A Rebel's Temptation - 6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

“Good Morning” spoke the still pajama-ed Lyric next to me.

I had thought last night that I’d be texting for hours, however that hadn’t been the case. Almost simultaneously after getting my responses, both Lyric and Alex bid their ‘good nights’, and ‘sleep well’, and left me with plenty of time for staring into nothing. I couldn’t remember what time exactly I’d fallen asleep. I couldn’t even remember my last thoughts.

“Good morning” I mumbled to Lyric whose eyes were focused on the road ahead. I rubbed my eyes, hoping to rub away the drowsiness, but all I was doing was yawning more.

Lyric said nothing about how tired I was. Maybe he knew I wasn’t in the most splendor mood for his smart ass statements. I didn’t know. “You’re tired” he stated eyes on the road.

I thought too soon.

I wondered if I should mention Alex to him. Lyric probably wouldn’t care much for me talking of someone else; he might even seem annoyed by the idea. Lyric had, like he’s shown to me on many occasions, a sweet tender side. What I’d also noticed though, was his less social side. He wasn’t a person who enjoyed other people as not only I, but also Paloma, had noticed. He was even mean to Paloma at times. I guess I won’t.

“I couldn’t get to sleep last night, like usual” I told him, shifting slightly towards him. I could see the smile growing on his face, “Where’s Paloma?” I asked.

“She had to be somewhere” he said, giving no indication on continuing the subject.

“Did you sleep well?” I asked. He took a glance at me before returning his line of view to the road ahead.

He didn’t speak, but instead smiled. I eyed his face intently, and noticed that the darkening under his eyes wasn’t eyeliner. Lyric didn’t wear eyeliner in the morning, I knew that for sure. He was tired, drowsy just as I was, perhaps more or perhaps less, I couldn’t tell.

“You didn’t sleep well?” I guessed.

“I didn’t sleep at all” he said indifferently, but then his cheeks rose in a satisfied grin, “Don’t worry about it”.

His satisfied grin puzzled me, unless he was actually that arrogant to think I was worried. Which I wasn’t, I was only curious. Okay, a slight bit of worry only because I was seeing knew sides to him. He was becoming much more human to me, and not just the gothic indifferent mask I’d first met. No longer the same eyeliner wearing stranger.

“It’s not healthy” I patronized.

“No it isn’t at all. Don’t try it” he remarked amused.

“I at least get some sleep, and even if I get zero sleep I don’t do it on purpose.” I challenged back.

We’d arrived making me wonder how long the beginning silence between us had lasted. He parked and turned towards me. His blue eyes watched me, piercing and blue, and haunting from the hair shadowing his face in drama.

“I don’t on purpose either” he smiled.

I didn’t move feeling his eyes on me. I watched him as he got out of his seat and walked over, showing no symptoms of not sleeping, to my side. I continued eyeing him carefully, and he did the same. The moon still reigned high over us, its moonlight enveloped him, framing his face in a way that could only bring awe. I felt awe, not exactly impressed.

He was trying to be casual, cool even by the mood and I wasn’t buying it. Something was wrong and the trust that had been there the day before, yesterday laying in his bed cuddled up to his side, yesterday where I’d been feeling the skin of his abs, chest, and biceps, yesterday when he offered me in silence an advantage… Today at this moment it felt challenged. I didn’t want it to; I didn’t want to believe it did.

This gnawing feeling must be my self-conscious side. That’s it, and nothing more. I trusted Lyric, and he wasn’t exactly lying to me. It was more like not telling me everything, something I wouldn’t want to know. I hoped that was the case.

I got out the car and closed the passenger door behind me. Turning towards Lyric, the moonlight continued framing the side of his face in perfection making him seem like the attentive non obnoxious Lyric which reared his head every so often. He extended his long limb and offered me his hand. I took it and knew that the feeling of awe was much stronger than any impression.

I came to him close and stood on my toes, damn the height difference. He smirked bringing along with the smirk his obnoxious cocky confidence. I’d never let him know, but that side of him in a strange way made me smile internally. He brought a strong arm, the limb whose hand wasn’t grasping my own, around me in support. I smiled, feeling relaxed in his gaze, “What happened to privacy” he spoke.

I frowned, and he chuckled, “I’m sorry I could not help myself” he said and on that final note, before I could open my mouth with a less witty remark, he brought his face down brushing his lips softly against mine. “Is it okay?” he whispered.

“Remember? It’s okay if it’s just us” I responded in an almost breathless voice.

