HER || 18+ (Monsters #2) || Sequel to THEM

44 - Murderer

"Had I told the sea

What I felt for you,

It would have left its shores,

Its shells,

Its fish,

And followed me."

- Nizar Qabbani

. . .

Olivia Woods

I froze at the end of the staircase as I watched Xerxes emerge from a car. He was dressed in dress pants, a simple white shirt that stretched over his muscles, and the sleeves were rolled up, showing scars and veins. Dark aviators sat on his nose and his dark hair was tied back in a messy ponytail.

He leaned against his car, hands in his pockets. Even though I couldn't see his eyes, I could feel their weight of them.

I watched him, for a moment. His jaw flexed, once.

He tilted his head, motioning me to come closer.

I walked towards him with hesitant steps.

I paused in front of him, messing with the hem of my dress. I was wearing a simple dark brown one with tights and a giant black coat.

"Butterfly."

"Hi, Xerxes."

"You're not going to look at me, hm?"

I looked up. He removed his aviators.

His eyes were intense and void of anything I could read. They were frustratingly hard to read. I hadn't been able to read them sometimes because of practice, but because they chose to reveal themselves.

"Are you scared right now?"

I gulped. "N-No."

"You stuttered."

"I'm...nervous."

His eyes caressed every inch of my face. "Nervous." He nodded to himself. "Get in the car, Olivia."

"Xerxes- I...I need more time."

He sighed and looked away from me, eyes fixing on the building I had just walked out of. "There he is," he muttered, looking at Declan who was walking away. "I bet you're not scared of him, are you?"

"It just came out - I'm not scared of you. I promise..."

"It just came out," he repeated, slowly.

I lowered my eyes to my hands and took in deep breaths to calm myself down. He didn't look at me.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I shouldn't have said it."

He stayed quiet. He didn't even look at me.

"You should go," he said. "You have another class, no?"

I gulped. "No- it got canceled."

He hummed. "Still nervous?"

"Yes," I whispered.

"Nervous..." He trailed off. "Your hand are shaking. You can't look at me. You're stuttering. Those are just nerves?"

"You're mad at me. T-that's why I'm nervous. I'm not scared...I know you won't hurt me."

"Miss Summers told us about the videos you saw," he said. "You're not scared after watching those?"

"Why do you sound like you want me to be scared?"