"So, Graham," Anna started, stirring me from my inner turmoil, "what's your story?"519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsW8ahS81D
"What do you mean?" I responded, much to Vance's amusement.519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6uuyXDTYMy
"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.519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1JAy40Od4
I averted my gaze, knowing I would crumble under her infectious smile, and sighed dramatically. "Do I have to?"519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2fzxWbZzNH
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.519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsFIN9y4Vz1
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.519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW1zfmOECNA
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?"519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6IQNjW0eQc
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.519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz5wjsYP4D5
"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..."519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtC2Nl9ROp
My eyes darted between them both, panic rising. What if they found out about my gift - my curse?519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0fiO1FxVX
Seeing my panic, the two broke into hearty laughter. I joined in nervously, still concerned.519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVERZa7cDYC
"Relax, buddy!" Vance said, punching my sleeve lightly, "we're just curious!"
Anna nodded. "I just don't know anything about you!"519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbh8aW3zzDI
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."519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Ml1zajxaS
"The elevator company?" she asked, confused.
I looked at her curiously. "Yeah, why?"519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzdSpCVWxSX
She shrugged. "Don't know, just didn't expect you to work for a big company."519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡARH0jGLRvL
It was my turn to shrug. "It pays the bills."519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRtRiNKiG3d
"So what do you do? Office work?"519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkxNvJbT9p3
"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."519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDCOR1GUAq9
"That's pretty cool," Anna said, smiling sweetly at me and making my heart flutter.519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtjd5cpFXiL
I must have been blushing, because she giggled. "Awwwww," she cooed, "did I embarrass you?"519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqgNqbz7qB
Getting increasingly uncomfortable, I looked away and said nothing.519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsH3vIYuoeb
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.519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡye17q9eBct
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.519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnuDpPmBoe
I forced a cough to give myself a minute to recover before grumbling a response. "I'm not embarrassed..."519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEaZXX1K1JZ
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.519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsIiELt2LE7
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."519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU6Zcf13ViB
"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?519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡho0Hgc7ahI
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.519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3VtdoHo1x
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.519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9YLM77n75
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!"519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡegBWinCdLJ
Vance nodded slowly. "Sure you were," he responded, his voice dripping sarcasm.519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVICCQpYOIq
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.519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWi88csikY
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.519Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYonj4w9qN1
