Unorthodox Love

chapTeR EigHTEen

I fell onto the bench heavily. I gripped the luke warm coffee tightly, it was the only thing I could purchase from Pour and Preduse. Sad, it may be. But then again is there anything happy enough to suffice our pleasure?

Feeling someone's gaze on me I reluctanly looked up to see who it was. Please don't be Axel, I silently thought to my self. Crossing my fingers as a precautionary measure.

I looked up to find a stranger on the other side of the bench staring at me weirdly. I dropped my gaze to avoid his curious one.

"You're afraid." The stranger stated.

I winced at his accuracy. Who was this guy? "Of what exactly?"

He paused for a while, rubbing his chin and assessing me. "I'm sure as hell it's not something but someone"

I winced again.

"But you're also afraid of something."

My gaze shot to him. He was way too accurate to be human, he was right.

Right now that someone was him and that something was dying.

I stood up abruptly, my intention was to leave before he spoke.

"You don't have to run from me, I am not who you should fear."

I stared at him in disbelief. "How could I not fear a stranger that just read my thoughts on the first look?"

He sat in silence for a moment, not even fazed. Instead he reached out his hand "Xander Carson, forty-five years old, I have a small busimess uptown, and I have two kids."

I shook his hand warily "That still  doesn't explain how you saw through me that easily."

He blinked at me, something flashed through his eyes. "Because I know the look of fear, I've been wearing it for half of my life."

I sat back down slowly, something inside me told me trust this stranger and it beckoned me to sit back down. I couldn't resist it, whatever it was, it was too strong to be faught.

I expected him to ask questions and inquire more about my fear, but we just sat there in silence. Silence, the only thing I asked for. Something told me that he already knew the answers, so much for a total stranger. It was a shame I knew nothing about him.

But somehow I felt as if I did now spemthing about him. At least a little. He looked quite familiar but his name didn't ring any bells. It felt lile this man was connected to me, in one way or another

He looked a lot like--

An obnoxious and loud ring pierced through the silent air.

"Hello?" Xander, the man, said beside me. After some brief 'yes' and 'no' s he stood up and left without a word.

I stared at the rough pavement in front of my feet. Staring at the tiny rocks that shone like glitter from the harsh glare of the sun.

I sighed and got up. Discarding my cup that was still filled with cold coffee, I felt vibrations wave through from my pocket.

I glanced down to my phone, my brother's name was written across the top of the screen, telling me that the call was from him.

I took my time picking it up. I knew he was just going to pester me about my decision, and slowing my speed felt as if I was delaying the inevitable. But hey, it's worth a shot.

"Where are you?" He sounded out of breath and pretty much concerned, but he sounded annoyed to me as well.

"Gee, hello to you too." Delay it as much as you can...

"No time to kid around. Answer me, where. Are. You." He repeated slower.

I rolled my eyes but answered never the less. "At the park."

He muttered a curse causig my brows to furrow. "Did anyone talk to you or anything?" His inquiry intrigued at the most. Why would he want to know that?

"Actually there was this man, his name sounded like yours. Xander Carson." I filled him in.

The end of the line went silent for a period of time. Confusion etched on my face as the silence went on. What the hell was going on?

I thought he dropped the phone on me but before I could speak I heard a crash followed by the painful shatter of glass.

"Did he say anything else?" His question was more of a demand, taunting me to even tell a lie.

"Well he told me some creepy shit about fears. Like, he read right through me. Scary isn't it?"

I could've sworn I heard him release a breath of relief. "Okay then. Come home when you feel like it. Bye."

"Bye."

I ended the call with new regained curiousity and also a hell load of fear.

I have a hunch about all this, but if ever I'm right... let's just hope it's not.

Because I have a feeling that Xander holds a missing link in my life.