Infinite

Chapter 7 - A Good Morning

Sitting around the newly laid table, Elixa wore the brightest blush she had ever had felt. Her whole body felt hot and bothered underneath her jeans and uncomfortably tight top. Around the table was the sounds of metal on ceramic as they boys, well Alex, ate quickly. Zephyr was sitting in almost silence, his spoon barely grazing his plate. Elixa, in contrast, had not even raised the spoon to her mouth yet. She sat twirling it around in between her index finger and thumb.

"Good thoughts, Elixa?" Alex asked the absentminded woman.

"Huh?" She turned her gaze to his while her mind cleared. Alex said nothing, but nodded down. Confused, Elixa looked down at her bowl, but was suddenly aware that was not what Alex was pointing out. Her bottom lip was burning, badly. She had been biting it while staring at Zephyr.

Urgh, what was happening to me? This was getting ridiculous now.

"It is probably sleep deprivation, Alex. She was tossing and turning the whole night, you have nightmares Elixa?" Zephyr looked up from his empty bowl and gently placed his spoon in it. Now everyone was looking at her.

Wishing she could crawl into herself and disappear, Elixa looked down. "Yeah, nightmares." This top was definitely too tight, did she not have any less revealing clothing? Why were they still looking at her?

"You are looking at unease there. Do you want to talk about your dreams?" Zephyr's calming voice brought her eyes back up. Where she felt she should have jumped at the question, her body simply gave into the care expressed by this still stranger.

"Maybe later," came her short reply. She quickly shoved some food into her mouth.

"Aren't you a little late for work Elixa?" Alex asked her seriously. "It is 10am you know. You are normally awake long before this and bringing me my coffee."

"Ha-ha Alex. No, today is my off day. From work and from Uni. Works out nicely for me. I was actually wondering," giving a shy glace to Zephyr, "if I could maybe just relax at your place?"

"Of course." Alex got up and placed his dishes in the sink. Elixa noticed for the first time that he was already dressed and ready. "Well I have to get going. Zephy, you going to join me or sort out your things here?"

"I will stay here and sort out my things."

"Your call, just remember that you do start working with me at the University next week. So when you are done, start reading over my thesis." That is right. Elixa remembered that he was at the University to sign admittance letters. He was obviously helping with Alex's theoretical work this year. Alex must really trust Zephyr as he did not even let her see his work. It added more mystery as to how far back him and Zephyr went, or where he went for those years.

"I will be back late tonight. We have a seminar at the college on Neuropsychology." With that, Alex left the house. The door slamming behind him left an echo of silence. Zephyr silently held a cup of coffee to his lips. His eyes closed, steam rising up around his face. Light caught his face at a delicate angle and brought a surreal look to the already enigmatic person sitting next to Elixa at the table. Last night's conversation seemed so far away, a life time ago. Her dream seemed just that, a dream. Although even that seemed more real than her feelings, than this moment.

The silence was not heavy, the moment was not awkward. She could stare at Zephyr all morning if he stayed like this. He was just so...so...himself. There was no worry in the world that could pull her away from this moment. She just wished that he would look at her, and not the back of his eyelids.

"So, what is it that you would like to know about me?" The steam from his coffee ballooned across the day-lit table, swirled and turned up into nothing. His cloud-grey eyes opened and latched onto her own staring eyes. His face was framed by a dark shadow of stubble, and his hair was still a mess from sleeping. A captivating mess.