Solitude Grace

Chapter Eleven

Four days later and Lisa had still not heard a word from Harper. She had called frequently only to have Gladis answer and tell her he was sleeping or working or out buying groceries for the house. Lisa wasn't stupid, she knew he was avoiding her.

She had almost considered slapping herself for letting herself feel so happy about a boy who had kept himself distant from her for a reason. Now she was hurting and it was his fault, he was hurting her. She felt proud of herself for not giving into him though, she had kept her ground and now stood tall atop it as she marched down the stairs to face her grandparents who had clearly instructed her to come eat with them.

She hadn't eaten with them in three days, she didn't want them to see the wreck she had become. She was always the girl with the proud glint in her eyes, the one who stood tall above the rest. The school was run by her and who associated with her, she couldn't deny it, she was the queen bee and she had her followers.

But now she could see visible bags under her eyes, her face had gotten paler, she had barely smiled in the last seventy two hours and to say she's eaten would be an outright lie. It was like she stopped functioning properly the minute she discovered her feelings had been tampered with by a cold-hearted, conceited idiot who cared nothing for her even though he had told her he had.

She made a promise to herself as she rounded the kitchen corner that she would not fall for his inhuman looks or his sullen attitude again.

Harper had noticed his attitude gradually changing, he had become impatient and moody, he couldn't stand the colour blonde on anyone's hair and he openly glared at those with blue eyes.

He knew why he was like this, but he wouldn't admit it to himself. He would do his work for Gladis, still offer her the same respect he always had, eat dinner and then retreat to his room where he had discovered a book shelf and read the old classics. There was an old copy of Jack London's The Call of the Wild to which he had almost finished reading.

Gladis never asked about his lack in social interaction and he liked it that way. He didn't need human things like a social life, the need to interact with other, he was a creature of solitude and would act and be treated as such.

But every night, just as he closed his eyes he saw those violet blue eyes staring back at him, daring him to give into the feelings he was finding harder and harder to hide from. Gladis had already advised him that she would not be covering for him any longer and that he would have to face Lisa some time or another.

Harper wished for another.

He did want to see her, every since he stopped having any contact with her his need had not subsided, instead growing stronger and stronger. But to be close to her would be to reveal his secret and he couldn't have that. She would run around town crying wolf, she was a risk and one he wouldn't take.

She would also be in danger. He was banished and therefore had no obligations that needed to be upheld, but their was a still a law for his kind, humans could not know of them, so if Lisa were to know, they would have her brain wiped of any recollection of who she was and who he was. Harper didn't want her to forget him, he wouldn't risk her.

So he stayed away.

Many times in the morning it would surprise him that she hadn't come around yet. But then he remembered how stubborn she was, yes she would call, but she would still keep her pride in tact, therefore she would not come grovelling at his feet begging him to take her. 

It almost put a smile on his face how well he knew the girl now, and that she didn't disappoint him in his knowledge about her.

He was now sitting in his room like he always had on his days off, Gladis made sure not to work him every day, telling him he was young and that there was no rush. She was out with some church friends today doing God only knows, so Harper was left alone with Marbles, the cat, as his only companion.