He pecked my lips, “I guess it is” and brought his hungry lips unto mine.

Hunger. He kissed me with hunger; the starving young boy wanted me. He continued kissing me, ever so often teasing my lower lip with a tug from his teeth. This was new.

He continued and suddenly his weight felt pressured against me. He’d pinned me against the side of his Black Isuzu Rodeo. He released my hand and I brought them up to his face in a painfully slow motion. Touching the forbidden, I could imagine the please do not touch sign over him, but my internal conflicts mustered enough courage to break expectations.

At the touch of my hand Lyric’s pace became eager as we started my first make out. My body’s urges took control of me, and I felt the flustered output crawling over the skin of my arms, face, neck, any area on my body. My fingers traced the sides of his face, eyes closed, my fingers painted the map of the sensation I felt. I could feel the outline of his jaw line, the lining of his ears. My fingers slid across the tips where his hair curled. I enjoyed the feeling and with the tips of my pointer finger, I played along the back of his neck where there seemed to be more of these curled hairs.

A moan escaped. It hadn’t been from me, leaving Lyric as its one and only culprit. His supporting arms became loose, but maintained the balance they gave me. With his hands, he felt the sides of my waist, feeling the touch of my pelvis. A hand slipped through a small opening and the cool contact from his hand on my skin sent a melting shiver through me.

And like that he pulled back.

He rested his head on my forehead and only then did I realize the wet cooling sweat streaming down our foreheads. My gaze rested on his mouth which breathed heavily. I waited until his breathing normalized and only then did my eyes shift to meet his eyes, piercing and blue. My finger tips caressed his cheeks as his hands caressed my naked sides. My body was arched up to him, and his body arched down over me, a crescent moon lying inside another.

“What’s wrong” I asked. My mood content, a contrast to my posed question.

“Nothing” he responded

“Then why’d you pull back?”

He smiled. I couldn’t read this smiled, as intent and close as my vision was at the moment, I could not read it. “I thought we were going to sleep” he spoke casually as one person would speak to another at the movies or the mall.

Once we arrived to his bed, I laid on the black bed feeling around with my arms like a slithering spider. The bed was a disaster, but disaster seemed homey and quaint, it was real. I soon realized the lingering silence was still lingering like a silk curtain over us.

I watched Lyric move freakishly, awkward, yet with intent, gazelle like. His long limbs, his haunting eyes, and the muscular shape of his body reminded me of a gazelle, but his tactics were much more shark like. Moving around the bed, not actually coming in to the center, he walked with wary eyes.

I sighed, “Whats wrong?” I asked.

He smiled, and it seemed apologetic. But instead of answering he questioned with his bringing two grasping hands to the hem of his shirt, and then two blue eyes peered up questioning?

I blushed. Yes, I blushed. Even when he seemed vulnerable and awkward, there was always a quiet arrogance, or confidence to put it nicer. Not entirely sure of himself, and I’m the one blushing, feeling warm?

I nodded, my eyes drifting to my hands. My fingers twiddling with each other, I forced my attention onto them. I didn’t want to be a perverse person. I didn’t want to be the one to watch him undress for me, it seemed like foreplay, which seemed vulgar, which is undeniably perverse.

We weren’t going to have sex. He’s was only taking his shirt off, nothing more. And further more I’m still fully clothed…so what’s the problem? Why did I have to convince myself of something so innocent such as Lyric taking his shirt off? I was embarrassed, but intrigued. Stupid me always was making a hyperbole out of things.

I brought my eyes to him standing in front of me only he wasn’t there anymore. He was to the side pulling the curtains down, making everything dark. Slowly and slowly, curtain by curtain his form disappeared into the shadows. I stayed on my familiar side of the bed, still, until I felt his cool warmth next to me, and only then did I move, bringing myself over him.

He welcomed my movements with a chuckle, “Are you tired?” he asked

“Actually no, not anymore” I said half heartedly. My attention was occupied searching the darkness for my fingers dancing over Lyric’s chest. I couldn’t see anything, but it doesn’t hurt to try.

“Would you like to go on a date?” he asked, and from the underlying amused tone I knew he was smirking.

“Right not?” I asked unimpressed.

“Yeah, we won’t go far. Just somewhere that I planned on taking you” he said.

“Where?”

“Behind this house, actually, to the cemetery out back” he said.

“Always the romantic creeper, aren’t you Lyric?”

