MENACE || BWWM (BOOK #2 OF HITMAN SERIES)

Ciara- 6

As I told Everett that there was barely any food in our fridge he looked at me confused, but still got up to come with me to the store.

"Then what did I smell you cooking? It smelled good."

I stop at the front door and return the confused look but then quickly realiz what he meant. It made me genuinely chuckle. He wasn't smelling an actual meal.

"Everett...that was just garlic." I hold back a smile as I look at his eyes lower and become filled with embarassment. He scratches the back of his head and let's out a little "oh."

We both put on a pair of shoes we usually leave near the front door and leave the apartment.

As we leave the building I notice Everett keeps his hands in his pants pockets. He was wearing khakis with a black t-shirt and white Skater like shoes. He looked young. Well...younger. Right now he could pass for freshly 20 rather than 28.

"What should we make?" I ask trying to not check him out as blatantly.

He just shrugs and keeps his eyes looking forward as we walk down to the grocery store. I start to become increasingly aware of the way Everett spaces out. His body moves on autopilot but his eyes move back and forth in a rapid motion for a quick 2 seconds.

"Everett?" I try to get his attention and he finally snaps out of his trance.

"Sorry, um, we can make anything. I'll eat it." He finally looks at me with his eyebrows raised a bit. I walk alittle closer to him so we're really walking side by side.

"Anything? That doesn't help me at all." I laugh out my words. I feel his grey eyes on me as I let out a snort.

"I'll eat anything you cook. You're good at it."

"I haven't cooked for you yet. I've only
Baked."

"I assumed that you can cook as well." His face is so serious I can't help but find it cute.

"Okay, let me actually show you how I cook. But to do that I need you to pick a meal."

"Okay, um, how about Pasta Salad." He puts a finger to his lips in a thinking gesture.

"Pasta salad? What's that?"

I've heard of pasta and I've heard of salad. Never has it ever crossed my mind to mix the two. Maybe side by side but not together.

"My mother use to make it when we were little. She would use the different colored pastas for us kids and then add cherry tomatoes from the small garden she was allowed to have. They were delicious. And lastly she would add salami, Mozzerall cheese balls, red onion and parsley. Me and Adrian didn't like olives." Everett has a fond look on his face as he recites the recipe his mother followed to make her children a meal.

I can't help but dwell on the fact that he said she was allowed to have a garden. Maybe an apartment didn't let her have some things? I'm not sure but it made me curious about his parents.

"You don't like olives? I love olives!" I look at him in shock. He chuckles a bit at my reaction.

"We'll if you want, you can make it with olives. I'll just give mine to you." I feel his arm slightly brush my shoulder as he walks closer to me.