Lucia—
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLD52P9uyn6
"Hey," I quietly say while knocking on the kitchen door.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnaIL7487y
My eyes roam his figure as he pours a bowl of what seems to be an egg mixture in a pot.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50a3Bvh2ju
He looks...better.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOsQIrM7bO
"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.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaIo7zCrDLM
I chew on the inside of my cheek as I nod and then lower my gaze to the counter to avoid his piercing gaze.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtekUhkz1Hl
"You gonna stand out there or you gonna come in?" He breaks the silence, forcing my eyes to drift to him.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7EChT9mbM
"Right," I mutter and then take cautious steps to the furthest chair from him.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRG2Euv4YN
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..."
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz7IFYenHnV
My voice trails off as I meet his eyes to find them intently on me.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWZKmjUiFb
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.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcMPSgs7qXG
I deeply inhale then glance at him before mumbling, "I'm sorry."
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLYCxXvs7M8
I peek at him from under my eyelashes to find his left eyebrow raised with his arms still crossed.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ76uyFhTtnj
"For what?"
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNJof85ode
"For...the...other night." I exhale at the end as though I'd gotten a weight off of me.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAu3RL2rj5
He doesn't respond; he just stares at me, causing me to shift in my seat.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1u6LpyGzP
He unfolds his arms and walks toward the simmering pan.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdgvOYrEfK
"Want some pasta?" He grabs two plates from the second cupboard above the stove.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfGKxaQq6Ry
"No."
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5jtipa8Ol
He scoffs. "Priest Dixon said you'd say that. Said I should give it to you anyway, but not force you to eat it."
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4iy0n83g4I
I lean onto the counter, cross my arms, and shrug, not sure how to feel about Priest Dixon's comment.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡodaezEyhN4
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."
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPI2BvcRQzu
I stare at his back from under my eyelashes, not liking how his tone seems to say he has me all figured out.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtpJFyTlfX
"You know you shouldn't be walking about; you're still recovering from your injury," I say.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgENpBKYdKp
"Hmm."
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkSJ6MAuY8
I grab the fork, ignoring the droplets of water around it as I twirl some spaghetti around its tip.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpyqSqJOIj
I sigh, knowing there's no way I can escape this.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrmBo8aDXP
"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.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgLys67UPc
"Amen." I hear someone say from beside me, causing me to turn and find Silas in the chair beside me.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJspsusjfA
My breath hitches as he turns his head to me and I realize how close we are.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrHo3fLalg7
"Want me to move?" His breath fans over my face.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkhO4pN5Yuh
I bite my lower lip and shake my head as I mutter, "No."
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1fK6Bpa9a
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.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTbGAsZhkh
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.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnN6rmOA3R
"Is it good?"
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOmCCDyQXn
I nod.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILxFyKRVpR
He chuckles and turns to his bowl then turns his face back to me.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyhdv1YDez
"It was my mom's carbonara recipe."
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxMw0743F2
Was?
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqt9ok3KYSw
Did something happen to his mom?
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkCJ4oKjwM
"You've got something." He gestures to the side of his face.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6KPDwVZtF
"Oh," my mouth forms as I try to remove the smudged sauce with the back of my left hand.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUhsBChrCz
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.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08b1DzLy8B
"You can't see where it is, so I'll get it off. That okay?"
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdQupaP8eIJ
I hesitantly nod as I chew on the inside of my cheek, keeping my gaze on him.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQbGySryGjt
I subconsciously jerk back as he leans forward, causing his eyebrows to shoot up.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZdJpl0n6y
I immediately lean forward, maybe a little too forward, as our noses are barely apart and I can feel his breath on my face.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKLu3lECVMo
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.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlK6EdSvkTv
My mouth opens and closes like a fish as I try to say something
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1jFZlgCowO
I lean back. "Sorry. I-I didn't mean to. I just-
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SUppG2vzj
"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.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1msOWcVL4
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.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nYupNE3Lv
I should stop him cause I can clean myself, but...I don't want to.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1brIRyVSV
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.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5EdPbc1otK
I inhale sharply and pull away from him, turning back to my bowl of spaghetti.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnHNWbmrrc
"You know-
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkQieWaq76
'Not now,' I tell the voice in my head, not ready for any taunts.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xbitsFVVU
My grip on the fork tightens as I hear him chuckle and then turn to his food.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1tmEudV2v0
I clear my throat after swallowing the food in my mouth. "So, you said this was one of your mom's recipes. Why was?"
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhJV3WMmnv
He pauses, and I'm scared I made a mistake by asking as I take in his now tense facial muscles and clenched jaw.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Rq9m8mjne
"She's dead."
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpu8WCK3Uqa
"Oh."
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfWEH2RlTH
"So is my dad."
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYISk9Nuoni
So, he's an orphan?
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPS8XL2T31
"Oh," I say, regretting my question.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRQvXVDnZgh
"So, you...live alone?"
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhT5pXS0LJ
"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.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuizFER32Hz
"Oh."
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfdzgHsEYoj
"You didn't respond to my apology," I say, deciding to change the subject.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBR36sKyCis
"What'd you want me to say?" He asks, shoving the last of his spaghetti into his mouth.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQif56y8l7c
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.'
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpU7diEUrm
"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.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡinltZa44G5
He chuckles as he nods and unfolds his arms from the counter.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO90x2M9Cvx
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.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTn5jN6fjs
I freeze and let my widened eyes trail from his supporting arm to his eyes. "What-
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9fgRUKaqF
"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...
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRo58FycVpp
I swallow as warmth rushes through me.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqKttjAGadM
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.
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehqVd3UWxA
"Ok. I get it," I mumble, looking down at my feet. "Now, can you please...
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRH5Cf5q7LK
He licks his lips and then backs away from me while chuckling. "You should see your face."
253Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8du6iATXPO
I place both my hands on each side of my cheek and turn back to my bowl, asking myself what just happened.
ns216.73.216.100da2
