Annalise

Chapter 26: The 'Deal'

The afternoon sky dimmed until the only source of natural light was left up high, the moonlight shined down brightly but failed to make my surroundings noticeable. The electric lights in my kitchen helped me navigate throughout, making it easier to create my Nutella sandwich.

I untwisted the little wrap around the bread bag, opening it up to pull out two slices. In the process, I ceased my actions, my muscles becoming tense instantly at the fast approaching steps behind me. My heart liquified as it sunk down to my churning stomach.

No one's home but me.

A hand grabbed me back to face my soon-to-be attacker, making me yelp in surprise as I flinched back and released the bread bag. In one food wasting second, many slices of bread bellyflopped to the floor, contaminating the uneaten food with one simple touch.

"I'm sorry," the guy blurted, a twinge of force truth coming out as his blue eyes settled onto his shoes.

"Asher?" I sighed in relief, shock invading my voice as I realized he was home, not avoiding me by constantly being out with friends I'd never met.

"I'm sorry for the way I treated you. I'm sorry for calling you a dumbass, which I didn't mean at all. I'm sorry for ignoring you since the day my hand broke, so basically the whole week," he sighed, mumbling the last sorry as he scratched the side of his head.

"It's o-"

It's not ok. It's not ok until you get some answers, my dark voice claimed.

"I can accept your apology when you stop hiding things from me," I replied, bending down to grab the fallen bread.

My hidden face kept my words serious, there was no sign of unsureness but my features lacked confidence. My heart is easily able to forgive, ready to accept the apology and leave it at that. The clock on his timid behaviors turned off, activating his normal composure, guarded and defensive.

"I'm not," he counteracted, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

I turned away from him, throwing the wasted bread away.

"You know Alessandro once told me when you lie you try to keep a simple, straight up answer," I slipped in casually, pivoting on my heels to meet his cool eyes.

I pressed my back against the kitchen counter, resting my palms on the cool granite top, awaiting Asher's response. I was expecting a snippy retort from him but instead he dropped his crossed arms, relaxing as he shrugged.

"I'm not hiding anything. You just don't know what I know."

I lifted an eyebrow up, "And what is it that you know that I don't?" I furthered it, holding the air inside my lungs hostage.

"Things," he vaguely explained, smoothly passing me and sitting down on one of the stools.

I turned around, flashing a pointed look his way. Approaching the closest stool, I sat opposite from him.

"Asher," I complained, throwing my hands up. "If you're not telling me what you know than you're hiding things from me."

"Fine, I'm a Chinese spy. Are you happy now?" He surprisingly grinned, his pinkish lips curling up for the first time in a long time.