"So, Graham," Anna started, stirring me from my inner turmoil, "what's your story?"787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotbqbiPtDd
"What do you mean?" I responded, much to Vance's amusement.787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4qP3mgzzc
"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.787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBRnmLti7W
I averted my gaze, knowing I would crumble under her infectious smile, and sighed dramatically. "Do I have to?"787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnh5xhWRjau
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.787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxYRZAsMZS4
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.787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4uT1tMMHGQ
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?"787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Z0KaM3605
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.787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtwSf6NZngw
"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..."787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxeYFyU183
My eyes darted between them both, panic rising. What if they found out about my gift - my curse?787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH755HZ7yxv
Seeing my panic, the two broke into hearty laughter. I joined in nervously, still concerned.787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡufIu9nM2SF
"Relax, buddy!" Vance said, punching my sleeve lightly, "we're just curious!"
Anna nodded. "I just don't know anything about you!"787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVySUm5Mmm
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."787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgxTm0HEXg
"The elevator company?" she asked, confused.
I looked at her curiously. "Yeah, why?"787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8iADrIR5yD
She shrugged. "Don't know, just didn't expect you to work for a big company."787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKynoTTxKwf
It was my turn to shrug. "It pays the bills."787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeawCinIFQF
"So what do you do? Office work?"787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VcUdRh7hK
"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."787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbeVpS9lze
"That's pretty cool," Anna said, smiling sweetly at me and making my heart flutter.787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDkP1nwY6l
I must have been blushing, because she giggled. "Awwwww," she cooed, "did I embarrass you?"787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgwxTi9mFu
Getting increasingly uncomfortable, I looked away and said nothing.787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRST5VSRFNC
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.787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY4V8YfAjqQ
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.787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHlGgJajqC5
I forced a cough to give myself a minute to recover before grumbling a response. "I'm not embarrassed..."787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4YsYJmDqK3
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.787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpaIF275gPg
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."787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQltrvyyD4
"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?787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Ol8oiYC8t
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.787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRv45seST0U
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.787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCDxifBIa93
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!"787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5CbZUTuheK
Vance nodded slowly. "Sure you were," he responded, his voice dripping sarcasm.787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEd6mj55oXN
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.787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXs9cOocYi
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.787Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvIX39DnH8A
