Pink Walls

Perfect Gentlemen✓

❄

I always wondered how

something so bright

could look so lonely

in the blankness of night

For reasons beyond me, I was painfully aware of Kayden's gaze being permanently fixed on me. All the attention made it hard not to choke on the cheesed-soaked bun that was currently torturing me. With all the patience in the world, I slowly pinched pieces of the burger and fed it into my mouth with the hope that Kayden would get tired of my antics.

I didn't dare look up at him until I was done.

I spent every second savoring the tastes lavishing my tongue. The moment I sunk my teeth into a mouthful of pickles and onions was the point where I was just a step away from humming in delight. I almost expected a comment from Kayden but he just stood there, watching.

It was then that I realized that I wasn't winning this standoff. I was going to have to eat the whole thing.

I did my best to speed things up as neatly as possible but I still got cheese all over my fingers. I felt tempted to lick it off but eating in front of him was already mortifying enough.

"Now, was that so hard?" he asked.

I looked up at him. I found myself staring into his blue eyes. My gaze traced his entire face before landing on his lips.

On seeing his smug grin, I had this inexplicable urge to tell him that I had swallowed most of the burger without bothering to chew or even taste it. But. . . all he wanted was to pay me back with food, saying that would have been too mean of me, wouldn't it?

I folded the cheesy wrapper and carefully stuffed it into my pocket. "Yes. It was."

"I see that you aren't big on littering."

"I prefer not to do things that are harmful to the environment." I shrugged. Now, I didn't know what to do with my stained hands. I had managed not to get any cheese on my bandages but now I was to scared to touch anything.

"That's good to know." He handed me a serviette I didn't realize he was holding. "You have cheese," he gestured towards me face, "everywhere."

I passed the paper napkin over my lips and cheeks in panic before pausing and realizing that I had eaten the burger the way I had to prevent this exact eventuality. I had never eaten in front of anyone but Dad, Mother and her 'guests' so I always tried my best to avoid situations where people had to see me eat. 

Kayden had been pretty insistent though, so I had done my best to eat as prettily as possible—even with the absence of a fork and knife.

Mother always told me that I had terrible eating habits—and that was a big no-no. At any point in a meal I was either eating too fast or too slowly. Thinking about how long I needed to wait before taking a spoon of food made me not want to eat at all but etiquette was etiquette and I was taught it for a reason. Mother never wanted her 'guests' to think that I wasn't well-bred.

Now I wondered what thoughts Trevor had of me after I had knock my plate to the floor and ruined his well-prepared lunch. By then did he still care what position I placed my fork and knife when Mother sent me to my room?

"Calm down Olly, I was just pulling your legs." Kayden's laugh interrupted my thoughts.

Not knowing what to say, I settled on glaring at him. I guess I should have known by now that he didn't have a mean bone in his body. Even if I had been drenched in cheese, he wouldn't have said anything. Maybe he would have just smiled.