Shimmers & Shrouds (Abstruse) (14 page)

"Yes..." I stabilized my voice and nodded. I quickly set her on her feet at the bed side. But held her so she wouldn't fall. "And you're my princess." I rubbed my nose against hers.
" And we have our bed." She whispered. I gave her a long smooch, caressing her, and exploring her again, listening to her accelerated breathing, it made me go crazy. I pushed her on the bed and kissed her throat, travelling down towards her collar bone while my other hand got rid of her top. I wanted to tear it down, to shreds. My wilderness was finally being tamed though. I rolled over on her. Finally breaking the kiss.
"I love you." I whispered. This wasn't a normal sexual drive. This was much more.. more than lust. I wanted her to know that I was desperate to claim not only her body, but her soul.
"I love you." she pulled me close to her warm body, and we were lost in each other again.
Oceana and I were having lunch― or brunch since we didn't have it in the morning because of certain…(beautiful) issues. We skipped the noodles and decided to have something that would make up for the breakfast and the lunch as well. I helped her making avocado margarita. She told me she’d never heard of it so it was a pleasure telling her how it was to be made. I chopped her some vegetables and narrated the entire recipe like a story. She didn't ask me the procedure again.

W
hen I took the first bite though, I was charmed by the delicious melting taste of the margarita. I marvelled at her retaining power. Sure she had a great memory.
Her anxious face was relieved to see me enjoying the mouth watering food. She ate it, and by the way she looked at it, I was glad that she finally appreciated my choice.
"You're a good cook." you're one in a billion in fact.
"You've told me that a million times, Orpheus." She rolled her eyes heavenward.
"You look so beautiful when you roll your eyes."
"Thank you.” She took another bite and winked at me the same time. Sometimes things were so sane between us.
"Very well, princess." I quit on having the food. I wanted to admire her.
"Shut up." She blushed crimson. "It is so..." she hunted for the right words.
"Beautiful?" I looked at her hopefully.
"No. Unreal." She snapped and focused back on her plate. I noticed something unusual about her. I didn't know if she had taken some class for the etiquettes and manners because she wasn’t making any sound while having her food with the spoon, and I clearly remembered the way both gran and I were tired of the cluttering when she had dinner with gran. How could she just marvel at the eating habits in just seventeen hours?
"You... why don't you make any sound while having food?"
"Because I don't." She continued having appetizing meal.
"But you―"
She cut me and gave me an I-know-it’s-obvious-but-you-won't-get-it-anyway look. "I acted like a nineteen year old Orpheus. If she'd known that I'm one messed up girl with over confidence brimming and overflowing, things would have been different. I didn't want to scare her with my over maturity.”
"You did the opposite." I informed.
"What?" My comment startled her. Tit for Tat. I grinned.
"My gran thinks you're not eligible to be my friend." I took a bite and chewed it carefully, reminding myself not to swallow it immediately. I reckoned of choking to death the last time it happened.
"I see." She nodded.
This was the usual case when both of us had food together. She never spoke much when she had her food, but I wanted her to talk to me. I still couldn't believe it was just a plain meeting at the orphanage that started all of it.
"So... where were we? Unreal huh.. Like me?"
"Yes. Whenever I think about you and me―"
"Us."
"Us, I find it very dream like. None of my friends are aware of me being friends with you."
"You mean ‘us’ in ‘relationship’?"
"Only if you are clear that its love. I don't want to force you into something you're not sure of."

Well, I just heard that sentence from a girl who was ELEVEN years younger to me. Wasn’t that supposed to be my line?
"You're just nineteen, and yet you surprise me with your level of understanding." I hid my shame and complimented her.
"I am honored to stun you."
"The pleasure is all mine."

I reached for the glass of juice but she took mine and drank half of it. I looked at her, bewildered.

“What are you staring at? I have this right now. I don’t have to be sweet with you and share my favourite juice anymore.”

Can’t this girl remain quite unsurprising for a moment?

I sunk back in my chair and devoured the remaining margarita thinking of the ways to surprise her out of the blues.

“What shall I drink now?” I whined. Pouty faced.

“Why are you asking me? You know how much I like orange juice, don’t you?”

I scowled, ignoring her. “What shall I drink now, greedy woman?”

She offered me an empty glass. “How about some air, Mr. Albert?”

Oh… we were back at our cute selves again. I loved us this way.

“You… it hurts my pride to give up on my orange juice because you want to have TWO glasses of it. Rude”

“I am having what I like the most, you make some arrangements to have the thing you like the most. Don’t whine. I am not giving you the juice even if you cry.”

That enlightened me. Having a thing what I liked the most could be….

She took a spoonful of margarita and tossed it in her mouth.

There was my chance.