“Is that a no then? Or should I take that as a teasing yes?”

I sighed, “Its fine. Let’s go” I said.

The lights flickered on from what I assumed was the Nightmare before Christmas lamp I’d noticed many times before. Now in the light, I found my fingers over Lyric’s pale chest. But now also, lights flickered on and all, I was no longer in the safe comfines of the shadows and the intimate position made me nudge away on instinct.

I’d hoped Lyric hadn’t noticed my discomfort, and from the oblivious bland expression on his face, he had. He’d get over it though, I would also but I still ask myself why the embarrassment? Minutes ago I was in a fairly intimate, close, hot position and now the subtleties were difficult. Maybe I was bipolar, I don’t know.

“Let’s go” I said reaching a hand out to him.

As stupid as I felt, I knew that I’d feel worse for causing him pain. My guilty conscious was after all one of my most admirable humane characteristics, but also one of my Allister weaknesses. In all honesty people nowadays don’t actually own a guilty conscious any more. Apologies always are, ‘Sorry if I made you feel bad’. Since when is emotion something made up? Its either there or it isn’t, and it should never be ‘if I made you feel bad’ cause it defeats the purpose of genuinity.

He crawled over my side of the bed to where I stood, and no, I did’t stare at the muscles of his back.

He took my hand, “You’re not going out like that” I stated but it ended up sounding more like a question.

“Why not? It’s not that cold outside. A little breezy, but not cold” he said.

“My mother always said that the most killers chills are the lazy ones, so put on something”

Instead of arguing he gave in. After some rummaging through his wide closet he came to my side taking hold of my left hand possessively.

“What about your chest?” I asked with a sigh.

He eyed himself, obviously humoring me before meeting my eyes with a causual expression, “What about my chest?”

I shook my head and laced my fingers tighter with his. If he was going to risk getting sick from wearing nothing but a black hoodies zipped up only a bit,that was his problem. I wasn’t his keeper or anything that intimate. We actually weren’t anything defined, not a name existed for our ‘relationship’ or whatever anyone wants to call it.

It didn’t before, but now it was beginning to bother me. Before he was a nobody, a stranger. Anyone can be intimate with a stranger and not actually be. But we were getting to a point where this was something daily, and emotions were coming into play. I hated it. The thing I’d craved secretly, so secret even from myself, for so many years scared me the most. I wanted friends, real friends that weren’t made of compacted minerals, but I also didn’t want anyone to know me. If that happened, then it would hurt more.

After all, closeness to people, the drive for acceptance is what makes us weak. I had a conscious, but that didn’t mean I liked it forced onto me. And unlike the millions of people who could pull of a faux genuinity, my conscious made me ten times more susceptible to other’s emotions. Maybe that’s why I’m messed up enough to consider a cut at the wrist. I’m helpless, and I knew it. Stupid me. I’m reckless enough to go with some guy I’ve only known for a few days, and of course let’s not forget to add my complete and utter trust in him. Again stupid me. Lastly, I knew I was being stupid, and I also knew that I wasn’t doing anything to stop it. In fact I liked where I was going. Silly me.

As we approached the hundreds of graves scattered in organized alignment the cool chill in the air made me shiver slightly. You’d never realized it from seeing the house alone from the front, and the lake at the side, but the backyard extended for miles. We’d walk for awhile before reaching any tombs stones but it wasn’t an unpleasant walk. In the cool darkness with only the moonlight shining on this October morning, the scenery could only be described as wearing the robe of autumn.

The shadows could hide the reds, the oranges and the yellows, but it couldn’t hide the pile of leaves scattered about, or the tender wilt of the trees beginning to enter their resting point. There wouldn’t be green again till the days of spring and I hoped to still be here when they came.

I shivered again faintly as the trail of trees blew in our direction, bringing along for the ride another breath of cool air. I felt myself closer to Lyric’s side. My automatic response to find warmth. And if that weren’t true, I’d still believe in the excuse for now.

“Allister Price” he spoke suddenly

“What is it?” I remarked, slightly surprised yet my face and tone remained neutral.

“Nothing, just talking to myself.” I distanced myself from him by a few centimeters. It wasn’t what he said, really, I just did it suddenly. No actual reason.

“You said my name” I stated.

