To Break Loose [Original]

Chapter Twenty Three

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Twenty Three
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Oren was grinning down at her, the flecks in his eyes more prominent than ever.

"Hey" she echoed smoothly "is... Everest home?"

"Well, no. He had to get something, but he'll be back soon"

Asher nodded in thought, her head spinning like crazy.

"Do you want to wait?"

No.

Asher, say no.

"Would he take long?"

He made a face like he was thinking, puckered lips and all "I don't think so"

She nodded "I could...wait"

He let her in and her fears kicked in as well.

The house was deathly silent.

No Jaden.

"Sorry about the mess, I was...brainstorming" He walked ahead of her further into the living room and only then did she notice the books and soda cans, a pizza box with a slice left and of course, his guitar.

She took a seat across to him, her subconscious prodding for the right and wrong reasons.

He offered to turn on the TV as well as some snacks but she declined.

Did he live there?

"I don't live here" he chuckled and she thought she said it out loud.

She did.

Damn her mind! Always voicing out the most unnecessary things.

"But I believe I have some rights to his things" he smiled

She nodded and lowered her gaze.

"How's your project going?" She heard him ask

"It's great" but heavily stressful because of your lazy friend

"Are you sure?" He cocked a brow

"Mhmm" No.

He shrugged as if deciding to buy it.

"Did you decide yet?"

She looked up and met his gaze, he had been holding his guitar "On?"

"If you're coming with us on Friday"

Oh.

That.

"Not quite. I did say I wouldn't go"

"I trust you'll change your mind" he shook his head, looking fully convinced.

"Why?" She blurted

"Because, you will" he told her and she rolled her eyes.

It was quiet and he started to run his inked fingers down the strings... As if hit by lightning, he opened his eyes in a flash "I'm so sorry, is this disturbing?"

The concern was unmistakable.

She was gushing inside. "Not really "

"Are you sure?"

She shrugged.

" Ok. Cool" he smiled, and his cheek dipped on one side.

He shut his eyes again and with his face calm, he played a tune.

Asher stared.

Lost in her little world as her mind unravelled new things against her will.

Oren lowered his head a tad and some of his golden hair fell forward, he was also nodding slowly to the rhythm he'd created, and it was like a presence wrapped the room causing it to pull together.

The feeling was much similar to that night at the Bean House, when she lost control, as well as the appetite for suicide.

Just when she got to her high, he started to sing.

A tiny voice that manage to grip her heart tightly.

What had he been saying?

All she knew is that he kept saying Jesus over and over.

Jesus.

Then she was reminded about those nights of prayer with Marilyn:

"Jesus never leaves you... Go with Jesus... Thank you Jesus... Our lover, Jesus"

Marilyn was a devout Christian.

A deaconess and ran a charity for the indisposed children of the district.

She, somehow was a broken teenager who just needed to be locked in a room all day, all night.

"Have you always loved to paint?"

She blinked twice, her senses returning to the present where Oren had been staring at her.

He wasn't playing again and his eyes were different now.

"Y-yes" she breathed.

Her fingers felt clammy and her knees were doing that rocking thing again...

"You're anxious" he noted

And she swallowed.

He sat forward, their knees brushing "Hey," he voiced calmly, his hands out as he demonstrated "deep breaths"

At first she was confused

"C'mon, inhale, exhale..."

She found herself doing same and somehow that worked.

"Peace" he prayed silently and she put her hands on her knees.

"Better?"

She nodded slowly "Thank you" again.

"My pleasure" he nodded "Normally when I'm anxious I recite 2 Timothy 1:7 and it works,"

Not knowing how to accept that, she nodded.

"You paint so beautifully, you know" he confessed

"Thank you" there was that heat inside. Suddenly she wondered if it was normal to desire to paint him.

"I'd love to know what propelled you..." There was a ghost of a smile on his thin lips

She took a deep breath, hands intertwined and hooked over her knees,

"It's how I express my deepest feelings," she answered truthfully

"It just comes? "

"Yes" she nodded, feeling less tension "It's how my mind works, all I do is go with the flow"

"Just like my music" he whispered

"Okay..?"

Silence filled the space instantly, his eyes slowly narrowed as he studied her face carefully, making a volcano boil inside of her.

She hated that he stared with so much intent, she felt bare, naked, so vulnerable. Asher averted her gaze but he held her chin and made their eyes meet again. The contact made a weak gasp escape her lips as she fought to maintain her composure.

"I find you fascinating, Asher. I do not know why..." He trailed as he searched her eyes again, drawing her strength, tearing the layers she wove over to keep her broken self locked up.

"I won't force you to let me" he said under his breath but she heard

Let you do what? She wondered and he grinned.

She'd thought aloud yet again.

"The things in my heart." He told her and hesitantly put a hand over hers.

***

Okay, I got my main characters talking smoothly. That's progress. Goodnight!