"So, Graham," Anna started, stirring me from my inner turmoil, "what's your story?"805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHlE2Q31xXz
"What do you mean?" I responded, much to Vance's amusement.805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡidqDpubmx0
"Well, we've been meeting like this for a over a month, the same bar every Friday night. Vance and I have talked, but you've barely told me anything about you!" She leaned forward in her chair, a mischievous smile on her face.805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkG5NnbRoTL
I averted my gaze, knowing I would crumble under her infectious smile, and sighed dramatically. "Do I have to?"805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzzwR15tXsi
Vance let out a chuckle and she leaned across the table. Before I could react, Anna grabbed my hand that was idly sitting beside my drink and held it. "Please?" she pleaded, cupping it gently, but I was drawn away from the conversation with the mere touch of her skin against mine. Her first kiss was when she was fourteen, and it was absolutely terrible. When she was young, she took piano lessons but refused to practice. She hates how thick her hair is.805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNtuSn4mkn
Barely any time had passed before I tore my hand away, much to Anna's surprise. Vance laughed again and took a giant swig of his drink, obviously enjoying the exchange more than he should have. Anna looked hurt, the sides of her mouth drooping into a sort of pout with her lips slightly parted. If it wasn't an expression born of sadness, it would have been cute.805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvAYuhlfP8Q
Using my hand to run my fingers through my hair, using the movement as an excuse for my sudden actions, I sighed deeply. "Alright, you win," I conceded, and the pout turned into a genuine smile on Anna's face. "What do you want to know?"805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwh4LrEXUw
Anna grinned evilly and I noticed even Vance looked perplexed, leaning forward in his sit eyeing me. Only then did I realize that although I'd been hanging out with Vance for years, I had barely told him anything about myself. I felt a moment of panic rising in me as I witnessed their predatory movements, all but physically cornering me.805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFvTK01Mm1
"Well, well, well," Vance said, "this is interesting. What should we start with, Anna?"
Anna stroked her chin in mock deep thought. "Hmmm, I don't know, Vance. Too many places to start..."805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOWETGESlXz
My eyes darted between them both, panic rising. What if they found out about my gift - my curse?805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDWuia5G33
Seeing my panic, the two broke into hearty laughter. I joined in nervously, still concerned.805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpEJbajcbHk
"Relax, buddy!" Vance said, punching my sleeve lightly, "we're just curious!"
Anna nodded. "I just don't know anything about you!"805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWQTZgXFy5
I nodded, quelling the panic and accepting her silent request, relieved they weren't planning to ask specific questions. "My name is Graham Hayes. I'm 27. I work for OTIS."805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoRqbvOLdW4
"The elevator company?" she asked, confused.
I looked at her curiously. "Yeah, why?"805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYymD0vlSq
She shrugged. "Don't know, just didn't expect you to work for a big company."805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5M4YnYVOjj
It was my turn to shrug. "It pays the bills."805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0sPuHBqd7
"So what do you do? Office work?"805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhr1Eb2vLcC
"I'm a mechanic," I explained, as Vance finished off his third beer of the night in one swig. "They send me out to fix the elevators when they break down."805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWiK2XMRUe
"That's pretty cool," Anna said, smiling sweetly at me and making my heart flutter.805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOrdJc0UhV
I must have been blushing, because she giggled. "Awwwww," she cooed, "did I embarrass you?"805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzoNNayIC9y
Getting increasingly uncomfortable, I looked away and said nothing.805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7APd8dp7iM
Vance went to take another drink and forgot he had finished it off moments before. Cursing, he stood up. "I'm gonna go get another one," he mumbled, walking off to the bar and leaving Anna and I alone at the table.805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrsjk5ULha
She moved over to the seat suddenly vacant beside me and sat down in it, leaning my way and catching my eyes. "Why are you embarrassed?" she asked with the innocence of a child, genuine concern in her voice.805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVX1gAH6x3P
I forced a cough to give myself a minute to recover before grumbling a response. "I'm not embarrassed..."805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALiyuP8IYm
She giggled and leaned forward suddenly, kissing my cheek. A flurry of emotions assaulted my senses, combined with the inevitable intake of knowledge. Her favourite Disney Princess as a kid was Cinderella. Her birthday was in late October. Her sister and her once got lost in the Rideau Center when they were young.805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFlvdAv42oG
Although her lips didn't linger long on my cheek, I could have sworn I felt her hesitation as she pulled away. "I'm sorry." She said simply, making me melt. Her full lips curled into a sweet smile as she looked at me with eyes full of caring concern. "I really didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDFqHzp3b2
"Really, it's fine..." I said, my voice trailing off. Our eyes locked for a minute that seemed to last forever, and I wished I could hold her hand and read her thoughts at that exact moment to know if she felt the same as I did. I could have sworn she leaned in closer to me, or was it me leaning in towards her?805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2WyS5LZZT6
Vance came back and sat down in Anna's empty chair, the noise breaking the spell and forcing both of us to look at our friend in shock.805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAB5v2jzJD
He looked back and forth between our wide eyes for a moment, and gave a mischievous smile. "Did I interrupt something? Or were you just getting to know each other better?" he joked, winking at us.805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtrmkgGwbP9
Now it was Anna's turn to blush as she got way more offended than she should have. "Shut up, Vance! We were just talking!"805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NKN2FsU22
Vance nodded slowly. "Sure you were," he responded, his voice dripping sarcasm.805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO0W8It5tp2
As Vance continued to tease her, I could not bring myself to focus on the conversation. The rush of euphoria I got from that small kiss - barely more than a peck on the cheek! - was greater than anything I'd ever felt. I had gained information from her as I always do, but it was more... intoxicating than ever before. I found myself craving her touch. I imagined those soft lips pressed against mine, the elation the flood of information brings me melding with the pleasure of the kiss.805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFhKpMzv29
No sooner had the thoughts entered my mind, I felt dirty. I was appalled I could think such things, of tainting her innocence and kindness with my cursed touch. I was not only taking information from her unknowingly and unwillingly, learning about her darkest secrets of her mind and her past, but I was taking pleasure from it!
But every time she glanced over at me and smiled, her eyes lighting up in blissful innocence, I found I could do nothing but hope for more of her.805Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUlzFRVBksQ
