"So, Graham," Anna started, stirring me from my inner turmoil, "what's your story?"882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlEJXAGzBB
"What do you mean?" I responded, much to Vance's amusement.882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6gMWbjNfv
"Well, we've been meeting like this for a over a month, the same bar every Friday night. Vance and I have talked, but you've barely told me anything about you!" She leaned forward in her chair, a mischievous smile on her face.882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4Y3PV3N3r
I averted my gaze, knowing I would crumble under her infectious smile, and sighed dramatically. "Do I have to?"882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawaTSIq4oT
Vance let out a chuckle and she leaned across the table. Before I could react, Anna grabbed my hand that was idly sitting beside my drink and held it. "Please?" she pleaded, cupping it gently, but I was drawn away from the conversation with the mere touch of her skin against mine. Her first kiss was when she was fourteen, and it was absolutely terrible. When she was young, she took piano lessons but refused to practice. She hates how thick her hair is.882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUaaJGaIyLZ
Barely any time had passed before I tore my hand away, much to Anna's surprise. Vance laughed again and took a giant swig of his drink, obviously enjoying the exchange more than he should have. Anna looked hurt, the sides of her mouth drooping into a sort of pout with her lips slightly parted. If it wasn't an expression born of sadness, it would have been cute.882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2KHNP15iSd
Using my hand to run my fingers through my hair, using the movement as an excuse for my sudden actions, I sighed deeply. "Alright, you win," I conceded, and the pout turned into a genuine smile on Anna's face. "What do you want to know?"882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCRnerEO7yM
Anna grinned evilly and I noticed even Vance looked perplexed, leaning forward in his sit eyeing me. Only then did I realize that although I'd been hanging out with Vance for years, I had barely told him anything about myself. I felt a moment of panic rising in me as I witnessed their predatory movements, all but physically cornering me.882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXIMmQqWTih
"Well, well, well," Vance said, "this is interesting. What should we start with, Anna?"
Anna stroked her chin in mock deep thought. "Hmmm, I don't know, Vance. Too many places to start..."882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJw44i1JF6
My eyes darted between them both, panic rising. What if they found out about my gift - my curse?882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUgR1Am1Imj
Seeing my panic, the two broke into hearty laughter. I joined in nervously, still concerned.882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡICTlXwqSUa
"Relax, buddy!" Vance said, punching my sleeve lightly, "we're just curious!"
Anna nodded. "I just don't know anything about you!"882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFOuj2qUEH
I nodded, quelling the panic and accepting her silent request, relieved they weren't planning to ask specific questions. "My name is Graham Hayes. I'm 27. I work for OTIS."882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNt39sXHjWr
"The elevator company?" she asked, confused.
I looked at her curiously. "Yeah, why?"882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4cG3wnSOg
She shrugged. "Don't know, just didn't expect you to work for a big company."882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTjcAfNhzs
It was my turn to shrug. "It pays the bills."882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTQZpER4as
"So what do you do? Office work?"882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWJ5yxAYBZ
"I'm a mechanic," I explained, as Vance finished off his third beer of the night in one swig. "They send me out to fix the elevators when they break down."882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwN5bvOFAf
"That's pretty cool," Anna said, smiling sweetly at me and making my heart flutter.882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxcKKV2HVF
I must have been blushing, because she giggled. "Awwwww," she cooed, "did I embarrass you?"882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgb8K1Uxd0
Getting increasingly uncomfortable, I looked away and said nothing.882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPOyDKTJQm
Vance went to take another drink and forgot he had finished it off moments before. Cursing, he stood up. "I'm gonna go get another one," he mumbled, walking off to the bar and leaving Anna and I alone at the table.882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHIL3uOVej
She moved over to the seat suddenly vacant beside me and sat down in it, leaning my way and catching my eyes. "Why are you embarrassed?" she asked with the innocence of a child, genuine concern in her voice.882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxmrUetydA9
I forced a cough to give myself a minute to recover before grumbling a response. "I'm not embarrassed..."882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmnoqux2Alo
She giggled and leaned forward suddenly, kissing my cheek. A flurry of emotions assaulted my senses, combined with the inevitable intake of knowledge. Her favourite Disney Princess as a kid was Cinderella. Her birthday was in late October. Her sister and her once got lost in the Rideau Center when they were young.882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgcuBr76kGS
Although her lips didn't linger long on my cheek, I could have sworn I felt her hesitation as she pulled away. "I'm sorry." She said simply, making me melt. Her full lips curled into a sweet smile as she looked at me with eyes full of caring concern. "I really didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlWmuBSVba
"Really, it's fine..." I said, my voice trailing off. Our eyes locked for a minute that seemed to last forever, and I wished I could hold her hand and read her thoughts at that exact moment to know if she felt the same as I did. I could have sworn she leaned in closer to me, or was it me leaning in towards her?882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvoHx3NB3d
Vance came back and sat down in Anna's empty chair, the noise breaking the spell and forcing both of us to look at our friend in shock.882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFfL2OKIQf
He looked back and forth between our wide eyes for a moment, and gave a mischievous smile. "Did I interrupt something? Or were you just getting to know each other better?" he joked, winking at us.882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaloF54A30u
Now it was Anna's turn to blush as she got way more offended than she should have. "Shut up, Vance! We were just talking!"882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQN4dreg8O
Vance nodded slowly. "Sure you were," he responded, his voice dripping sarcasm.882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSQWk4z2JM
As Vance continued to tease her, I could not bring myself to focus on the conversation. The rush of euphoria I got from that small kiss - barely more than a peck on the cheek! - was greater than anything I'd ever felt. I had gained information from her as I always do, but it was more... intoxicating than ever before. I found myself craving her touch. I imagined those soft lips pressed against mine, the elation the flood of information brings me melding with the pleasure of the kiss.882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzavi3YRqM8
No sooner had the thoughts entered my mind, I felt dirty. I was appalled I could think such things, of tainting her innocence and kindness with my cursed touch. I was not only taking information from her unknowingly and unwillingly, learning about her darkest secrets of her mind and her past, but I was taking pleasure from it!
But every time she glanced over at me and smiled, her eyes lighting up in blissful innocence, I found I could do nothing but hope for more of her.882Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJj2y9TCbZ
