A Silent Hope

Chapter Six

Mackenzie

"Come on, please. One ice cream." I walked backwards as Thalia continued walking with that blank expression on.

"You're going to fall and I'll enjoy it." The woman boredly stated.

"Will you laugh?" I asked curiously, taking occasional glances behind me as I moved back.

"Internally, yes." She sped up her pace and I almost fell while trying to keep up.

"Then I'm not going to fall." I started walking beside her and pressed on. "Ice cream?"

I'd just finished my workout at the gym and Thalia just so happened to finish her shift at the same time. I hadn't had the courage since I saw her at the park last week to talk to her. But I did today, and I also remembered Paul saying she didn't work Wednesday nights. Meaning, she probably had her evening free.

"Why?" She grumbled in a quiet voice.

While Thalia's face barely showed much, everything else about her screamed soft and innocent. The way she walked, the way she carried herself and spoke.

"I feel like having ice cream and I don't like doing things alone." I half lied. I had no problem being on my own, it was quite relaxing.

"I'm busy."

"Doing what?" I gripped my gym bag on my shoulder and stuck my head out to see her face that was hidden by her hair.

The woman let out another groan. "Listen here, Ken-" She pointed a finger at me as her face took on a thoughtful look. "What's your name again? Doesn't matter. What does matter is that I don't want ice cream. Got it?"

I nodded my head with a smile. "Got it."

"Good." She resumed walking.

"Pizza?" I questioned. "I'm kinda hungry."

"I don't want pizza." She gritted out.

"Oh, okay. There's a great little restaurant right down the street and I saw that they have tacos." We stopped in front of a building, the same one I saw her walk in that one night I followed her home." That sounds creepy.

"How do people stand you?" The shorter woman stared up at me with genuine confusion. "You're pretty annoying."

I shrugged, a grin spreading across my lips. "You said I'm pretty."

"I said, pretty annoying." She scoffed.

"All I heard I was pretty." I tapped my index finger to my chin.

She stared at me with an annoyed look and I stared back with a smile. I clasped my hands in front of me, bag secure on my shoulder. I noticed Thalia's hand that gripped her purse tightened around the strap.

I'm wearing you down...

She huffed, I grinned. She looked at the small building where she lived, I shrugged innocently.

"I can just go in and leave you here." She mumbled.

"I'll try again tomorrow."

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes and stormed towards the building.

"I'll see you tomorrow!" I called after her.

A middle finger in the air was thrown at me.

I smirked, thinking about my two days off I now had since I came off a twenty four hours shift this morning. I'd taken a nap before hitting the gym. Now I had some time to pester the woman a bit. I didn't want to push myself on her, so I tried to be kind. Thalia obviously could say no and she did, but tomorrow I'd try again.