The Firefly

29°

I put the plate of vegetables in front of Jake and then sat down in front of him and began to eat without saying a word.

-Don't let that one come again.- He wrinkled his nose.

-I remind you that she is my best friend.-

-You have an unnerving best friend.- I looked at him furtively, leaning out a little.

-You haven't seen the other two.- I joked.

-And then I bet your best friend is also unnerving at least as much as you are.- I said, the model in front of me petrified.

Slowly he brushed his scar near his eye, he seemed immersed in memories. -He was.- He hinted a small, heartbroken smile.

-Was?-

-Yes, "was," but he is no longer here to be.- He gripped his fork with a firm grip, stabbing a bell pepper hard.

-Oh...- Damn what a gaffe. Maybe the boy's scar was somehow related to his friend's death?

Suddenly the toe of my shoes had become very interesting.

-I...I'm sorry.-

-You couldn't know.- With a distracted sigh he shrugged his shoulders.

-Shall we change the subject?-

-Yes, perhaps it would be better.-

-So who is Axel?- I stood with my mouth in midair and my mouth open.

-Axel?-

-Is he your boyfriend?He asked bluntly, his expression indifferent.

-N-no!-

-Did you hang out with him that Sunday? The day you found out about your brother I mean.-

-Ehm...yes.-

-Are you two dating?

-I...think so.- I said lowly and he fell silent. He already seemed to be expecting that answer.

-Got it...- He grimaced as he continued eating without adding anything more. I lowered my gaze to my plate wondering what all the questions were about.

Jake seemed extremely upset, although he hid it well, as he continued to chew what I had prepared for him.

By now almost all the maids had gone back to their homes so the mansion was plunged into even deeper silence.

I finished eating as fast as I could and then stood up and took my plate in my hands.

-When you're done leave everything here, I'll clear the table later.- I said and, without looking at him, headed into the living room immediately after taking my plate to the kitchen.

I needed to be alone for a moment, I needed to calm down. Why did I feel so agitated after telling him nothing but the truth?

It was as if I felt guilty.

I shook my head as I sat down on the couch heavily and closed my eyes. All that lit up the room was a bright lamp right next to the sofa, nothing else.

I rubbed my temples sighing, why did I have the strangest feeling that I was falling in love with the grumpy Greek god I was living with? This was literally driving me crazy.

I looked around hoping to find something that would manage to distract me and noticed a book with a clear cover with an inky title.

I reached up and took it in my hands and noticed that it was written in both ink and braille.

Taking a closer look at it, I sat down on the couch, and as my fingertips brushed against the rough paper of the pages a sudden flash of the afternoon spent in the park with Jake flashed through my mind.

Automatically I closed the book startled.

What was happening to me?

I rubbed my eyes and then carefully opened it again; it was a crime book.

I began to read the first few pages in the hope of distracting myself until I finished the first chapter after not even ten minutes.

I had never had a passion for reading, but I could not deny that this book did not arouse my curiosity, so I kept reading.

I was already on the third chapter when a sigh just behind my ear made me jerk.

Jake had reached me and was now leaning over, too close to me. With one hand he brushed the book I held in my hands. -What are you reading?-

I planted my gaze on him: the perfect features, the foxy, thin eyes half-closed as they stared at an indefinite point, his dark, unruly locks, the rosy lips, the two large scars-everything was a perfect combination.

I could feel his breath on my neck and his soft voice whispering close to my ear.

I felt a chill when he leaned even closer and whispered slowly.

-It's my book, isn't it?- He touched the page as he began to run his index finger over it, line by line, then smiled slightly.

-Good choice, Brat.- He whispered in my ear, I felt faint. We were so close that our noses touched, my eyes lost in his.

-The murderer is the neighbor.- He said revealing to me in advance the end of the crime story, not that I cared at that moment.

-Excuse me for before.- He whispered.

Slowly, as if to tease me, he came closer almost to give me a chance to retreat.

I, however, could not move, my poor heart was beating really too fast and I had the feeling that he could feel it too.

With excruciating slowness his hand approached my cheek brushing it, when his lips brushed mine an electric shock went through my spine.

He immediately pulled back, closing his eyes and tightening his lips. She said nothing, merely shook his head.

He opened his thin white eyes visibly panicked, I was definitely more so.

Remaining motionless in the same position as a few moments earlier I was as if petrified.

Shaking his head again as if to chase away a bad thought, he turned dark in the face.

I looked at him breathlessly, still feeling the touch of his lips on mine.

I lowered my gaze clearing my throat and combing my hair nervously. The words couldn't get out, as if they were stuck in my throat.

Jake was biting his lip so hard that it turned purple causing his scar to bleach; was it true that he had no intention of kissing me?

I nodded, yes: it was clear that he was just caught up in the heat of the moment.

I tried to convince myself, but the reddish tone that had colored his cheeks made me infer otherwise.

Quickly he stood upright, seemed in every way to be looking for something to say.

But he did not find it.

I just sat there staring at him like petrified as he walked away at a brisk pace.

His lips had brushed against mine; we had been one step away from kissing.

I should have been glad I hadn't kissed the apathetic Jake Hale barely, yet regret began to pour through my body, coursing through my veins. It felt like poison.

I felt withered as I realized that I really only wished for the opposite.

I had fallen in love with the grumpy Greek god I was living with.