Replay Of Shades

03

ENID

Since getting away from there- from him, was the most important thing at that moment, everything and everyone became a blur as I'd continued waIking, until I was standing outside the restaurant front doors, with my ears ringing incessantly all the way.

I felt so terrible and giddy.

It had gotten chilly outside, and having taken my jacket off earlier while I was inside, goosebumps had covered the exposed part of my body in no time. It was that which had brought me back to my senses.

"Oh my god!" I staggered backwards, suddenly forgetting how to stand properly. "What have I done?" I held a visibly trembling hand to my mouth, and that was when I felt moisture on my cheeks. It was my tears. I didn't even realize that I was crying.

"What have I done?" I repeated shakily with more tears streaming down.

He hadn't recognized me earlier, but I knew it was only a matter of time before he would.

The guilt of not telling him my real name and who my family were when he had asked me was now eating me up.

I had thought that I didn't owe someone I had met only for one night such information about me but maybe, just maybe if I had told him, it would have prevented any of what happened from happening and I wouldn't be in this horrible state right now. Which he would be in, too. Soon.

And it was all my fault.

My whole body shook from the shock of what I had just found out, and the cold as soft, quiet sobs escaped my lips.

I thought of dad and how he would feel if he were to find out. He must never find out. I was going to make sure of that.

Concerning Chase, I was going to feign ignorance as long as I could and if he were to ask me, as he was bound to find out sooner or later, I planned to outright deny being that girl, that night.

Pulling myself together after a while, I dabbed gently at my tears to prevent my makeup from getting ruined any further before I could begin making my way back inside.

Standing before the door of the reserved room, I stared helplessly at my hand, that which I'd stretched towards the doorknob.

There were my clammy palms, and both of my hands were beginning to shake again.

No matter how much I tried, I couldn't control the trembling. Scared that I was going to break down right in front of them, I decided it was best for me not to go in just yet.

I pulled my hand back to my side but I hadn't gotten the chance to take a step away from the door before there was an abrupt whiff of cold air just as the door was pulled open from the inside by someone. It was Chase.

I took a step back with my heart hammering within my chest at the sight of him.

I stared at him in complete horror. Now, he was going to recognize me, but a few seconds passed, and still, there was no sign of him having registered my face. Instead, all I could see was concern.

Or maybe he was just pretending not to recognize me just as I had also planned to.

I quickly hid my trembling hands behind my back before he could see them.

"I was just going out to look for you." His smooth baritone voice was unusually low. However, it was calm and clear, like I remembered it to be. "Are you okay, really? Do you feel sick?"

I thought I was dreaming because this was definitely far from what I was expecting from him. "U-um..." My eyes searched the dark and endless pools, which were his eyes for any sign of pretence.