Silent Eyes

39, Regret

School being over, Monica stepped outside into a sea of kids and parents. As she made her way through the crowd, a frown creased her face. Selene was nowhere to be seen, not in her usual spots with friends or on the bench happily kicking her legs.

Worry crept in, and Monica's heart raced. Pushing through the crowd, she called out, "Selene?" No response. Panic set in, and she called again, louder this time. "Selene?" The absence of Selene's voice felt like a nightmare. Monica took a deep breath, trying to stay calm, placing a shaky hand against her chest. "Baby, where are you?"

Panicked, Monica rushed to one of Selene's friends and asked, "Um, have you seen Selene?" Her smile was forced, eyes wide and scared. The other mom blinked in surprise, then replied, "Yeah, she was with a man." Monica felt like she was about to collapse, but the little girl clarified, "No, mama, it wasn't just some man, it was her dad!"

Monica snapped back to attention, swallowing her fear. "H-Her dad?" she asked. The girl nodded, and Monica crouched down, her voice trembling, "Was he a tall man with dark hair and blue eyes?" The mother chimed in, "Yeah, he had an accent." Then she gasped, cupping her mouth. "He's Selene's father?" Monica just glanced up at her, a mix of relief and concern in her eyes.

Monica could see it in the other woman's eyes, that unmistakable admiration for Andreas. It wasn't a secret how drop-dead gorgeous he was, a living embodiment of sexiness that often drew attention. Yet, this woman, Selene's friend's mom, being married, made it feel a bit awkward. Standing straight, Monica squirmed a bit. "Yeah, he is..."

Just as she regained composure, Selene's voice cut through. "Mommy, you're here!" Monica turned to see Selene struggling with her backpack, racing excitedly toward her. Relief flooded Monica, and she widened her arms to embrace Selene. "Baby, where were you? You scared me for a second," she said. That's when Monica noticed a looming shadow, and looking up, there was a smiling Andreas.

Inside a bustling Chuck E Cheese filled with screaming kids, Andreas had intended to take Monica and Selene out, but she insisted Selene needed to study for an upcoming test. However, Selene's plea tugged at Monica's heart, and she eventually gave in. "Fine, baby." Now, Andreas and Monica were seated at a table while Selene raced around, joining the chaos of other children.

Monica sipped on a soda as Andreas enjoyed some fries. Attempting to break the quiet, he started a conversation. "So, how's everything been so far?" The atmosphere felt tense, and Monica couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze. Since their kiss, things had become awkward, and fear held her back from looking into his blue eyes. Keeping it simple, she replied, "It's been nice, thank you."

Andreas leaned in, attempting to catch Monica's gaze, but she evaded his eyes. Frustrated, Monica sighed, "What is it, Andreas?" Uncomfortable and squeamish, she couldn't hide her unease, and Andreas, ever the tease, smirked. "Why aren't you looking at me?" he playfully questioned. "I'm just trying to have a normal conversation."

Reluctantly, Monica finally turned to face him, but she froze. They were too close! Andreas casually munched on fries, sitting right beside her, his intense gaze fixed on hers. Monica could see his dark lashes, and the memories of their last close encounter flooded back, making her heart panic.

Monica quickly pushed away, attempting to maintain her composure. "What are you talking about?" she said nervously. Andreas continued to smirk, teasing, "Relax, I won't make any moves." Monica's shoulders relaxed, but tension returned as Andreas added, "Yet." A gasp escaped Monica, and Andreas chuckled at her reaction. When she rose to leave, he playfully pulled her back down. "I was just joking!" he claimed, though Monica couldn't be entirely sure.

Sitting back down, Monica couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye. Her phone buzzed, and she saw a message from Roy. "Where are you?" he asked. Monica realized she hadn't informed Roy about Selene hanging out with her dad. But now it seemed Andreas was trying to spend time with her instead. She replied, "Sorry, babe. Selene wanted to hang out with her dad at Chuck E Cheese. Don't worry, I'm just watching after her."