Blurred

Ch.2-Maybe I Just Don't Care

I was justifiably pissed off when I woke the next morning, with full blame aimed at “Alec” down the hall from me. I kept thinking any second he would enter and kill me in my sleep, just because he could. Given he looked like the kind of guy who kicked puppies and threw people off of bridges just for shits and giggles, I wouldn’t put it passed him.

When I trudged down the stairs and fell into the kitchen chair, I didn’t even bother getting a bowl of cereal. I knew I wouldn’t have the coordination to eat it.

“My goodness. Somebody got up on the wrong side of the bed today.”

All I could emit was a derisive grunt. “Why are you always so happy?”

“The world needs more happy people, my dear.”

“Hmph.”

“Can I ask why you look so . . . Bedraggled?”

“I’ll tell you why,” I muttered. “I was paranoid all night long that that lunatic would throw me out the window or something.”

He laughed. “I hardly think Alec would throw you out a window.”

“Who the hell is he?”

My grandfather opened his mouth, but any words he might have spoken died on his tongue as his eyes flickered somewhere behind me. When I shifted around I saw the supposed Alec standing in the doorway. He looked as dark and daunting as always, moving silently, like a shadow, and for some irrational reason that aggravated me.

“Alec!” my grandfather exclaimed. “Good morning. I’ve heard you and Lilia have already met?”

His dark gaze settled on me, a sneer pulling his lip up. He said nothing, striding into the kitchen and preparing a bowl of frosted flakes. I gave my grandfather a ‘how can you think that’s normal’ look, to which he ignored.

“How are you today?”

“Fine.”

“Did you sleep well?”

“Fine.”

“Grandpa, he clearly has better things to do than make civilized conversation with us, so you should probably just leave him alone.”

But grandfather dearest looked less than impressed. “You two will be living with each other for the rest of the summer. The least you can do is be courteous.”

“No, the least I can do is nothing,” I grumbled.

“What was that?”

“Nothing.”

“Just as I thought.” He stood up, clearly going on teacher-mode. “The both of you will get along when you’re in the confines of my house. Now, I know I can’t control you once you leave the perimeter, but I will hold it to you to be at least a bit civil to each other.”

I snorted. I could feel Alec’s gaze burning a hole through my neck. Be civil? So not happening.

“This is stupid,” Alec muttered, and carried his cereal elsewhere. When he was gone I glared at my grandfather.

“Talk,” I ordered. “Who is he?”

He sighed, sinking into a chair across from me. “Alec Grey showed up on my doorstep a couple weeks ago.”

I frowned. “And what, you just kept him? Is he an orphan or something?”

“No—not exactly.”

“Not exactly?”

“It’s complicated, Lilia.” He ran a hand over what few strands of grey hair he had left. “He attends the school I teach, so it’s not like I don’t know who he is. But he claims to have no memory whatsoever of what brought him to my door.”