He’s a shameless flirt. I have no idea if any of our interactions mean anything to him. After he left me in Eloras, I began to question if I could trust anything that came out of his mouth.He told me he would come back quickly. He didn’t, and I had to suffer the consequences.
I still don’t know if I can trust him.
My body thinks I should, though. That much is clear.
Despite my traitorous body’s natural reaction to his hold, I can’t let myself forget how much he hurt me.
Ican’topen up again.
I won’t.
I’m perfectly capable of getting through this whirlwind of emotions trapped inside me on my own.
Twenty-Two
Kai
Reading is exhilarating.Who knew?
Kidding. Of course you knew, little bookworm. I’m just late to the party.
While strolling downtown with my girl in my arms, I’m flying as high as a kite. Figuratively, of course. Obviously, I can’t fly yet. Hell, I don’t know if I ever will.
It’s nice carrying her in my arms for a change rather than holding on to her waist for dear life. I’ve had a bad feeling since reuniting with her, though. Something is off.
She can tuck her wings away, but when she tucks them away, I can typically still see them. The wings fold inward toward her body when she tucks them behind her back, making them appear quite different in size. I noticed they were missing as soon as I saw her, but holding her in the bookshop is what made my mind start spinning.
Now that I’m carrying her in my arms, my level of concern is rising by the minute. Her body is tense—more tense than usual. I even avoided walking through Times Square because of how stiff she feels in my arms.
Where the hell are her wings? Do angel wings magically disappear upon entering this realm? I guess I wouldn’t know.
“What show are we seeing?” she asks, peering up into my eyes. Heavens. I didn’t even realize we’d arrived on Broadway Avenue.
I lift my eyes to the vertical sign’s bold text lighting up the entire block under the moonlit night sky.
“How about the witchy one?” I offer nonchalantly, setting her down on her own two feet in front of me, immediately draping both of my arms around her shoulders. She reaches up and grabs hold of my forearms.
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard of that one.”
“Perfect. The music is iconic. I heard they’re even making a movie based on the story. You’ll love it.” I grin, walking ahead of her and reaching out for her hand. She takes my hand hesitantly and allows me to lead her.
I may be smiling, but my mind is working overtime. Something isn’t adding up.
We walk in comfortable silence among a sea of people into the theatre and settle on sitting in the back section on the upper level. A wave of excitement nearly drowns me on our way up the stairs. Everyone in the theatre is buzzing with anticipation. The entire front section on the lower floor is occupied. Thankfully, the upper level of the theatre isn’t too crowded tonight. Given how it’s a random Monday in January, I can’t say I’m surprised.
I’ve never been one to prefer alone time with my significant other. In my past relationship, I spent a lot of time aroundothers—friends, family, and acquaintances. As extroverts, my ex and I thrived in crowds.
With Cleo, things couldn’t be more different.
I’ve found that I prefer to spend time alone with her. I almost feel a bit territorial over her, which isn’t normal for me. I just want her to be comfortable. Always. I mean, it doesn’t take a genius to see that she clearly isn’t an extrovert. She’s much more skilled at watching thanbeingwatched. Consequently, I feel closest to her when we’re alone. I’m not used to that.
We sink into two comfortable burgundy velvet chairs in the very last row. Upon sitting down, I slink my arm around her shoulders and lean into her side. Instead of pulling away, she folds into me, cozying up into my arm.
The theatre’s lighting dims as the actors take the stage. Colorful beams of light shine on the stage, setting the mood. I’ve never seen a show on Broadway myself, so in theory, I should be fucking stoked to experience this.
But as I glance to my right, I realize the only thing I have the capacity to think about right now is her.
The feel of her wingless back.
