A Chill In The Air (Book 1)

A Chill In The Air - Chapter 22

A Chill In The Air

Chapter Twenty-Two

The moments that passed as Paisley stood staring down at the picture only made her anger stronger, much stronger than her suspicious or curious feelings all fighting for the top spot in her emotions top ten. She no longer held any fear within her as this was more than a possible mistake; the girl in the picture mirrored the very image if Paisley now looked into a mirror back at herself. There was no denying the fact that this wasn’t even hidden but why was it so openly accessible? Even the least dark of secrets have some method of seclusion so not to be discovered, Cedric had some answering to do.

Bringing down her anger level enough, Paisley managed to eventually close the photo album slowly before putting it back in its place of discovery. She again slowly turned around so her back now faced the home of the photo album; she took carefully placed steps over into the office side of the room facing the mirror looking at the now ghostly pale girl staring back at her. Checking what she saw just to make sure it wasn’t a mistake of the mind; the figure in the oval mirror mirrored the girl in the picture down to the last hair on Paisley’s head. “Impossible.” She said only managing barely a whispered breath. Looking down at her hands Paisley shook her head looking back up at her reflection, “Impossibly impossible.” She said whilst blinking, shaking her head in disbelief.

Cedric could be heard downstairs still milling around doing things, only a man could take so long to make a cup of tea unless he’s adding a whole banquet to accompany it. What Paisley didn’t know that the reason for Cedric taking so long was because deep within him he could feel her uneasiness, but to him he could only deduce to the fact that she was in his home, a guy she’s not long met and already has feelings for. To him he didn’t think it anything else but what he could firstly come up with, let alone it be the biggest secret he’s kept that’s now been discovered by chance.

When she was done looking at herself in the most non vein of ways did Paisley supress enough anger, as hard as it was to do, to go out of the room. Despite the lingering desire to go downstairs at lightning speed and rip his gorgeous head from his sculpted shoulders. She stood now away from the mirror, eyes closed taking slow deep breaths to calm even more before she was at the level that she could walk out of the room feeling as calm as she left, without returning to the scary state of anger upon departing the room’s threshold. In her head several minutes have passed before Paisley felt calm enough to leave, despite in reality it being no more than five. She as calmly as humanly possible and left the room heading back in which way she came, down then into the hallway to the kitchen as Cedric came into view.

Two cups of freshly made tea were in Cedric’s hands as he turned around when Paisley was no less than two feet away from him, a gentle smile on his face to greet her as she came closer. “Hey, you alright?” Taking her cup from him Paisley nodded. “Yeah I’m alright, it’s just a lot to take in you now?” Giving Cedric the reassurance he needed for the reason he suspected for her behaviour, he leaned back against the cool stove still smiling. “Yes it’s understandable. So apart from the awe of it all is the place okay? Not to modern-guy?” Mentally rolling her eyes Paisley was screaming that it was so modern guy but out of her mouth came a totally different answer. “No not at all, if anything just needs more warm colours.” Her making idle chit-chat dulled any other possible suspicions in Cedric’s mind enabling him to relax fully, “Yeah you’re probably right.” Taking a sip from her tea Paisley paused mid-sip and looked at him. “Actually there is one thing.” Arching a brow from the edge of his cup Cedric looked at her. “Oh? What is it?” barely two seconds after he finished his sentence, Paisley took a step forward with a grip firm on the handle of her cup, sending its  piping hot contents all over Cedric, who now gasping let go of his cup now smashed and its contents spilled and pooled at his feet.

Looking like he’d just come from a big spill at a tea factory, a rather brown-looking Cedric looked at Paisley with surprise and horror. “What the?!” Paisley herself was still gripping the cup now at her side, her eyes had welled up and were spilling over with the tears of anger she’d fought so hard to keep in, and she just couldn’t do it anymore. “Why’d you lie to me Cedric? You said that this is the first time we’ve met why did you lie??” she said her free fist now balled up ready to punch. Wide-eyed and confused, Cedric stands up from his surprised splash stance and now stands straight. Refusing to answer, Paisley walked to the hall retrieving her coat and bag, the cup no longer in her hand but on the kitchen island. Cedric walked to catch her up and he stood behind her. “Paisley please don’t go, tell me what’s wrong what did I do?” he said genuinely confused. Now ready to go Paisley still refused to answer as she opened the door and took a final look back at him, her eyes still flooding with tears as she slammed the door shut behind her. Now leaving a bemused and saddened Cedric standing behind it, wondering what he’s done wrong.