That evening, Nael returned. He was exhausted, his legs ached from the ice rink and his eyes felt heavy, but his heart was full.
The day hadn't been exactly what he'd imagined. Alexander didn't know how to "play", he only knew how to "protect."
Imagine, they were at the cinema, and Alexander refused to let him buy a large popcorn because of the "unhealthy sodium levels," and shot down the idea of a Coke because of the sugar. It was like going on a date with a very handsome but strict grandfather.
Even more annoying, Alexander circled him at the ice-skating rink, asking Lorenzo to "watch him." He couldn't even skate freely without bumping into their overly protective bodies.
Yet, as Nael clutched a small, slightly lopsided brown teddy bear to his chest, he couldn't stop smiling. The bear was a trophy, the result of Alexander spending nearly an hour and more than fifty attempts at a crane machine.
