Underground

5

Estelle
So August took me back to his house after I'd texted Logan and told her I couldn't make it to lunch even though we didn't have plans.
Right now, I'm sat on one of his couches while he stared at me from the other side of the coffee table.
August's house was big for one person and a pug.
August has a cute little white pug that he called Atlas.
As soon as we walked through the door, Atlas was obsessed with me, which meant a little pug puppy jumping all over my feet.
August looked at me seriously, even though a pug was curled up on ny lap.
We stare at each other for a while until August breaks the awkward silence. "So I was just wondering, why were you scared back there?"
"I wasn't scared." I say, lying through my teeth.
"Don't lie, you were talking to that guy and terrified." August says.
I stroke Atlas and look into August's troubled brown eyes, which made my heart skip a beat. "His name was Jameson."
"I don't care what his name was! I want to know why you were scared." He says, his eyes reaching for an answer I wouldn't spill.
"I guess his eyes." I lie again.
"What about his eyes?" August asks, at least somewhat believing my stupid little lie.
"They had a scary feeling in them, like they could see right through me. Like a ghost." I pause. "They were stony and cold, and they made me feel like he was digesting me like a book."
"Do my eyes make you feel like that?" He asks.
I shake my head. "Your eyes are different, warm, comforting, homely." I give a small smile.
August smiles too, his eyes lighting up.
"What about mine?" I ask, looking into his bright eyes.
"Your's are different, strange almost, but beautiful and bright, they remind me of a cloudy day, because they're grey, but they also remind me of dancing in the rain, it's weird and beautiful, like you." August says.
With that, I look down at Atlas, my cheeks hot.
"Hey! Since when is my dog more interesting than me?" August laughs, tilting my head up with his finger.
My cheeks seemed to get hotter as I look into his eyes.
He smiles at my blush. "Cute."
I smile and look back down at Atlas.
Just then, my phone rung, so I reach into my back pocket and grab it, answering it and holding it to my ear.
"Hello?" I ask.
"Estelle, where are you?" Jackson asks.
"Jackson?" I respond.
"Yes, it's Jackson, but where are you?" He asks.
"Out, why?" I ask.
"Get home." He orders.
"Why?" I respond.
"This whole city is crawling with government people, agents, scientists, and what not. E, they're looking for you." He explains.
"But, I'm safe now." I say, furrowing my eyebrows.
"In my eyes, you aren't safe until you get home and in our sight." Jackson says.
"I'm safe." I assure him.
"Where are you? I'll pick you up." Jackson asks.
"I'm with Au-" August plucks the phone from my hand. "-gust."
August presses the phone to his ear. "Hello?"
I could hear Jackson faintly ask. "Who's this?"
"Well, I should be asking you the same thing." August asks.
"I'm her dad's coworker." Jackson answer. "Well, adoptive father."
"Oh, why are you calling?" August asks.
I couldn't hear Jackson's jumbled answer.
"Ok, I think I can keep her here." A pause in August's words as Jackson answers. "Alright, thanks, bye." August hangs up.
I look at August about to tell me I lied, not just about Jameson, but also everything. But he kinda gives me a soft smile, obviously a forced one.
"I should go." I say, quietly.
"You're supposed to stay here." August says, breaking eye contact with me and looking to his left.
My heart hurts at the fact he's to ashamed to even look at me.
"Jackson's quite the fellow." August says.
"I know." I answer. "Do you have a bathroom?"
"Yeah, straight down the hall to the left." He answers.
I nod and push past him, following his directions to the bathroom, where I lock myself in, just wanting to take a breather.
I could hear Atlas's little paws scratching on the white door, whines filter through the door as well.
Eventually, I unlock the door, and walk back to the living room, where my phone sat on the table, August nowhere to be seen.
Atlas, who was circling my feet, whined loudly, obviously wanting to be picked up.
So, I crouch down and pick up the small white pug, cuddling him in my arms.
I could hear humming coming from, well, somewhere.
Atlas panted, obviously wanting me to follow the noise.
So, cautiously, I crept through the rather large house, looking for August.
Eventually, I find the place where the sound was coming from, it was August's office.
I stand in the doorway watching as August's types away on his computer, doing some kind of dance with his head, as he listens to soft music.
Atlas barks, calling the attention of August to him.
August first looks at the dog, then looks up to meet my eyes. "Can you promise me something?"
"Yeah, what?" I ask.
"No more lies." He starts. "I know that's a bit insane, but the guy on the phone said there are people looking for you and lies could put you in a worse position."
I nod, telling him that I understood.
"But that doesn't mean you can't have privacy, I mean, if you want privacy, take it, but I just wanna keep you safe."
I think about what I should say to him. "So if I dont wanna tell you something, I can say that it's private?" I ask.
"Depending on what it is, if you murdered someone, I'd enjoy knowing." August jokes.
I give a small smile, and nod slightly. "I can do that."
"Good, cause if you didn't it would be really awkward." August says.
I smile.
"So, how about some movies and pizza?" He asks.
"I'd love it." I smile.
August smiles and grabs his phone with the leather case and orders a pizza.
Then we walk out to the living room and set up, August goes to the kitchen and pops some popcorn, while I set up the blankets.
The doorbell rings and August walks over to it, paying the pizza person, before bidding him a good night.
Then he came in with a bowl of popcorn balanced on top of a pizza box. "Ready?"
I nod, settling into his couch. He sets the pizza down on the table along with the pizza, before turning on a movie, then sitting next to me.
I place my head onto his chest as we start watching, my eyelids heaving with the sound of August's heartbeat thumping.