Poisonous Love

Alonzo Auclair

I climbed the tree near her window, being careful that the paper bag in my hand doesn't rip. When I finally reached the top, I knocked.

Once,

Twice,

Thri-

The window lift open, and I saw her face. Her eyes were dulled with exhaustion and pain. Dark circles clung to her weary gaze, and her cheeks seemed hollow, betraying the toll that sleepless nights and missed meals had taken on her.

"Alonzo? What-" she whispered, barely any voice coming out of her. I signaled that I was gonna come in her room, she understood the gesture and moved to the side. I let my right leg in first, followed by my left one. "I bought YouWok, I tried my best to run over here, cause I didn't want it to cool down." I say moving towards her little coffee table, setting everything up.

"Alonzo, you didn't have t-"

"Doesn't matter cause I'm hungry now." I say pretending to be attracted to the aroma of the noodles. She nodded and grabbed a folded chair and unfolded it right in front of the table.

I sat a whole evening contemplating what I should ask her. The simple question was none. It would be foolish to ask a question which has no answer to it. What's a girl who almost got sexually aussalted supposed to answer to an 'are you okay', or 'how are you feeling?'.

Asking her if she ate anything or slept would result in her lying. So simply got her her 'comfort food' or whatever she calls it.

I digged in my bowl, when I looked up I saw her picking her stick around. "Woman, I did not drive around town, to find this hidden shop for you to stare at it. It doesn't even look that good. The taste though? Immaculate." I say filling my bite with another bite.

A faint smile graced her lips. In that fleeting moment, a warmth radiated from her, and an unexpected flutter danced in my chest. A small reassurance that she's hanging well.

Aria scooped up a forkful of the noodles with her chopsticks, her eyes lighting up as she brought them to her mouth. The savory aroma filled the air as she chewed, a subtle smile appearing on her face. 

I'm truly fucked.