“Yes” he replied nonchalantly

“Why?” I asked

“ No reason, but look, we’re here”

He relased my hand, my hand droped to my side and I watched his back as he moved ahead. The grave was large, not as large as most graveyards I’d been to, but large enough. Tombstones large and small, made the place seem more lively, quiet and still, yet with a restlessness which brought a balance to the area. I felt this place similar to the forest where my friend the boulder laid. Many things could happen here, alone and private, yet you were never truly alone. The dead speak no truth, see no truth, or here no truth, but you could still talk to them and they’d listen. The dead don’t judge.

Lyric moved along the trails formed by all the graves until he came upon a hill like surface. Upon the hill was one single tombstone, simple, nothing special except the shade it would receive during the day from the tree that stood strong over it. However the grave could not escape the moonlights shimmer, and neither could Lyric.

I walked along the same trails, except I knew I was walking slow. Walking careful not to touch or slander any grave. Buried beneath were once people, and they’d once lived a life and now they’d earn they’re eternal rest. Call me childish, but who was I to disturb their sleep? For all I knew I was a walking target for any boney limb. Hopefully it wouldn’t resort to that.

I walked faster but cautious, watching every step I took and once I was in the clearing I made my way quickly to Lyric’s side.

“What now?” I asked.

He said nothing, instead he turned his back to me and walked the few steps to the tree before sitting down on the ground, his back against the tree. I hugged myself and I knew what I wanted. Comfort. My arms held around me trying to keep whatever warmth that hadn’t flown away into the chill inside me, but more than that I wanted comfort.

I walked few more steps, no caution, nothing but causal steps. I sat down between the long limbed legs which weren’t fully extended but bent at the knee in a comfortable position, leaving me with enough room to sit comfortably as well. My head rested back against his pale chest, my elbows on both my knees. Another chill in the air passed and a few dried leaves dangled freely while other left riding the breeze.

His arms slipped around me, “Allister?” he questioned.

“What is it?” I replied nonchalantly.

“Talk to me” he responded.

“About?” I asked back not entirely comfortable where this was going. I shrugged his arms off of me and crawled some, enough to sit crosslegged in front of him. He brought one knee to himself and placed an elbow on it.

His face remained calm, and then he smirked, “About us” he said.

“What about us?”

“I gave you the doll…you understand that I’m courting you…we’ve kissed, we’ve become intimate, but I feel like you’re still running from me” he said. I

While he spoke I’d been holding my breath, and only now did I finally release the expecting breath. Maybe he’s not actually getting over it. I understood what he was saying, heck, I even knew I was running.

“What do you want me to say Lyric?”

He sighed annoyed, first time he’d ever been remotely annoyed with me, “Nothing” he sighed again, “I’d just you to slow down, I’d like to catch up to you” he said.

I was getting angry, “Why?” I asked

“Don’t get mad, please.”

“You’re pissed at me” I accused. My eyes narrowed, and he became indifferent, lifeless, as cold as when we first met.

“I’m not annoyed, I’m not angry and if you think I was, I’m sorry” he said cooly unlike his face with became tense.

“What do you want from me then?” I asked trying to calm myself down. I was getting too emotional and that wasn’t me. I couldn’t expect anger to get me anywhere, it never made anything better. It only made things worse, I’d learned that from living where I lived. I learned that from seeing my mother and father, damn, what’s wrong with me.

“I’m sorry” I said

“It’s alright, but you asked what I wanted…right?”, I nodded, “I want an us…I want you to be my boy”

My lips parted, and my eyes widened. I couldn’t believe it, I didn’t want to believe it, but I did want to. His boy…He wanted me to be his boy, but how? We’d been strangers’ only days ago, and now…we spent all our time together. We kissed, we hugged, he held my hand in his, and we’d even gotten to sleeping in the same bed together.

“Lyric, not now, I can’t, not now” I said looking everywhere but at him. His gaze felt heavy over me. I couldn’t tell if he were angry, or disappointed.

“Then I’ll wait” he said.

“Really? Why?”

“You said you couldn’t right now, but maybe soon.” I met his face, his shy smile, “I’ll wait Allister. It’s only been days, but from the first kiss… I began waiting, and I’ll wait until you’re ready. Is that okay?”

Is that okay he asked, for the first time in awhile I wanted to cry, I couldn’t trust myself to talk without a sob. My tightened throat was too much of a threat for me.

I nodded.

His arms reached out as if inviting me into a hug, and like the lost child I felt at the moment, I crawled over to him taking the same position as before, But instead of leaning back ,I leaned forward almost ashamed by how I felt.

I asked in a whisper, “Are you sure you can wait?”, afraid to give away to much of my guilt.