I reached her from across the table and cupped her face. She looked at me as if she were dazzled.

“I am going to have my favourite thing now.” I warned her, grinning ear to ear.

I kissed her; I controlled my urge to want her then and there. I took some pieces of pasta from her mouth as I pulled back from the ‘margarita kiss.’

I chewed the stolen pieces visibly so she would get to know what I meant by the ‘favourite stuff’.

She regained her sense
and looked at me, fanning herself by her hands.

“You pervert.” She flushed crimson. I gave a low chuckle.

“So, greedy woman, either give me my juice back or I’m going to torture you the same way.” I beamed.
"Orpheus, do you think I am better than Diane?" She muttered, distracted by something.

I scowled inwardly. At least this was the conversation I was sure about lasting for a long time without any awkwardness. I particularly hated the moments that were ruined because of some unwanted elements― especially when I had tried for them to be lovely.
"I think there is no comparison between both of you." You are the outer space with a billion stars; she is the earth I stand on. I need her for support but I've always wanted to be with you.
"Will you be in relationship with her?"
“No."
"Really."
"You bet." I smirked, and then tensed at the tantrum Diane would throw if I broke up. “But I need some time for that."
She sulked."You love her?"
I didn’t know she had a jealous streak in her. I was glad that she finally starting acting like a normal and sane girlfriend would, if she confronted her man about his ex.

I was her man. That was surely the best title I had won. A title that was worth everything.

"Oceana, I have never loved anyone. I mean, it is just a normal sexual relationship. I move out when I am through with it."
"Oh." She pressed her lips. It certainly felt as if she was clearly disappointed by my answer. She needed to know everything though; she was not just my girlfriend now but soon to be a wife. There was no other girl that I would be marrying so I didn’t want to hide anything from her.

She got up and emptied the contents of her plate in the trash bin. I was taken aback by this action. I’d rarely seen her throwing away her share of food l
ike this. In fact this was the first time.
"Are you done?" I asked.
"I am full."
I placed my empty plate in the sink and marched towards her. "You have a healthy appetite, Oceana; you hadn't even finished half of it."
"I. am. full."

I ruined her perfect day. The pri
ce I had to pay? I had an idea to that.

She started cleaning the platform and placed all the messy dishes in the sink. I followed her everywhere like a puppy.
"You know, you are the only drop dead gorgeous girl who is stubborn enough to resist Orpheus Albert."
She stopped and whirled around; her pale yellow cheeks patched everywhere with blushes. "Don't you do that again?"
I leaned closer. "What?"

She tore her gaze away and pushed me gently, returning back to the platform she was cleaning a few moments earlier.

"Catch me off guard with those unexpected comments." Her voice was much stable than I expected it to be.
"Oh, I wish I could stop it."
"You can."

I took the sponge away from her hand
and held it high above my head.
"You want this? Then tell me how that is possible. It’s because I don’t see a way."
She crossed her arms and tilted her head sideways. Oh Christ! Was I melting?

"
Common sense, Mr. Albert .By sealing your lips."

I encircled my free hand around her waist and pulled her close, cautious of the tactic she might use to get the sponge back from me.
"Well, that in itself is a tremendously difficult task." I murmured; ready to lose myself in her eyes.
"Oh really!"
"Yes, I like it when it moves, especially when I'm with you, when I'm talking with you. When I'm kissing you."
I could make out how hard it was for her not to swoon. She puckered her lips and smiled unevenly. "Wow. Is it you or the alter?"

I let her loose, r
esurrecting the environment to something she would be wanting so she could have a clear head while doing her work.
"The alter, of course. You can never expect me to be romantic, sweet heart."
"I am sure your alter knows how talented you are. Perhaps, he doesn't like to compete with you."
"You think so?"
"No. I said I am sure."

She smiled.

I couldn’t wait anymore. Screw the dishes and the cleanliness drive. I wanted her, now; right at this moment.

I held her waist and pulled her for a back hug. We stood there for a few seconds
―  or maybe our until our breathing calmed. I reeled back to all our meetings and the conversations. How this girl appeared like some personal miracle for me. She brought me the hope and joy to live my life happily and see the world in a new light. She was a streak of vibrant colour in my gray life. She was my everything. 
"Let’s give it a try then." I whispered against her shoulder.
"Where?"
"Right now, my alter is desperate for you in the bed. But I want us to be under the shower."
She tipped her head back to rest on my shoulder, exposing the skin of her neck.

I swirled her around and kissed her all the way down to her collar bone, tightening my grasp around her.
"Only if you are not offended by the choice of place." My voice was barely audible to me.
"I am...not...” she breathed― holding me in place.
We stood under the small shower that did an unexceptionally brilliant job of dousing both of us despite being small in it’s size.