Solace

four

A SCALDING HOT CUP OF HAZELNUT COFFEE sat waiting for me above my desk once I arrived at work the next morning.

"What's this?" I looked around, curling my fingers around the cup. It was warm to the touch, oozing a fragrant aroma.

"It's from your Prince Charming over there," Katie whispered from beside me, looking behind us towards the lone office at the end of the hallway. The blinds were shut, and the door was closed.

"I thought he said he had to be at Anderson during the day."

She giggled, squeezing my cheeks as if I was some naive child. "I think he's waiting to see you before he leaves for work," she pushed me in the direction of his office, before whispering, "C'mon, go and thank him for the coffee!"

I stumbled a few steps, my head light and airy as it all came crashing down.

Colton may truly legitimately like me. But the other part of my voice, the rational part, reasoned, you know it's not a good idea, Thalia. You're just a normal girl; don't fool yourself into thinking fairytales exist. People leave, especially people like Colton Anderson, who can have any girl he wants at the snap of his fingers. Then what will you do?

This Thalia-Thalia talk was driving me mad.

My hand rested on the door handle for what felt like seconds, as I pondered over whether I should just accept the coffee and move on, or do what Katie said and thank him. I bit my lip, about to turn back around, when the doorknob slipped from my grasp, and the door swung open.

Colton's hazel eyes appeared behind it, and the smile etched on his face was warm, though I couldn't help but realize it didn't fully reach his eyes.

I returned the smile, but it was hesitant and tight-lipped.

"What is this for?" I asked, holding up the coffee in my hands, as we entered his office.

He sat back at his desk and picked up his pen, signing some documents. Without looking up, he replied. "For yesterday. You dropped your hazelnut coffee because I showed up by surprise."

"You didn't have to," I murmured softly. You really didn't have to. You don't have to pull at my heart like this, keep my hopes up. In fact, I rather you not. Let me down easily.

"I never gave up hope we'd meet again," his eyes were blazed with a certain fervor, insistent and unrelenting. "And now that I've found you, I'm not giving up."

His eyes refused to leave mine, and I directed my eyes to the window view behind him before I could allow myself to become flustered, to feel the things I desperately didn't want to feel.

Are you sure, Colton? I wanted to ask. Are you sure that night wasn't just an illusion, a magical spell that would eventually fade?

"I don't belong in your world, Colton. Please just...forget me," I whispered, memories of Solace coming back to me in waves, but it was so long ago that now it only felt foreign, as if that night was the first time I dipped my toes in water, and now no longer remember how it felt.

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I could hear the light pattering of the rain as soon as I walked out from the building. The rain was glimmering and glistening, the pitter patter soothing yet covering the ground like a wet blanket of blues. I stood protected underneath the entrance canopy, removing my stilettos so I could run to the subway to take back to my apartment. Before I was about to start running, my phone rang by surprise, and I scrambled in my purse to find it.