"So, Graham," Anna started, stirring me from my inner turmoil, "what's your story?"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhVj2AJ3xoF
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"What do you mean?" I responded, much to Vance's amusement.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaE81J0uUQi
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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.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJk4MNKtY4U
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I averted my gaze, knowing I would crumble under her infectious smile, and sighed dramatically. "Do I have to?"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlQaorUsZi
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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.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8aXgbGhFB7
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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.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYks36fNAeR
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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?"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5dlgCNa5M
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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.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdWru87LOI
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"Well, well, well," Vance said, "this is interesting. What should we start with, Anna?"copyright protection81ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fTo46H80S
Anna stroked her chin in mock deep thought. "Hmmm, I don't know, Vance. Too many places to start..."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSM3lPaADKO
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My eyes darted between them both, panic rising. What if they found out about my gift - my curse?85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡufUIAaknkq
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Seeing my panic, the two broke into hearty laughter. I joined in nervously, still concerned.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaOD6f7enT2
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"Relax, buddy!" Vance said, punching my sleeve lightly, "we're just curious!"copyright protection81ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDvJVXVxst
Anna nodded. "I just don't know anything about you!"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MP97FjHi3
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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."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNiqvTAQhV
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"The elevator company?" she asked, confused.copyright protection81ＰＥＮＡＮＡYz2tjYrevT
I looked at her curiously. "Yeah, why?"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhrJUyY2NlV
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She shrugged. "Don't know, just didn't expect you to work for a big company."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrHFAPkUwD
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It was my turn to shrug. "It pays the bills."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2qgtW93Nr
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"So what do you do? Office work?"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY4SHZrG1e2
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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."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3uFJ5u4Z0
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"That's pretty cool," Anna said, smiling sweetly at me and making my heart flutter.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHX38dw5nAT
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I must have been blushing, because she giggled. "Awwwww," she cooed, "did I embarrass you?"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOyYHgX8WZm
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Getting increasingly uncomfortable, I looked away and said nothing.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZXqtC9y6dy
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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.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Vvb3JI86i
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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.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VR0C7XL4X
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I forced a cough to give myself a minute to recover before grumbling a response. "I'm not embarrassed..."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ73UxxwH5DU
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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.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELQ9WTSF2Z
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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."85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4UO5xV2i0
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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?85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0p4UXBrEH4
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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.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzlPpuMjnrl
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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.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmpqhevOay6
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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!"85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayvettPU7x
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Vance nodded slowly. "Sure you were," he responded, his voice dripping sarcasm.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGSP6nCpL3
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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.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7tboHHdRf
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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 protection81ＰＥＮＡＮＡgsQ4SsbPOO
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.85Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1OPgii6cq
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