Lucia—
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLl0RVt6kbl
"Hey," I quietly say while knocking on the kitchen door.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3Hi0lLLjB
My eyes roam his figure as he pours a bowl of what seems to be an egg mixture in a pot.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhEPnCBnweM
He looks...better.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPY6hHb7sOK
"I'm guessing Priest Dixon told you where to find me," Silas says, lowering the heat on the stove before resting his back against the counter with folded arms while looking at me.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVwhmLfV04
I chew on the inside of my cheek as I nod and then lower my gaze to the counter to avoid his piercing gaze.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOmuUD7bbk
"You gonna stand out there or you gonna come in?" He breaks the silence, forcing my eyes to drift to him.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEO7z5uM8yB
"Right," I mutter and then take cautious steps to the furthest chair from him.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqnR3YQQB5
I place the plastic bag filled with snacks and aids for his injury that I got from the Bodega on the counter as I say, "I got snacks and stuff, so..."
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxb1YxUiICJ
My voice trails off as I meet his eyes to find them intently on me.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmaS0ONHrWk
I dart glances around the room and I tug at my thumbs in between my thighs, trying to ignore the rapid pacing of my heart.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHVdUo6Ebj
I deeply inhale then glance at him before mumbling, "I'm sorry."
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwGeLCmPX2
I peek at him from under my eyelashes to find his left eyebrow raised with his arms still crossed.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9NZtEjEkc
"For what?"
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaznpz89ws6
"For...the...other night." I exhale at the end as though I'd gotten a weight off of me.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqtgbvxgFl
He doesn't respond; he just stares at me, causing me to shift in my seat.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzkVqquA8q4
He unfolds his arms and walks toward the simmering pan.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFRt6Ocr6B
"Want some pasta?" He grabs two plates from the second cupboard above the stove.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFC0XyU2QF
"No."
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkFyoT1DKOY
He scoffs. "Priest Dixon said you'd say that. Said I should give it to you anyway, but not force you to eat it."
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKY15ilgKsB
I lean onto the counter, cross my arms, and shrug, not sure how to feel about Priest Dixon's comment.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ijOgDp3uv
Silas places a small white bowl of steaming spaghetti before me with a fork on it. "Here. I'm sure you haven't eaten since morning."
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVPgTepjdrr
I stare at his back from under my eyelashes, not liking how his tone seems to say he has me all figured out.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNiJ1Bv4eZO
"You know you shouldn't be walking about; you're still recovering from your injury," I say.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvoS3llzvza
"Hmm."
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItdw74DQSY
I grab the fork, ignoring the droplets of water around it as I twirl some spaghetti around its tip.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpcAsAzkwEO
I sigh, knowing there's no way I can escape this.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVB8e6RlIou
"Lord Jesus, please bless and sanctify this food. In your name. Amen." It still feels like there's a looming wall between me and heaven ever since this morning.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwi4PhtryWM
"Amen." I hear someone say from beside me, causing me to turn and find Silas in the chair beside me.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvEfQOuZbRE
My breath hitches as he turns his head to me and I realize how close we are.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2UMAnzkgQz
"Want me to move?" His breath fans over my face.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNECTa5fgBt
I bite my lower lip and shake my head as I mutter, "No."
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETlNtE3wLL
Oddly enough, I don't want him to move. My heart stills as I turn to the pasta and a smile creeps onto my face.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2jw98jg7b2
I lift the twirled spaghetti to my lips before hesitantly putting it in my mouth. My eyes widen and my head shoots to the side.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW15AZNIxGV
"Is it good?"
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WNIWVi6Fw
I nod.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYEP8RCN0I
He chuckles and turns to his bowl then turns his face back to me.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMCtDoT4hv
"It was my mom's carbonara recipe."
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxCquYSmvEk
Was?
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQGDhkOtiP
Did something happen to his mom?
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnKvQ5IcbS
"You've got something." He gestures to the side of his face.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyqVQQRSkRm
"Oh," my mouth forms as I try to remove the smudged sauce with the back of my left hand.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP2pZ6YPyvZ
He tears off a paper towel from a paper towel rack on the counter and then turns to me. I move to grab it, but he retracts his hand, causing me to look up at him.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NzdDDh9on
"You can't see where it is, so I'll get it off. That okay?"
