"So, Graham," Anna started, stirring me from my inner turmoil, "what's your story?"104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsw1luny8cM
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡvlcQbZ868a
"What do you mean?" I responded, much to Vance's amusement.104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRd2DDLSQb
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDlnA6oje1
"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.104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpKcHHK5Hc
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lWAgSMbzU
I averted my gaze, knowing I would crumble under her infectious smile, and sighed dramatically. "Do I have to?"104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpaJrveP4m1
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡo5gBVrB3yJ
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.104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQiS4lwI6py
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡeunASXHhgV
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.104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡieX2rFKcLs
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡingfYx7KIH
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?"104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoaC8B8mrcJ
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7MWJIokMW
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.104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs21l6nROtg
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30rrAkohBE
"Well, well, well," Vance said, "this is interesting. What should we start with, Anna?"copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡdU2u901hLJ
Anna stroked her chin in mock deep thought. "Hmmm, I don't know, Vance. Too many places to start..."104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLvkOWZz8L
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqRLnAtLVf
My eyes darted between them both, panic rising. What if they found out about my gift - my curse?104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xVEGxM3YY
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZg9qRtO95
Seeing my panic, the two broke into hearty laughter. I joined in nervously, still concerned.104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMr0OM7bEWF
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmZvQ9wRqh
"Relax, buddy!" Vance said, punching my sleeve lightly, "we're just curious!"copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpIta54DQZ
Anna nodded. "I just don't know anything about you!"104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUjrqEgmEPv
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡSyY9Hp0bd9
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."104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQ3luKSgNR
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHvgcmpJeQ
"The elevator company?" she asked, confused.copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QfIjpOo2F
I looked at her curiously. "Yeah, why?"104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfAigp5oAJk
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVen4WM470
She shrugged. "Don't know, just didn't expect you to work for a big company."104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDEI4jYrXN
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡdoHJEU54Dk
It was my turn to shrug. "It pays the bills."104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmE0I9KAqy
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡUDa9muybTB
"So what do you do? Office work?"104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsF8LVxQj8z
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhw5EB1rF9
"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."104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpdj7hC5JA
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡrTx9Dc3JhG
"That's pretty cool," Anna said, smiling sweetly at me and making my heart flutter.104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTGWxHFGsf6
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3bkelGJTRC
I must have been blushing, because she giggled. "Awwwww," she cooed, "did I embarrass you?"104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0IM9tIHj1P
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIU1NzCP0i
Getting increasingly uncomfortable, I looked away and said nothing.104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTGf7ZmpCs8
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡYscwBPJEy0
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.104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclO9TvOAX4
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡlCbFQwlzqd
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.104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYMt7fbOzd
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVW6XJFzyG
I forced a cough to give myself a minute to recover before grumbling a response. "I'm not embarrassed..."104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtTTATg0vI
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡSx943KTMps
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.104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8I4XRYtFyr
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡMK4YqUvLuV
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."104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgpvJxLVll
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGRVNOFtod
"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?104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90P3UqXaqs
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gKjlN3fAt
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.104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSyaXw2VZHu
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡHmeMlEHQqb
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.104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqrKQXunJqJ
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpSDlGs09Q
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!"104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zJUCDkzNK
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡdj7YCsMGHm
Vance nodded slowly. "Sure you were," he responded, his voice dripping sarcasm.104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2GjdDPgzPX
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pJob52TVs
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.104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3fpN6mit5I
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ISXmdDOdN
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 protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡFr6MpJfcpW
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.104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcahW4Uzpun
copyright protection100ＰＥＮＡＮＡzzmiXynZrj
