Queen of the Ashes

Chapter Five

Citrus limon:
discretion
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Ethan chewed slowly on a cupcake while twirling his fingers on the table. Although his body was filled with anxiety, he couldn't help but savor the sweet taste of strawberries as it tingled on his taste buds and made him moan lowly. He took a sip of his iced coffee to dim down the sugary taste of the frosting before the sweets gave his teeth an ache.

This was the first time ever he was actually meeting up with Maze and not just running into her by accident. This was an actually planned encounter. And it drove Ethan mad with anxiety. He was a trembling mess and not even the cupcake could distract him from it. Even as it tasted delicious.

Ethan checked the door and then the watch on the wall every two seconds and was left equally disappointed each time. But this time the disappointment stung worse than the other times as he realized he had already been waiting here for two hours. They hadn't really set up a time to meet so Ethan had rushed off to the library as soon as his shift ended. He felt stupid for being so anxious about this, but then again, she was the first real friend in years, except Jonathan and Birgitte of course. But this friendship was different in a way. It drove him mad with anticipation each time. As if she was an exhilarating book that he would only be given one page at a time to read. It was close to torture, yet he cherished each page like never before.

Ethan hadn't realized that his eyes had dropped down to his book and that he was reading until a familiar voice ripped his gaze off the page. «What is this obsession you've got over that flower book?»

Ethan felt his face heat as he smiled, eyes running over her braided red hair before meeting her dark gaze. She had styled it differently and she looked even more beautiful than before. Less... annoyed.

«I-I'm trying to learn the flower language»

The woman rolled her dark eyes, her appearance looking slightly...darker than usual. It had a sensual edge to it. However, Ethan didn't dwell on it.

«You a girl or something?» She mocked but Ethan's smile just widened.

«N-No, I just think it sounds more meaningful...c-communicating through flowers, rather than w-words, I-I mean»

The woman rolled her eyes again, but the corner of her mouth twitch ever so slightly. Unfortunately, it went unnoticed by Ethan.

Maze settled in the opposite chair of the table and leaned back, sighing deeply as if she was tired. Ethan noticed this and swallowed hard before suggesting a low "c-cupcake?" pushing the half-eaten strawberry cupcake towards her crossed arms resting on the table.

She lot her eyes run over the treat and wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Don't eat" she answered, and Ethan nodded, being obvious to the true meaning behind her words. Thinking she probably just didn't like strawberry cupcakes.

Ethan took in a deep breath before jumping into what he had planned to do since he saw her at his work, he looked her in the eye before smiling wider, a smile that was more forced than unusual.

«H-hey, w-what's your number?» The sentence almost seemed like one big word by the way he had uttered it so hurriedly. However, the woman obviously caught his question as she raised a brow. She looked at him for a long time until she snorted.

«I'm not giving it to you so you can ask me on a fucking date again»

Ethan felt his blood freeze in his veins. Again? He couldn't grasp why she would make it seem like he had actually asked her before. Because he hadn't. At least not intentionally.