He didn’t’ say anything, and I almost thought he’d given up, but when I felt the brush of the cool metal of his lip ring I knew he hadn’t. He laid gentle kisses, one by one, on the back of my neck, sending small easing trembles down my spine. With a gentle tug he brought me back down, laying my head to his chest.

I knew he cared for me. I’m not going to call it love, I can’t be certain if its that, but he cared. Caring on its own made him already special to me, but could I in the romantic sense? We already did what couples did, and the only thing holding me back was my own self being stupid, my own self unable to understand, or even want to understand why he cared. My parent’s really screwed me over…and now I was paying for it. I can’t keep blaming myself, I meant something to him and that changes everything, every feeling, every kiss, I gotta do this. I can’t his like I did everything else.

“Does the offer still stand?” I asked.

“Ah, that wasn’t a long wait” he remarked amused, placing another peck on the back of my neck. I turned my head and met his eyes “Are you sure this is what you want Allister? I don’t want it to be because you feel you have to, and I meant what I said. I have no problem in waiting”

I thought about it, and, “Yeah, I’m sure” before breaking his gaze. I laid my head back on his chest and his arms slipped around me again. Whether Lyric knew it or not, I finally got the comfort I wanted. “I was running Lyric. Even now I’m still running because I’m scared, but I’m not going to cry about it. And I’m not going to avoid it, scared or not, I have to do this for myself …maybe a part of me really likes the way you care-“

“Shhh, you don’t have to explain. I understand.” He said.

I stopped talking bringing my eyes up to meet the shimmering rays from the moon. Living this life full of maybe’s may not be the most respectable life. Most may say that I’m foolish for even having this hope that I feel. I’m trying to change because myself changing depends on so many things.

Changing is a difficult thing to do in life. A lot of people never actually make the journey, finding the pain too hard to bear with, so much hurt. I’m scared, and I’m okay with knowing I’m scared. That after all is part of me changing, acknowledging that I have these feelings. As long as I feel that I’m putting the effort, change, no matter how difficult or painful, and no matter how unlikely because of my current nature...i know that my ‘maybe’ isn’t being foolish.

“You’re thinking again” he said in a patronizing tone

“Yeah, I am, but this time it’s okay” I replied nonchalantly.

“Really? Talk to me” he said.

I shook my head, and smiled to myself, “For now I’ll keep it to myself. But I’ll tell you some other time”

“Alright, fair enough” he said with a chuckle, “By the way Allister. Where is it that you’re going to today?”

“I was gonna go see these friends, watch some movies, nothing special. Why? You want me to stay or something?” I asked.

“Do you want Honesty?” he questioned back. I nodded, “Yes. Stay, here, today, with me.” His arms tightened a bit around me, “Tomorrow it’s back to school. We can’t keep skipping for awhile, and I won’t see you most of the day, maybe not even in the afternoon-so, stay.” He said.

“Since when are you so possessive?” I asked him.

“You said you wanted Honesty” he replied back cooly.

I laughed, and it felt weird. I felt as if I hadn’t laughed in a while, a real good laugh, “ I did, sorry. But I’d promised I go, and I try to keep my promises.”

“Can we meet at school tomorrow though, during lunch?”

“Yeah, I’m usually sitting at the bleachers” I said.

“Then I’ll be there” he said back.

Another gust of cold air pushed through the night, and I watched it, following the leaves, red, yellow, and orange, riding the wind.

I hadn’t had the chance to see Paloma that evening. When the time had come for me to leave, she’d been nowhere in sight. I wanted to ask Lyric about it, but being nosy wasn’t who I was and I didn’t want to start now. It was disappointing not having her there though, but whatever, part of me was sure I’d be getting a text before midnight along the lines of, ‘ What the hell Allister! You guys are official?’ And if she didn’t-I’d almost be tempted to send her a text. Almost.

Lyric had dropped me off by the mall’s mainentrance. The settled plan between Alex and I had been to meet here. Since I didn’t know the way to his place, nor did he to mines-I was nervous, anxious to meet with Alex. The idea of hanging with friends was still new to me. Only my time with Lyric and Paloma had helped change that, but exclusively only towards them and Alex was an entirely different thing all together. He was older, mature, incredibly charming, yet still had that boyish quality. People like him are intimidating as strangers, friends, or anything.

My phone vibrated and I slipped it out, ‘behind you’ said the message. I followed orders, turning around, and in the action I bumped into him in the process.

“Sorry” I said.