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡENQstP9EXW
I hesitantly nod as I chew on the inside of my cheek, keeping my gaze on him.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCuZM48vVjO
I subconsciously jerk back as he leans forward, causing his eyebrows to shoot up.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfguyM6Ewe8
I immediately lean forward, maybe a little too forward, as our noses are barely apart and I can feel his breath on my face.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRJw5ctKrBT
The pounding in my chest returns. His piercing grey eyes trail from my eyes to my lips and then back to my eyes, causing me to bite the inside of my cheek, and my eyes can't help but make the same motion.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWzAcSUEt0q
My mouth opens and closes like a fish as I try to say something
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDf7dG7iGJ3
I lean back. "Sorry. I-I didn't mean to. I just-
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyB9VSyZu9u
"It's okay." His tone softens, but his still piercing gaze repeats that motion again, so I angle my head away from him while chewing on my lower lip and scraping at my thumb.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMs3vExQuDR
I don't know when he leans forward, but I feel the paper towel on the edge of my mouth. My breath hitches as I feel his other hand cup my chin and gently tilt it to the left to clean the other edge of my mouth. I try to ignore the feeling of blood rush that shoots through my head. I peek at him from the side of my eyes.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfSD4hvaee
I should stop him cause I can clean myself, but...I don't want to.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKcBfZAC3R3
As he finishes cleaning the edge of my mouth, I turn my head to him, and his thumb from his left hand, holding my chin trails the bottom outline of my lower lip.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVJX9UJFyse
I inhale sharply and pull away from him, turning back to my bowl of spaghetti.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHvNvIDXCux
"You know-
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vUPZ5EPlt
'Not now,' I tell the voice in my head, not ready for any taunts.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFuqkhDPNCo
My grip on the fork tightens as I hear him chuckle and then turn to his food.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hqilWmWR7
I clear my throat after swallowing the food in my mouth. "So, you said this was one of your mom's recipes. Why was?"
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzI4IT44y8
He pauses, and I'm scared I made a mistake by asking as I take in his now tense facial muscles and clenched jaw.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDh1bUy8Af
"She's dead."
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9v4Vbfcwr1
"Oh."
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLBoMKdR3NF
"So is my dad."
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKgOmpmYHp0
So, he's an orphan?
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2wwj0On7S
"Oh," I say, regretting my question.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ31ZvmZaJDc
"So, you...live alone?"
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfyeq66ucdA
"Technically no. I kinda live in the cathedral--the room you were in that night, but my...job keeps me busy, so I sometimes sleep in provided spaces at the job site." He moves bits of spaghetti in his bowl back and front.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2oD5ZtdcPY
"Oh."
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjkCxoqDcxF
"You didn't respond to my apology," I say, deciding to change the subject.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0QxkN9PLQ
"What'd you want me to say?" He asks, shoving the last of his spaghetti into his mouth.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIp3uejGyVl
I shrug. I don't know what I would've wanted him to say, but I was at least hoping for a 'thank you' or 'it's okay.'
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEKZYUkEqbv
"Maybe an 'it's okay' or something like that," I mumble into the spaghetti about to enter my mouth, glancing at him from the side of my eyes.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGitqPJho2m
He chuckles as he nods and unfolds his arms from the counter.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFg727DXIOZ
I swallow the last bit of food in my mouth when I feel a breeze move past me and find myself face-to-face with Silas. I find him looming over me with his right hand on the counter supporting him, and my pulse quickens.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJpme8zKqW
I freeze and let my widened eyes trail from his supporting arm to his eyes. "What-
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLunwzfoOE
"It's okay," he responds. As he speaks, his breath fans over my face, reminding me of our proximity; his nose is touching mine, and it won't take but a push for his lips to...
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDM1VmKwil
I swallow as warmth rushes through me.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQz6tfxR72
I turn my eyes from his face trying to avoid his intense grey eyes, but I just can't. As I peek at him from the side of my eyes, I watch his pupils dilate, causing me to bite my lip and dart glances around the room.
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxsS4PKgi4
"Ok. I get it," I mumble, looking down at my feet. "Now, can you please...
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tFaRV4rJZ
He licks his lips and then backs away from me while chuckling. "You should see your face."
323Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPyReZ5iyP
I place both my hands on each side of my cheek and turn back to my bowl, asking myself what just happened.
ns216.73.217.6da2
