The Hurt Game

❧ two

When I stepped through the threshold, pushing the door farther open, the familiar scents of Greek yogurt and cucumber wafted in the air. My mouth watered at the scents and my stomach let out a quiet grumble. A small smile tugged on the corners of my lips.

I kicked my shoes off and walked through the silent hallway. My eyes drifted along the empty and white walls. Any picture frames that had been hanging here proudly, were taken down and nothing had ever come to replace them. The only thing that stayed behind was the round mirror with the tiny drawer underneath. The lively plants were replaced with fake ones. What once was a lively place to linger at, chat with visitors, had become a place where I didn't bother to linger to get a glance of my reflection.

Upon entering the living room, the aroma of dinner had gotten stronger and my stomach grumbled louder, eager to be filled by the delicious smelling dish. My eyes fell onto the clean room, every spot that might have been there long vanished. It was nice coming home to a clean house, but the cleaner the house, the emptier it sometimes seemed―especially when I was home alone.

The light grey walls made the house only look bigger than it already was. The black couch and dark coffee table broke the brightness, which reflected from the walls and which came from the direct sunlight through the windows. The windows were large enough lamps weren't needed in the summer. Only when it darkened and it was difficult to see where I was going, I would turn a light on. Yet it only happened during winters or taking a midnight snack.

Tearing my gaze from the empty view, I followed the delicious smell and entered the kitchen. Daniela stood behind the counter, turning the meat so it would be cooked perfectly. From the looks of it, it was almost done. A bowl with tzatziki and a full plate with grilled bread was resting to the side.

Daniela turned around to face me and a wide smile spread on her lips. "Hey sweetie."

"Hi... It smells amazing," I compliment her.

"Thank you. It will be served in any minute. How was work?"

"It was alright. Nothing too exciting happened." I grabbed a glass from the cupboards and filled it with water, taking a sip from it. "I did buy a book though."

"Which one?"

"The Butterfly Room."

Daniela turned the last souvlaki before facing me. A small smile was plastered on her lips. Her bright eyes sparkled. "Didn't I see that book on your bookshelf?"

I nodded my head while my cheeks tinted pink, warming slightly. "Yeah, but that one is hardcover. This one is a paperback and I like the cover ten times more."

"Makes sense I guess," she mused with a little laugh. All I did was grin and I took a sip from my drink. She turned back towards the food she was preparing for dinner. "Has your father contacted you in regards of dinner?"

"He won't be here. Said he will be working till late," I answered her with a little sigh. I took a seat at the small bar that was placed against the wall. The kitchen was large enough to have an eight-person table and a bar for four people, and there was still space enough to move around in.

Daniela hummed in response as she focused on dinner and I unlocked my phone, scrolling through Instagram. I only used the platform for books, posting the occasional reel and edits I had made. The follower count was big, but it didn't faze me. In a way, all those people following me, it didn't have a huge impact on my life.

"Dinner is ready, so grab a plate and start eating. I've made plenty, so don't hold back," Daniela spoke, breaking me away from watching an edit of one of my favourite books. I jumped down the stool, walked towards the counter and filled a plate with delicious smelling food.