“It’s alright mate” he said in his British accent. I liked his accent, then again I found all accents cool, Texans, Chinese, New York, Spanish…

My eyes followed up his tall form until I met his plae white face. His hair black, slicked back making his plae blue eyes more noticeable. He smiled shyly, charming, princelike, boyish. I’d never understand the ability people had in fixing their hairs in ways, natural like his. Slicked back, not so tight, and a few strands over his forehead.

“I hope you don’t mind, but since you liked the orange chicken so much yesterday, I went ahead and got you some” he said coolly, raising the bag I hadn’t noticed until now enough, enough for me to see.

I nodded, “Yeah that’s cool”

We walked to his car, and only then did I notice what he wore. A simple black v neck and faded jeans with ripped holes at the knees. A feeling of selfconsciousness fell over me. Not only was he tall, handsome, but he also dressed well. A simplicity that I admired by how well he pulled off.

“Your watching me” he stated. I kept staring his face intentionally, “Staring contest?” I kept my freakish stearing and eventually I got a reaction, he blushed.

I smiled victorious, “Whats with the grin mate?”

“Nothing” I replied coolly, hoping he hadn’t noticed. Truth be told, I wanted a reaction like that out of him. To make him blush was almost satisfying and a non sadistic way.

“Really mate? Then why are you blushing?” he asked.

By instinct my hand came to my face, touched it and only then did I realize he was joking, “That’s not funny” I said, feeling the rising flush in my cheeks.

“Fine, we’ll call it a draw for now?”

“Deal” I replied back.

Alex’s apartment was located in what seemed a good neighborhood. The bright green rose bushes, semi full parking lot. The occasional dog walker, and of course the resident children playing together. It was an appropriate place for a college student. Something not too expensive, but also had a great working environment.

I walked next to him in a comfortable silence that I’d had with two other beings in my life. Once with my friend from the forest, the rock, and the other time with Paloma. But something was off, things were strange. I remembered yesterday at the mall, he’d been put together, prince like, elegant even. But there was that moment he slouched, where things changed. The atmosphere changed, the feeling around him changed, and my comfort level changed. Walking next to him felt like that like that moment. It’s almost as if he were forcing himself. His face remained cool, emotionless expect for that smile, but there was an awareness of his body-I wasn’t sure what to think.

We walked into the building, and I remembered the number of the building for future references. Inside the builing it was cold, freezing like if the air conditioner had been put to maximum and left on for hours on end. I walked behind Alex up the stairs. Partly because the stairs were narrow, and partly because it was more comfortable-like I’d said, self-consciousness.

He handed me the of food without a word, only offering me a pleasant smile. It made me wonder what exactly was he thinking in his mind, but I didn’t bother answering. The smell of the food, sweet and delectable, it toyed with my nose trying to get a desperate growl from my stomach. I however was intent on Alex’s every movement. Slipping his hand in the pocket of his blue faded designer jeans, searching, pulling the dangling keys out, his eyes moving left and right, up and down, for the correct key, and then when he found it he put it in the key whole, about to turn the door knob when the door flew open.

My mouth dropped. Standing before me was a ivory skinned beauty. A heart shaped face, high cheek bones, delicate chin and nose. Her eyes were the brightest shades of blues. Her strawberry blond hair dropped to the sides of her face, curly like a princess bride. She wore a no drastic make up, a bit of eyeliner, eye shadow, lip gloss, and some blush. The pristine girl was none other than Paloma herself.

“Demelza! Demelza hold on!” the male voice who I assumed was Joaquin, yelled from inside.

The blond watched me, in shock as well, “Demy, you’re still here” said Alex unimpressed.

She ignored him, “Allister, just what are you doing here?” she asked me.

“I’m here to visit friends Paloma” I answered almost defensivly, too childish.

“Well we are leaving!” she challenged Alex. He said nothing, only nodded.

I handed the bag to Alex, and he suddenly, without any indication, and to my complete astonshiment-pulled me to him and pecked me on the lips.

I stepped back wide eyed. Paloma reached for my hand and I didn’t fight back. I let her pull me, guide me towards the exit which for that moment I couldn’t even begin to look for. I felt dazed and confused. Not the best of combined feelings.

Before closing the mainentrance door I looked back. Joaquin and Alex stood their we an unreadable expression. Alex was saying something to Joaquin, and he seemed almost amused but I wasn’t sure. I only hand seconds before the door left a clonking echo, signifying it was closed.