RED

17. Ivy

Though lovers be lost, love shall not.

by Dylan Thomas.

Kiana blinked quite a few times, unable to believe what was happening. All she could do was stare at him. His presence filled her with something different. He was there. He was there for her.

As if suddenly, smacked on the head, Kiana recalled herself. She forced herself to shift her eyes away from his and that was when she realised once more that they were outside and right under the rain. She shifted her eyes back to him but he hadn't budged once. She noticed just how drenched he had become under the rain. Her brows slightly furrow and she raised her hand to the handle of the umbrella.

"You're getting wet." She told him, as she shifted the umbrella to his shade, but he shifted it right back to her.

"I'm fine. I don't want you falling sick again." He stated whilst still staring at her. His comment alone made her still for a moment as she stared back at him. She didn't know if she should believe her ears. Right now, he sounded like he cared. Like he cared about her, but then again, she could have been mistaken, so she shifted her eyes away from him then took in a deep breath.

"I'm fine and besides, I have a bus to catch. I'll see you at home." She explained before attempting to walk away. Enrico quickly took hold of her hand before she could take a step further.

"You're unbelievable." He told her and before she could think of saying or doing anything further, he dragged her along with him towards his car.

He opened the front passenger's seat and made her sit there, then shut the door. He rushed over to the other side of the car and got in as well. The atmosphere as Enrico drove felt a little awkward. He stole glances at her when she wasn't looking in his direction and she, on the other hand, did the exact same thing.

Honestly, Enrico had no idea what he was doing the moment he stepped out of the car and went to her aid. It was all just at an impulse, but he wouldn't deny the fact that it had felt a little great. Actually, quite good. Stealing one more glance at her while she stared elsewhere, made him feel a bit at peace knowing she was okay and right there with him. Kiana shifted her eyes to him and he immediately looked away hoping she hadn't noticed a thing.

Kiana stared for a while with slightly furrowed brows before looking away from him. The rain poured down heavily that it made seeing a little difficult. She couldn't help feeling a little concerned as his speed seems to be a little over average.

"You should slow down a bit." She stated all at once, without shifting her eyes to him. He took a look at her before focusing back on the road. Her statement was a little bothering at the back of his mind. He tightened his grip a bit on the steering wheel. He recalled everything and what motivated him, in the first place, to lurk behind.

"You didn't tell me you work at Sterling Hotel." He stated and she shifted her eyes to him, searching for a befitting reply.

"You didn't ask." She stated and quickly looked away, before he shifted his eyes to her. His brows slightly furrowed at her reply.

He took in a silent deep breath as he looked away from her. He recalled the smile she put up for the bartender and a strange fury filled him.

"You have a great office job that pays quite well, yet you can't seem to put off your part-time job. Why is that? Perhaps, is there a special someone that makes you keep going back to the same place? Someone that makes you smile and you can't seem to let go of?" Enrico asked all at once, without taking a look at her. Therefore, at the moment, he had no idea what her facial expression looked like. He only evaluated his words right after he was done and right then, he does feel and sound a little stupid for saying all that, yet he couldn't take it back.