~ Hello (25)

sat at an empty table towards the back of the restaurant I had found highly suggested on Yelp. Their service and food were supposed to be great. To be honest, I didn't pay attention to either. I remember smiling at the waiter when he asked me for my order and speaking to him with blind sweetness.

Now I sat with a fork loosely gripped between my fingers as I pushed my chicken Cesar salad around the plate. My appetite seemed to have vanished into the thin warm air.

Perhaps it was due to an incident my mind wouldn't stop wondering back to in the past week. The fire department had contacted me three days after that day as Brain promised they would, but I hung up quickly after hearing the greeting voice. I didn't want the memories of that day to stay. I didn't want to remember it. I didn't want to remember him.

But I was lying. I was deceiving myself with such a blatant lie.

I wanted to remember. I wanted to remember him.

But how could I? How could I let him into my world of never-ending days and nights? I hated it. I hated my life. I hated not being able to grow old with the one that I love.

I lost Alexander so long ago, but he still held a part of my heart and I couldn't deny him of that. How could I try to replace something that cannot be copied? How do I even begin to trust someone enough to let them know of my secret?

And even if the trust was obtained, would I be right to let them into a world of disaster? It wouldn't be fair. It wouldn't.

I couldn't do that to anyone.

I couldn't do that to Harold.

"Well, this is the best part of my day," a familiar husky voice spoke from behind me. I turned around fast, my fork left on the plate.

My eyes locked with him and I was right back in that damn elevator. His sense of comfort and style was still evident, perhaps even better, if that were possible, in a much less chaotic environment. His green eyes held amusement as they stared back at me, his hands intertwined behind his back as he studied me closely.

"Harold," I said. My mind had gone blank and I couldn't think of a coherent English sentence that made sense.

His smile widened and he pulled at the chair next to me. "May I?"

"Sir," the waiter behind him, whom I hadn't noticed until now, interrupted, "your table is waiting for you."

He turned around and gave him a pleasant smile. "Give it to a lovely couple and put their check on my tab, Davin."

The man's eyes widened, his wrinkles increasing. He smoothed his red velvet uniform jacket and spoke. "Are you sure?"

"Of course."

"Alright," Davin nodded, a proud look taking over his expression as he gazed at Harold. "Shall I bring you your usual?"

"Please do," Harold responded as politely as ever before turning to me as Davin walked away. He pulled at the chair once more and asked, "May I?"

I blinked. Shit. I was keeping him standing. "Uh, yeah, sure."

He studied me intently for a short second, unsure of how certain my answer was, before taking the seat. He sat comfortably, running his fingers through his wildly tamed hair before returning his attention to me.

"You look beautiful today," he commented, his eyes staring deeply into mine. Through my years of experience, I've come to know that the eyes of most are the pathways to their honesty. Yet, I've never come across someone whose eyes revealed so much yet hid so great. I could sense his sincerity as he spoke; his sapphire eyes darkened and he didn't look away.

I took in a sharp breath and broke our gaze. I couldn't handle it anymore. It was so intensely beautiful; I couldn't withstand it. I was too weak. One hundred and eleven years and a man was weakening me with his sharp gaze.

What was it about this man?

Letting out a small laugh of ridicule at myself, I looked up at him again and found him struck with even more amusement. "Thank you. You look," my eyes wandered around his physique for the first time since I saw him. His dress shirt was of light blue, going well with the deep black tie and dress pants of the same color he wore. "Great. Shit, you look amazing."

I really have a way with words, don't I?

His eyes lightened at my unexpected compliment, but his smile widened and he let out a laugh similar to the one I heard in the elevator. So damn beautiful. "Thank you, Elle."

My heart dropped. Elle. I've never been called by that nickname before, yet it sounded so familiar. Oh God. Here we go again.

"Elle," I echoed, stealing my eyes from his gaze and testing out the nickname.

"Is it alright if I call you Elle?"

The worry in his voice made me look reassuringly up into his eyes. "Of course, you can. I just," I let out a sharp sigh, "I've never been called that before. It just took me by surprise, that's all."

He swallowed, his Adam's apple moving in a way that I shouldn't find sexy at all. But I dis. However, I peeled my sight from that area; I don't want him to notice and find it uncomfortable.

I wanted him to be anything but. So I focused on his lips, which isn't exactly better, as he said, "I love your name. But I also love Elle." He leaned forward, intertwining his hands on the table. "I think I'll use both," he shrugged thoughtfully.

I smiled. "I'd love that."

His lips parted and his eyes wandered to my plate and they widened. "You don't like it?"

My eyes dropped to the focus of his. My plate. My full plate. "Oh." I looked up at him, his eyes now on me, studying me for an answer.

"It's alright to be honest," he reached and rubbed my arm in a comforting motion. However, the feel of shock that ran up my spine and into my blood threw me back to my teenage years. I haven't felt that shock since Alexander was in my life.

No, don't go there.

I decided to be honest and said, "I hate chicken salad."

He snickered. "Then why'd you order it?"

I blinked thrice. "I wish I knew. I was just caught up on some stuff and I wasn't exactly thinking," I almost laughed. "If I'm being honest, I don't even remember how I got here. All I know is I took a cab."

His eyebrows furrowed as I spoke, my voice wavering over the small laughs I managed in between. "You were that caught up in your thoughts?"

I nodded.

He scooted closer, his beautiful scent engulfing me. "Would you like to talk about it?"

No.

"It's about what happened after we got out of the elevator," I stammered quickly, my mouth overriding my brain's orders to shut the hell up.

His eyes roamed the table before returning to mine with curiosity swimming in them, searching for what I could possibly be talking about.

Until he understood and his eyes shot to me with even more worry evident in his eyes. "What happened?"

"Oh no," I rushed to usher him, "nothing. I went home. It was something that happened before we left."

His muscles relaxed and his eyes freed of worry, though a bit lingered. "Before?"

I took in a long breath. Well, you might as well go the whole nine yards.