Diamonds Dancing

Forty Six

Twenty four hours later and she was still thinking about her rash decision.

She had chickened out. She couldn't do it, she couldn't face them and watch as their fragile hearts broke in person. It hurt too much to picture their small faces and how they would fall when she explained that she needed to go.

And so she left without saying a proper goodbye.

Rika didn't know what other way she could do it, she wanted nothing more than to hug and kiss them and tell them that she would be back. But she couldn't lie to them.

Not when he would be standing there, watching it all happen.

Turning the running tap off, she took ahold of the glass of freshly filled water and sucked in a deep breath.

Her eyes roamed around the small kitchen, it was nice. Actually, the whole house was nice and tidy.

Rika didn't know what she expected from the mailman but it certainly was not this. She had taken up his open invitation to stop in at the kind man's home, figuring it was best to clear her mind.

Well, more like Marco was busy at work and she needed the company before she went insane.

The guilt was creeping in slowly, she felt strange being in another man's house. It wasn't something she had done before.

Regardless of the fact, he had been the perfect host.

He had cooked her dinner, made her laugh the entire time and now he was waiting for her in his living room with a crime documentary that he desperately wanted her to watch with him.

Archie was perfect, so damn perfect.

When she nestled next to him on the rundown couch, passing him over the glass of water, that same guilt returned.

"Thank you, doll." He smiled, taking the glass as he cocked his head towards the television. His voice didn't have the same husky edge to it.

He started to talk about the show, though she didn't listen along, too distracted by the quirk of his lips.

Then there was the way he would stroke her thigh ever so slightly, he didn't seem to notice his own habit as he spoke so enthusiastically.

His warmth didn't feel like the one she was craving, she didn't fit into his arms as easily.

He failed to give her those gentle kisses to her temple whenever her hands started to tremble. Or when the words on her tongue jammed and she began to ramble.

How was he going to know what was wrong when she didn't tell him, she scolded. He wasn't a mind reader.

She was being tough on him, he was perfect. He was doing everything right and yet, she couldn't stop her mind from wandering.

Tilting her chin upwards, her heavy eyelids dropped slightly taking in the full beard and angular jaw. His eyes were captivating and so blue.

They didn't melt into pools of honey, they didn't hold the same amount of raw emotion within them.

Rika forced herself to snap out of it, swapping her attention from him and onto the screen.

"I like this show," She uttered once she had started watching it properly, trying her best to act normal.

"I told ya, it's good. Just wait until you see who the killer is."

Smiling, she pursed her lips, her nose scrunching up a little. "It's the boyfriend, isn't it?"

"Maybe," he replied in a not so vague way.

He gave her one if those lovesick smiles that she'd wish she'd fallen for.