Book I: Lingering Scent of Yours (Completed)

Pete: Small Scratch on The Glass

𝄞𝄞𝄞

We were walking through the tunnel, watching sharks swimming above us, when I felt Vegas' hand reach for mine. He must have sensed my nervousness because he pulled me towards him by gently stroking the sensitive skin of my wrist with his thumb. I sighed, remembering how Macau loves water and everything about it, and gave the brothers a comforting smile. I didn't mind sea creatures, coral reefs were also objects of beauty for me, but this one place always made me tremble my limbs unnecessarily. One crack on this tiny glass and we are gone.

"Everything is fine," I assured, though Vegas didn't stop looking at me nervously.

I felt overwhelmed by this place. Surrounded on all sides by water, in the event of a breakdown or sudden damage of the windows, I would not even be able to take a few steps before the depths overwhelmed me. I knew how thoughtless my fear was, especially since the amount of permits and checks this place needed to be finally open for visits was certainly able to fill our bedroom, but I was not able to stop worrying. Fear is something that attacks us, taking away all possibility of logical thinking, maybe that's why I had the impression that I heard cracks every now and then. I wanted to quickly walk through the corridor and wait in the quieter part of the aquarium, but I saw how delighted, how completely absorbed in watching the animals, Macau was. To see this happiness on his face was worth everything, even a little bit of fear.

"I take Macau and we move on," Vegas warned, noticing drops of sweat on my forehead, but I shook my head, dissatisfied.

"No, see how joyful he is, you know how he loves this part of the attraction. I'll go and you stay with him, I'll sit near the exit and you two just come to me when he will have enough, It's not an issue,"

Vegas sighed, again comfortingly rubbing my skin on the hand he was holding, and I felt pleasant chills spread through my body. Still, I pulled my fingers out of his embrace and, kissing him quickly on the cheek, moved on until the darkness turned into a passage to the exit. I sat nearby, catching a good breath, but I felt that I was unable to inject enough oxygen into my lungs and began to slightly panic. I wondered if I should go back to Vegas, who would be able to calm me down right away when a foreign hand grabbed my arm, sitting me on the bench.

"Breathe deeply," said a warm voice, carrying a paper bag to my lips. "Hold it to your mouth and then inhale and exhale, you'll see, it will help,"

I did as a stranger commanded, and although at first it was difficult for me, I quickly caught the rhythm, which helped me calm my shaken, still afraid heart. I leaned against the wall, looking gratefully at the tall man with a rather dark complexion and short, honey-brown hair. Chocolate eyes looked at me with warmth and anxiety at the same time, which, after I calmed down, turned into joy.

"Thank you," I whispered, and he smiled as he sat down next to me. "You saved me."

"There's nothing to be thankful for, always at the service," a low voice replied, pulling out the hand to me.

A little bit surprised, I grabbed his fingers, shaking them in a typical American greeting, which only made the boy chuckle, this time pointing to the bag.

"I wanted to take it and throw it away, but all in all, such a greeting is also not bad," I felt myself blushing all over from his words, which made him flood with another dose of laughter. "You are all red, even the ears are looking like raspberries! You are so funny, stranger,"

If another person had spoken to me in this way, I would have had the impression that I was mocked, but he seemed so relaxed and warm in everything he did that I accepted his words calmly, although I covered my ears for a short while, feeling the heat beating from them.