"So, Graham," Anna started, stirring me from my inner turmoil, "what's your story?"218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44vHWCL0RW
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"What do you mean?" I responded, much to Vance's amusement.218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIpsAmopJl5
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"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.218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWiq1fbC7CC
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I averted my gaze, knowing I would crumble under her infectious smile, and sighed dramatically. "Do I have to?"218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGGanDM9DD
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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.218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5m3yWqWl9h
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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.218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr6AS7P3KXG
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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?"218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmBm3MKGyUj
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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.218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZFfyCFuYP
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"Well, well, well," Vance said, "this is interesting. What should we start with, Anna?"copyright protection214ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2emZlHLqmj
Anna stroked her chin in mock deep thought. "Hmmm, I don't know, Vance. Too many places to start..."218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpVmi3cmN9
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My eyes darted between them both, panic rising. What if they found out about my gift - my curse?218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29LpcxaS54
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Seeing my panic, the two broke into hearty laughter. I joined in nervously, still concerned.218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡch4SxCuc7s
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"Relax, buddy!" Vance said, punching my sleeve lightly, "we're just curious!"copyright protection214ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHUfYis2fm
Anna nodded. "I just don't know anything about you!"218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TSXga0twO
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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."218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzXpYaW832
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"The elevator company?" she asked, confused.copyright protection214ＰＥＮＡＮＡxyQrNOKgRZ
I looked at her curiously. "Yeah, why?"218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgkh8RTD40
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She shrugged. "Don't know, just didn't expect you to work for a big company."218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65UY3b93EG
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It was my turn to shrug. "It pays the bills."218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRifPHe0Em4
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"So what do you do? Office work?"218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHzk1QtTK6X
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"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."218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLd3Fc6Rl9w
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"That's pretty cool," Anna said, smiling sweetly at me and making my heart flutter.218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21OhRwwRaS
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I must have been blushing, because she giggled. "Awwwww," she cooed, "did I embarrass you?"218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRsgTjKM3Q
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Getting increasingly uncomfortable, I looked away and said nothing.218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJP4MvgSmB2
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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.218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSD3HVVdrMn
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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.218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJfNZ86JUa
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I forced a cough to give myself a minute to recover before grumbling a response. "I'm not embarrassed..."218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡADZEquUiRw
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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.218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKaor6jFy6
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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."218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3TQiGPrNzl
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"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?218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaZXOpsJIj
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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.218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg33rsvxMa6
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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.218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdZJwGzXt8
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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!"218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡirjip7IRRr
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Vance nodded slowly. "Sure you were," he responded, his voice dripping sarcasm.218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8vfzXK6KU
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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.218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdE8cnFSXCm
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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!copyright protection214ＰＥＮＡＮＡywSWVPmXGd
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.218Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6VNpecxW4p
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