I feel a whoosh of air. Frowning to myself, I slowly remove my hands and look over to him, seeing him holding out a single carrot. I stare at it, blinking in confusion.
“Er, thanks,” I mutter, taking the carrot.
He looks down at the carrot and back at me. “You don’t like carrots?”
“I do, er… I’ve just never been given a carrot to eat like this,” I say.
“You don’t want to eat it.” It’s not a question; it’s a statement as he watches me.
“Well, I’m not a horse.” I smirk, but quickly erase it when my eyes connect with his.
This ain’t no time for jokes, Evelynn,I mentally chastise myself.
“But you like carrots, just not like that,” he adds.
Furrowing my brow, I look at him, wondering what’s so hard for him to understand. “Er, yeah. As a side dish. Or in a cake,” I point out.
“Fine,” he snaps and walks out, slamming the door behind him.
I flinch at the sound.
Shit.
“No, wait!” I call out, already regretting my big mouth. I should have just eaten the damn carrot. Why would I think I could choose my meal like I’m at a fucking restaurant when I’m being held captive? Now he’s gone, and I’ll have to starve.
God, I’m such a moron.
I feel my eyes begin to sting with tears. Losing my best friend, tired, hurt, and hungry, I’m hanging by a very thin thread, and just one minor inconvenience away from losing it.
The door swings open, and I rapidly blink back my tears. I look towards the door, and he walks in with a tray. A fucking tray covered with bread, butter, meats, cheeses, and grapes. I’m having to fight everything in me right now not to pounce and snatch that tray from his hands.
He places it down on the end of the bed, his gaze never straying from mine.
“Thank you,” I rasp, swallowing back the drool as I salivate.
He steps back, watching me. I look at him and then at the tray.
“You can eat,” he orders.
I pause for just a moment before I reach for the tray and grab the bread, taking a large bite, moaning at the taste. I’m frenzied. Picking up the knife, I spread some butter on it and take another bite. The rich, creamy saltiness of the butter melts in my mouth.
“Oh god,” I moan, like it’s the best meal I’ve ever had in my life.
Truth is, I didn’t have time to eat before Suzie and I went to Crawley’s party.
My nose tingles at the thought of Suzie, but I push it back, shoving it deep within me. Not now. I can’t grieve for her now. I can’t show them weakness or let them see that what they’ve done hurts me. I’m sure they would relish in the misery they’ve caused and use it to break me further.
I pause, looking over at him. His stare is intense.
“How does it taste?” he asks.
“You want some, too?” I ask, gesturing to the plate, my mouth full of bread as I pick up the cheese and take a bite out of it.
He shakes his head. “I… I do not.”
“Okay,” I mumble as I continue to eat.
Pausing when something occurs to me, I drop the bread on the plate like it’s scalded me.
