The ride back home in Elijah's car was quiet. Mostly because Arya wasn't sure what she could say to ease the tension. She recalled the last few moments of their date as she stared out the window, the street lamps casting a glow on her face every now and then as they sped through the streets.
After their almost kiss was rudely interrupted by the phone call, Elijah had walked a distance away to answer the phone, frowning when he saw the caller ID. Though she knew it was bad to eavesdrop, curiosity won over and she strained her ear to listen to the conversation. She couldn't hear anything uttered by Elijah, though his rather angry expression told her that it was a conversation he didn't want to have at the moment. When he walked back to her, Arya looked him with a questioning look. He gave her a brief smile and exhaled. Slowly, he took her right hand from her side and carefully, left feather like kisses on her knuckles as if doing so calms him down from the upsetting call. Stunned, Arya tried to find her voice but failed miserably. She managed a quiet sigh; a sigh of contentment.
While some people describe contact with someone you admire with fireworks and jitters, all she felt that moment was peace and serenity. Perhaps it was due to the fact that it was her presence that made him feel better; by just being there with him and it brought her joy to be able to do so for him though she couldn't explain why she felt so for this boy she had just met recently. She couldn't even comprehend her own feelings of recent past.
His eyes lazily met hers after a while, his lips still inches away from her hand, so she could still feel his warm breath against her skin. "I should send you back home," he said softly, tearing his eyes away from her face.
Still dazed him the touch of his lips on her knuckles, Arya gave him a nod and bit her lower lip.
"Come," he said eventually as he picked up her heels from the ground and took her hand once more. They walked back to the car in silence. Arya still spell bound by the hand kiss and Elijah too upset by the phone call to make a conversation up.
"Is everything okay?" she finally asked. They were almost back at her house and she had mustered up the courage to ask him along the ride back. She knew it would keep her awake that night if she didn't ask.
He turned his head to look at her for a moment before locking his eyes on the road again. "No, but nothing you need to worry about," he replied softly, his tone gentle. He looked tired then. He had undone his tie before starting the car up and unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt.
Though she knew he hadn't meant for it to come out harsh, Arya couldn't help but felt slightly hurt with his reply. "Oh," she managed and looked out the window, masking the hurt in her voice. Clearly, it wasn't something he wanted to share with her though she felt that she shouldn't feel so for he didn't owe it to her to tell her. Who was she to him then anyway? No one except a girl who he took out for a quiet dinner whom he met a few days ago.
Arya was fumbling with her fingers when he put the car on park at her driveway. She bit her lower lip subconsciously as she gazed out of the car - her house was lit up by the two outdoor lights near the door. She turned to look at him and he was staring at her with his tired eyes. She hadn't realized his hair messed up, probably from the few times he ran his hand though his hair as he drove.
"Um, thanks for the dinner," she said finally, rather quietly.
"My pleasure, Arya. Though under different circumstances, it would've ended slightly differently," he admitted. "Better than this," he added, finally chuckling softly. She hadn't realized how much she longed to hear that until she did.
Her lips curved to a smile. "It wasn't too bad," she cajoled, feeling the mood lighting up just a touch already.
That got a real chuckle out of him. "Is that so?" he questioned without expecting an answer, though amused.
He tilted his head slightly and smirked at her. Smirk! "Perhaps it's not too late to change that," he remarked, his voice hushed and husky; his eyes darken as he moved closer to her, unbuckling his seat belt.
Arya felt her breath got caught in her throat and for a moment she just gaped at him, pinned at her seat. His mood changed so quickly that she wasn't sure what to expect anymore. He was ecstatic when he picked her up. Happy and calm as they devoured their meal but then troubled and upset when he received the phone call. But now, in the car, in front of her house, sexy and alluring, reeling her in.
"Breathe, Arya," he said ever so softly, reminding her to inhale and exhale. She hadn't realize that she was holding her breath until he mentioned it. She took his advice as his green eyes searched into her brown ones. Her heartbeat escalated rather quickly as he closed the gap between them. It was exasperating that he had such an effect on her. She heard him let out a faint sigh before she felt his soft lips against hers.
