"So, Graham," Anna started, stirring me from my inner turmoil, "what's your story?"345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4fdmDZS60
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡhuqsPNEr8C
"What do you mean?" I responded, much to Vance's amusement.345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMHuOsbafh
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRbhJdQyPv
"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.345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSRq1mxRlJg
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYEty7XzMo
I averted my gaze, knowing I would crumble under her infectious smile, and sighed dramatically. "Do I have to?"345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTb78BSdDFi
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDUvGTGAFF
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.345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPLqbnZzrR
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡWagtC5vj6o
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.345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQIyzm1oJ69
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rzi9r410c
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?"345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdktSIkv92y
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡK4dGAPMxib
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.345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGD6Tfga8rX
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡpcyIwc03cJ
"Well, well, well," Vance said, "this is interesting. What should we start with, Anna?"copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡfkL7jIl8dM
Anna stroked her chin in mock deep thought. "Hmmm, I don't know, Vance. Too many places to start..."345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0qT4vUnF7T
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3vB6QF5kP
My eyes darted between them both, panic rising. What if they found out about my gift - my curse?345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvUBYK6hkb
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡlR9fHJD3mK
Seeing my panic, the two broke into hearty laughter. I joined in nervously, still concerned.345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8xAO0FXPG
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡvpT8ilXn6o
"Relax, buddy!" Vance said, punching my sleeve lightly, "we're just curious!"copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmaUtbTpzX
Anna nodded. "I just don't know anything about you!"345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzUkXpLYdzi
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTlU0YeBql
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."345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6Rr8OZ2SX
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPq3lJiJGL
"The elevator company?" she asked, confused.copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡYfuCRwrDTf
I looked at her curiously. "Yeah, why?"345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9i0FyZQfm
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡBtXnvOlPTv
She shrugged. "Don't know, just didn't expect you to work for a big company."345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlV2MNWwZWm
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡTsyAtTukpo
It was my turn to shrug. "It pays the bills."345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLl5Nr7HQA
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡIHrgEpSokx
"So what do you do? Office work?"345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuB9QiR5pl
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVH8Yrj5hx
"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."345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5OMkfXJvJF
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMZmeyYsmk
"That's pretty cool," Anna said, smiling sweetly at me and making my heart flutter.345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlTTgq7yLO
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡojkUJ5INAy
I must have been blushing, because she giggled. "Awwwww," she cooed, "did I embarrass you?"345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUu290rHs5G
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3QVoGJaSb
Getting increasingly uncomfortable, I looked away and said nothing.345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbpCWfSN0b
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡAkPgOyDJUr
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.345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡctIlHjKr45
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡmEPx1IFQrA
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.345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqJVLwR9Ka
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZXZCOeuZx
I forced a cough to give myself a minute to recover before grumbling a response. "I'm not embarrassed..."345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJ42jGy1yD
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡFR5KPBhW2X
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.345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3u7RSK8Ypv
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9O7h6ZyEj
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."345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzWAkJQa76
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMD5CJt8pg
"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?345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ObwHxMqzV
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xNpOHTCLY
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.345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FReLQSE8Q
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡUP8fBNeujq
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.345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJ2dDDCsyF
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9N91MJWwHg
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!"345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxWeuZzYFLD
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5aXIZ8IKI6
Vance nodded slowly. "Sure you were," he responded, his voice dripping sarcasm.345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuWIfLQyks
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYNWxJ6Hxt
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.345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfMB5O8aGwW
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡxv3hsM5eLT
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 protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡQu9ZQuLoCs
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.345Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25NUdKyZKH
copyright protection341ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4GOzmPZqJc
