Angel Eyes - Tao Xu

7; Evening Walks

Ingrid watched her feet as she and Tao started making their way to Hope Residence, she wondered somewhere in her head if maybe she should have stayed waiting for her brother, maybe something happened and she wasn't there to help him. On the other hand, though most of the time something did happen, and her brother was involved he wasn't the victim in the situation. She remembered last year, how he had made fun of a girl in her year after she had gotten him a Valentine's Day card and he laughed in her face. She could still hear his voice taunting her. "Do you think I would ever date a girl that looks like you?" even imagining the sound of it made her shiver. The shake crawling down her skin made her snap out of her worried mind.

The boy next to her chuckled. "There you are, you kind of zoned out." Ingrid blushed as she looked back up at him. "Sorry, just going over my day in my head, what did you say?" Tao shook his head as they walked, after a brush of their hands together he bumped into her teasingly, as if to pull her back to the conversation once more. "Is this a usual thing for you? Waiting that long for your brother, just for him not to show up?" She sighed and shrugged, what is usual, it would happen but not too often. Every week? every two weeks? She didn't even really mind it when he left her to walk home by herself, even if it was dark, she would have to pay better attention naturally but at least it would give her space. Walking outside made her feel less alone, even if she was still alone. The sounds, the animals, the wind, the rain droplets hitting her face. Everything was so beautiful on its own and yet seemed to be even more powerful when it joined forces with others. She wished sometimes she was like that. "No, it's alright, usually. He just seems distracted lately. I think he is just going through some... phase." She sighed. Ben used to be so nice, he used to study with her and help her with her homework. They used to be a power duo, Ben and Ingrid against the world but lately, he started to lock his room and she was just a little girl, standing before it, too scared to knock. Because what if he didn't want her there? She shivered again, Tao noticed it as they walked past a lightpost and he stopped her. "You're cold. Here." he took off his jacket and wrapped it over her shoulders as she slid her arms into the sleeves.

"Thank you." The blonde girl looked at the boy who was towering over her and then forced her line of sight back to the road. "How about you? What were you doing at Truham for that long? Were you waiting for anyone?" Her eyes found his again and a smirk crept onto her face as she wiggled her eyebrows teasingly. "Were you waiting for a special somebody?" Tao rolled his eyes and huffed. "No, just for Charlie." The girl gasped loudly. "You're calling Charlie UNspecial now?" She got a raspberry blown at her in response, together with an eye roll but beneath all that she saw a tiny smile playing at his lips. "That's not the problem" Tao sighed and looked at his feet. "I was waiting for him to try and catch up, I know we are in the same class and all but..." He hesitated slightly. "Lately he has been busy with all these things that are so not, like him, you know?" Ingrid looked at him questioning but engaged nevertheless. "He is suddenly like, joining the rugby team? And I think that is absurd. Have you seen Charlie? Nothing about him screams rugby lad..." Ingrid chuckled. "Well, nothing about me screams Nerd, and believe me, I am. I like that you are looking out for him though, maybe he wants to try something new but it is always a good thing to keep an eye out for a friend." Tao nods and looks at Ingrid, her blues locking with his browns. "Thank you."

He leaned in and somehow Ingrid was unable to look away, her breath hitched in her throat as the boy came closer, and she leaned her weight forward on her feet. He came closer, was he going to? Not that she would mind...

The energy shifted, where she had been cold before all the feeling of shivers were gone, instead of it she felt a soft tingling sensation spread through her. From her stomach down to her leg and toes, up through her chest and throat to the tip of her nose. As if she suddenly went from sober and tipsy. Everything went silent and all she could do was keep watching Tao inch closer. His hand brushed up her cheek and stroked a piece of hair behind her ear.

That was it.

"Thank you for talking." He said softly.

"Thank you for listening." She could just manage to speak back to him.

Before the two could say anything else the baby blue door of a big white house opened. Ben. "Hurry up and get in Loser. You should've been home an hour ago."

PS: thank you all, if you are still reading, I was not in a well enough mental space to continue but I am now on a path of recovery.