Falling

Chapter Eight

Cat P.O.V. 

Lonely. It's a funny word isn't it at least to me, it's a word I've related to for the past year. Ever since my father killed my sister. My mum started to work more to avoid the loneliness of being at home even if she still has me. I've never complained because I get why she does it. I do it too but in a different way. Preferring to stay out late at the library or a coffee shop with my headphones in and the world around me disappearing as I focus on whatever task is at the time. Today is finding dance schools so I can begin them again. I danced back in London and loved it so I wanted to continue here in the states. However, it's proving more difficult than I thought due to so many not allowing new students because concerts are soon. More people fill into the coffee shop so I turn up my music, today it's the end of the Hamilton soundtrack. The World Was Wide Enough plays in my headphones blocking out all the sound of the world around me as I continue to search classes but with little luck, after two hours I finally give up and pack all my things before heading home.

The quiet. A silent but deadly killer. It's all this house is. The only occasional sound is the ice maker, as I walk up the stairs I finally work to finish unpacking and putting things in their perfect spot before decide to grab my copy of John Green's The Fault In Our Stars and settle into my bed, that's still on the floor but my frame is coming this week so that should be fun. Halfway through chapter three, my phone goes off, and upon checking it. It's my mom telling me once again, she's staying at the hospital to make sure a patient pulls through. Don't get me wrong I love that she loves her job but sometimes I wish she'd take some time off for her alive child. The past year has been hard on her losing her husband and her youngest child. She buried herself in work to avoid thinking about the loss but in her doing that she started to lose her oldest child. That's when the demons crawled in and never left when the thoughts of jumping out of the window of the flat we lived in came in. I wasn't shocked. When the thoughts of downing a whole bottle of sleeping pills came it was just the icing on the cake. I send back a thumbs up and go back to reading.

The sun is already setting by the time I take a break from reading and go down to the kitchen to see that we still have barely any food in the house since both of us loathe going to the store for food but I decide I should probably go get some food for the house. The store is busy, which doesn't help my mood but isn't surprising considering Christmas is in a few days but I doubt my mum and I are doing anything. In past years I stayed at Skylar's, my best friend from England, and her nan, Aubrey, but that isn't an option this year since neither my mum nor I want to go back to England. After buying a bunch of food, mainly microwave stuff and things for sandwiches, but food nonetheless. I've never been a great cook, mainly cause I burn everything. Trying to carry a bunch of bags is proving very difficult and not very fun. I see a white car pull up and roll the window down, "Need some help," I hear a southern voice that I immediately recognize as Dawson and I stop to look at him, "Yeah actually," I say and offer a shy smile. Dawson pulls his car over and gets out to open the boot and help me put all my bags in there. "Do you remember where my house is," I ask as we slide into seats, and Dawson nods, "Yeah I do."

After a short, quiet car ride we arrive at my house and Dawson helps me move everything into the kitchen, "Thank you ya know for the ride and helping me bring the bags in," I say and smile nervously at him, "It's no problem, however, what exactly are you planning to make?" Dawson asks which earns a shrug from me, "No idea, I can't really cook," I say honestly and watch as he looks into each of the bags, "You somehow managed to buy everything for Caesar salad if you like those," he says and looks over his shoulder to where I am leaning against the granite countertop. "You know how to make Caesar salad," I ask and Dawson nods, "Yeah, my mom loves to cook so she taught me some things, though a salad isn't exactly fancy," I roll my eyes and Dawson chuckles, "I can show you if you want," Dawson says and I nod, "Please," I say and walk over to him. He smiles and turns around to begin pulling things out of the bags, "So where were you going before you decided to help me," "On my way home." "Oh? From a date," I ask trying to remain casual as I put some of the things away when I hear Dawson laugh, "No, no date. No girlfriend. Though if you wanted to know you if I had a girlfriend could've just asked. For fucks sake where is a bowl?" I ignore the first part of his sentence and turn around to get a bowl from one of the cupboards, "Here," I say with a smile and he takes the bowl and I help him get the rest of the things he'd need. A spatula, measuring cups, and whatnot. Dawson begins to make the dressing and explains while also showing me what all to do. "It's pretty easy honestly," he says with a shrug, "Well I can't burn anything so that's good," I say, and Dawson chuckles.

While Dawson mixes the dressing, he has me chop the lettuce and get croutons and parmesan cheese out. "Does mayonnaise truly go into the dressing," I ask, and Dawson nods, "But I promise you can't taste it," he says and takes the bowl of lettuce from me to add to the dressing then tops it with the cheese and croutons. "And voila, your Ceaser salad made by yours truly," Dawson says with a smile while looking at me, "It looks good," "Well I couldn't have done it without my amazing sous chef," he says and gets two bowls then dishes the salad into them. I grab two forks and hand him then he hands me my bowl. I take a bite, "Wow Dawson, this is really good," I say sincerely and I swear I see a blush on his cheeks, "Why thank you," he says and we move to the table where we eat in silence. We both finish and Dawson stays to help me do the dishes which halfway through he decides to blow bubbles at me causing me to squeal and blow bubbles back. We blow bubbles back and forth while both of us laugh. Once we call a truce and finish the dishes, Dawson says that he needs to go home which makes me... sad? With Dawson here, the demons have been at bay and barely made a noise but I walk him to the door but right before he walks out, he looks at me, and all the sudden his lips are on mine, soft and warm, I know people say it's like fireworks but I swear I felt them in my stomach, but as soon as they were there they were gone. Dawson bites his bottom lip and mutters a quick goodbye before leaving quickly and shutting the door. Leaving me to wonder what the hell just happened and my fingers lightly touching my lips because I still feel Dawson's lips on mine even if he's already left before I could say goodbye.