Forced Vows

Déjà vu

He stopped very suddenly, his eyes turning sharply to the window behind me. 

“What?” I asked, trying to look back. He placed his hand on my face before I could look back. 

“Nothing” he said, but his voice was clipped, his eyes wavered on mine for a while before he stood up, walking almost cautiously to the window, with one swipe of his hands, he closed the curtains “I’m coming in a minute” he said. 

“Where are you going?” I asked, my voice monotone. He didn’t reply, instead turning and striding out, his hands snuck in his pocket and before I could see what he took out, the door closed behind him. 

A minute past. 

I cursed to myself and slid under the cover of the sofa. I turned to look at the ceiling, wondering what on earth would have happened. The mere thought made my heart want to explode. Bu no, if I knew anything about Evelyn it was that that would never happen. But...

I forced myself to stop thinking about that and instead closed my eyes, subconsciously waiting for the door to open. How many minutes had past? Certainly more than 1... Stop it Hazel I thought fiercely Go to sleep. 

Around an hour later the door opened, my eyes flickered open slightly to see Evelyn walk in. He locked the door behind him and turned to me. 

“Hazel aren’t you sleeping-”

“No” I cut him off and turned to face the sofa. “I’m fine here.”

He stood silent for a few minutes before walking to his room. I cursed and clenched my teeth, instead burying my face in the pillow. 

I placed my cappuccino on the table in front of me and glanced at the clock. 6:30. I was shocked. Truly and utterly shocked, that I had actually woken up (and the scarier part) voluntarily at such early hours. 

I stirred my cappuccino and took a sip, my eyes turned to stare at the bedroom door. He’d be out in a minute or two. Sure enough, two minutes later the door opened and Evelyn walked out, buttoning his blazer. It took him a second to see me and he slowed down for another second before turning quickly to the counter. 

He made himself some coffee in silence before sitting opposite me, stirring his coffee slowly as if he was purposely taking his time. 

“I thought you would be one to have black coffee” I found myself saying. 

He glanced up, eyebrow raised “oh really?” He mused “and why would that be?” 

It was strange how he talked. Like he had taken English as a second language- in the way that every sentence he spoke was grammatically correct and lengthy. He might as well be acting in some overly British movie from an American’s view. Not that he had a strong accent. I wondered, for a second, why I was analysing his speech. I shrugged. 

“I guess you do need some sweetening”

He gave a low laugh but stopped quickly, a grim expression crossing his face, as if he was holding himself back from laughing.  

“So” I said after a minute of silence. “What...are you doing today?” 

He stood up, looking away as he spoke “I thought about what you said yesterday” he said, his voice was quiet, almost cold. 

“Oh?” I fiddled with my spoon staring at my now cold coffee. 

“Yes” He answered, his back still turned to me. 

“So?”

He didn’t reply and instead put his cup down on the counter. 

“We’re leaving in 10 minutes”