were to stand out more, it would probably this odd-eyes lady though Alessa did somehow stand out with her foreign aesthetic. But back on the topic of the name...

"Amira... Ah! Amira Nelson, I remember now." Alessa always found it weird how she manages to remember details she otherwise deems insignificant yet cannot count on it when she wants to. Things like the other person's appearance, name and even facets of their personality she somehow recalls well enough to make a whole diary entry, if she keeps one. She closes the book for a moment, as if to anticipate what this girl wants to say or talk about, if there is any.

"What are you reading? Is it for school or leisure?"

"Neither." Alessa's prompt reply came after as she stood up to put the book back in the shelf where she took it. "Never picked up a book on a whim, just to see what you might expect?" Alessa asks almost rhetorically, though not in a manner anyone could've found offensive. "But perfect timing, I was almost finding the afternoon dull to the point where mold would've surely crept upon this and envelop everything in it. Would you care for a story?" She pulled out the chair directly adjacent the one she had sat on a moment ago; a subtle invitation for the girl to come sit down. In the meantime, she sank back to her own seat and started on.

"The story is about a knight; a knight who was called the best upon the Holy Realm. Born from one of the greatest knights of old and a king's daughter, he succeeded against his father in every aspect, whether it be strength or arms, temperance, humility and other virtues. As such, it is no surprise when he is appointed by the Lord himself to undertake the greatest quest ever told in the Kingdom. The quest will have many dangers ahead and many will die upon its undertaking yet still, he went on."

Alessa went on to talk a little about the succeeding events though did not go into much detail lest she loses the other girl's interest and managed to reach the end after just a short narrative.

"He fought with several evils with the Lord guiding his path until he came to the quest's end. As prophesied, he managed to lift the desolation from the land forever and along with it, the curse that befall the land's guardians. All this, he did for the glory of God and Kingdom. Yet, now that the quest was over and his life complete, God himself took the life from his own body; which had now fulfilled its purpose.

Finishing up rather abruptly, Alessa decides to see if the girl had still been listening. "In the end, for all good things he had done, death still came to him from the hands from none other than his God, his Creator. Isn't it ironic how he lived his virtuous life only to be met with the all-engulfing black in the end?" Alessa chuckled a little, not minding if anyone else could've heard her.

"Do you think it just--" Alessa locked eyes with the other girl as she asked, making sure to keep her attention. "--that you suffer for a just cause only to be met with nothing at the end? That your life just fades away after that cause had been fulfilled? Do you think it's natural? Or ethical for that matter? All things lost, nothing gained aside from the completion of the cycle which is your life."

She gave the girl a slight smile as she said those last words, waiting attentively as to how she'll respond.