03-06-2015, 04:24 PM
Aurora hadn't noticed the tour guide come up behind her. He put his hand on her arm and Aurora turned to look at him. She didn't have time to respond to Diego. "Yes?"
The tour guide smiled sweetly at her, "So what do you think of the tour?"
She smiled at him. "It was nice. Thank you."
The guide looked at Diego with a smile that seemed teasing. To Aurora he went on, "Your friend looked like he was struggling to keep up." His smile meant to say he was just teasing. He touched Aurora's arm lightly. He was practiced at this, as if bantering with his charges was old hat to him.
To Diego, he said, "I hope we didn't bore you." He winked at Aurora playfully. Then his look became more relaxed. Seemed his usual pattern or banter he did with people. "Actually, if there is more you'd like to see of the museum, we do have some exhibits that are currently closed but that I'd be willing to show you." He looked at Diego. "To both of you."
She looked at Diego and saw that his face was stone. "Maybe another time."
The guide laughed, as if to dispel the tension in the air.
"Oh come on. I don't mind. We have some really great stuff." He took her arm, as if to steer her in that direction. He probably hoped Diego would follow after them. Aurora took a step because she felt like she was being dragged, but she tried to stay in her place.
Suddenly Aurora's arm jerked forward but it wasn't the guide pulling her along. He had been standing next to her, pulling, and then the next thing she knew, he was on the ground and Diego stood over him and grabbed him by the collar and pulled his face up so they were inches apart. The look on Diego's face was ferocious. "What the hell do you think you are doing!?"
he yelled. People who'd been milling about in museum stopped to look as his voice echoed in the now silence.
Diego looked like he had more words but they wouldn't come out. The look of rage was enough, as the guide's wide eyes tried to take up his whole face and his adam's apple bobbed up and down with repeated swallowing. "Forgive me, please. I was only just trying to..." His eyes pleadingly went to Aurora's and then back to Diego's fierce gaze.
Aurora was shocked by Diego's reaction. She put a hand on his arm, "Diego, it's okay, we can go now."
She looked up at the clock on the wall. "We'll be late to your buddy's show if we don't leave soon."
She hoped that he'd come, and just leave it alone, it wasn't worth it, the kid didn't mean anything.
Her hand on his arm felt nothing but iron. His face swung to her and she stepped back for a moment. It softened almost immediately. He let go with a flourish that pushed the kid back and stood, breathing and straightening his jacket.
"I apologize, my dear."
His voice was breathy as if he were catching it. "The fool went too far. It is not his place to push you like that."
His eyes flicked down to the guide trying to get up and move away at the same time. Conversation in the gallery seemed to grow and it was soon filled with whispers.
Diego surveyed the room and a slight smile curved his lips. The smiled grew into a dazzling one that showed teeth and he put his hand out to Aurora, dipping his head. "I do apologize, my dear. You must forgive me."
He held out his arm. "You are of course correct. Shall we?"
Aurora smiled and took his arm. "We shall. I look forward to seeing your friend play."
The tour guide smiled sweetly at her, "So what do you think of the tour?"
She smiled at him. "It was nice. Thank you."
The guide looked at Diego with a smile that seemed teasing. To Aurora he went on, "Your friend looked like he was struggling to keep up." His smile meant to say he was just teasing. He touched Aurora's arm lightly. He was practiced at this, as if bantering with his charges was old hat to him.
To Diego, he said, "I hope we didn't bore you." He winked at Aurora playfully. Then his look became more relaxed. Seemed his usual pattern or banter he did with people. "Actually, if there is more you'd like to see of the museum, we do have some exhibits that are currently closed but that I'd be willing to show you." He looked at Diego. "To both of you."
She looked at Diego and saw that his face was stone. "Maybe another time."
The guide laughed, as if to dispel the tension in the air.
"Oh come on. I don't mind. We have some really great stuff." He took her arm, as if to steer her in that direction. He probably hoped Diego would follow after them. Aurora took a step because she felt like she was being dragged, but she tried to stay in her place.
Suddenly Aurora's arm jerked forward but it wasn't the guide pulling her along. He had been standing next to her, pulling, and then the next thing she knew, he was on the ground and Diego stood over him and grabbed him by the collar and pulled his face up so they were inches apart. The look on Diego's face was ferocious. "What the hell do you think you are doing!?"
he yelled. People who'd been milling about in museum stopped to look as his voice echoed in the now silence.
Diego looked like he had more words but they wouldn't come out. The look of rage was enough, as the guide's wide eyes tried to take up his whole face and his adam's apple bobbed up and down with repeated swallowing. "Forgive me, please. I was only just trying to..." His eyes pleadingly went to Aurora's and then back to Diego's fierce gaze.
Aurora was shocked by Diego's reaction. She put a hand on his arm, "Diego, it's okay, we can go now."
She looked up at the clock on the wall. "We'll be late to your buddy's show if we don't leave soon."
She hoped that he'd come, and just leave it alone, it wasn't worth it, the kid didn't mean anything.
Her hand on his arm felt nothing but iron. His face swung to her and she stepped back for a moment. It softened almost immediately. He let go with a flourish that pushed the kid back and stood, breathing and straightening his jacket.
"I apologize, my dear."
His voice was breathy as if he were catching it. "The fool went too far. It is not his place to push you like that."
His eyes flicked down to the guide trying to get up and move away at the same time. Conversation in the gallery seemed to grow and it was soon filled with whispers.
Diego surveyed the room and a slight smile curved his lips. The smiled grew into a dazzling one that showed teeth and he put his hand out to Aurora, dipping his head. "I do apologize, my dear. You must forgive me."
He held out his arm. "You are of course correct. Shall we?"
Aurora smiled and took his arm. "We shall. I look forward to seeing your friend play."