Unexpected Twists

Unchanged : 12

*Paige's  POV*
I could hardly contain my excitement as I speeded towards Cup 'O Joes. It's been weeks since I've seen him but I turned the corner info the case I once again collided with someone. This time I groaned, until I saw who it was,  "Now what's so familiar about this." he teased. I busted out in laughter, he then laughed too and soon everyone was watching us while we were laughing tears  (I think I saw someone was even taking a video out of the corner of my eye). I strongly believed it was more then just the fact that I had rammed him again, it was the excitement of seeing each other again and we were laughing our stress of the past month away.

When we finally calmed down, we walked together in silence to the cafe. When we got to the door he shifted his briefcase into his left hand to open the door for me. Add he did so, his loosely hanging sleeve shifted up and I got a glimpse of a scar, thin and old but it looked deep.

Unconscious, I reached for his sleeve and pulled it up. I winced as I saw how long the scar was. "What happened? " I asked in a shaking voice. "It was just a stupid accident. " he said in a somewhat cold voice that I didn't recognise but it was clear he didn't want to talk about it. "It guess you'll never made the same mistake twice?" I joked, trying to lighten the mood.
"Yes," he said, "never again. "

The mood lucky changed and he was once again himself as we ordered and started eating. Suddenly a man rushed pasted us, only to trip over Adrian's briefcase. Papers flew out of his case but Adrian ignored it and rushed straight to the man to help him.

Strangely the man avoided him and jerked away from Adrians' help almost as if he was afraid of him and he was trying so to get away from him. He finally got up and continued rushing out the door.

"Well, that wasn't weird. " he said add he bend down to pick up his papers. "Totally. " I agreed as I started to help him,  it was then I noticed drawings, his briefcase was filled with drawings and they were good but they were all round about the same.

They were all faces of people but it was just the eyes and nose and where the mouth was suppose to be something that looked like tape was in its place.  It wasn't painted just black and white. "What are these? " I asked.

"Oh," He said shyly, "those are drawings. " I rolled my eyes, "Yes, I can see that Captain Obvious, I meant what are they for? " By now all the papers were back in the case but I took  a few drawings, pushed the food away and spread them out on the table. They were beautiful some had angry eyes, some were scared but they all had one thing in common, they couldn't speak.

Not waiting for him to answer I said, "These are just so... I don't know? Amazing, beautiful, deep." He looked at me with a surprised smile,  "You really think so? " I nodded, "Let me guess, this stands for the people who don't have a voice,  for those who can't cry or speak. "

"Actually I just couldn't draw a mouth so I went with the tape. " I looked up with surprise until I saw the teasing look in his eyes and him biting his bottom lip to hold back his laughter  (so hot). I laughed with relieve.

"So I'm right?" I asked abd nodded, "Close enough they represent the people in my town. " I interrupted, "Where do you come from?  You never said."

"Nettleton, it's a fishing area by the south coast of Belltigo." I nodded, "Nettleton. Why does that name sound so similar? " I thought but didn't ask,  I had properly heard about a case near there.  "Anyway, " he continued  " we were once faced with a problem? " I asked.

Adrain looked down as if ashamed and didn't answer me. I leaned over and touched his hand. "It's okay, Adrian. The past doesn't matter. " I said softly. Adrian looked up at me and smiled and I saw a spark in his eyes.  A spark of hope.