Abandoned and Adored

Abadoned halls

-Chiara

Damn...Not good, not good at all...

I straighten up so violently that I'm surprised I didn't get whiplash when I realize I'm no longer where I fell asleep. I look around vigilantly, knowing that danger could be lurking around every corner. My eyes scour the surroundings shrewdly and thoroughly, and even when I perceive no threat, I persist in my caution. Only after triple-checking my surroundings do I exhale with relief and search for orientation.

At first glance, it appears that I am in an abandoned warehouse. But it does not look like it is still in operation. The air is filled with the smell of must and dirt. The faint sound of dripping water echoes through the expanse, while the floor is so dusty that it almost resembles ash, which accumulates in a considerable sum on the metal soil.

On closer inspection of the warehouse I realize that it is not as abandoned as appearances first deceived, on closer inspection it even looks quite cozy, perhaps a little rusty and rustic, but comfortable. A few pieces of stained furniture that look like they've been through quite a bit are scattered around the room.

The warehouse is a large, dilapidated building. The windows are boarded up and some are covered with cardboard. Graffiti covers the walls. Piles of rubble and trash littered the floor, and the only light came from a few small holes in the roof. The more familiar my surroundings became, the more fears spread through me. The warehouse had obviously been abandoned for years, and it seemed like the perfect place for someone doing shady business or for someone who wanted to hide from the world.

When I suddenly become aware of soft footsteps echoing on the metal floor, I recoil. My heartbeat, which had just slowed down, now starts pounding again violently, almost painfully against my ribcage, as if it wanted to break out of its cage to leave further damage behind. But I don't let it get that far this time.

Taking a deep breath, I now turn around in the direction from which the footsteps are coming. I quickly grab the first object near me, to be able to defend myself in an emergency against the figure that slowly approaches. However, when I feel a soft something in my hand, I tear my gaze away from the man who is slowly stepping out of the darkness to see what I was reaching for. A musty pillow. Even though I am aware that it will do me no good at most, I still hold it in front of me as if it could protect me.

I can't deny that there is something fascinating about him. As I look at him, I can't help but notice how his sharp chin line accentuates his chiseled features. His intense gaze is both disturbing and captivating. It's as if he's seen too much and is carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. He's not someone to mess with, that's for sure.

But there's more to him than just his tough exterior. I can sense a hint of vulnerability beneath the surface as if he's been hurt before and is trying to protect himself. Maybe that's why he seems so cold at first glance. Or maybe he's just a born asshole.

With all the courage I can muster, I ask, "What are you going to do with me?

My counterpart, however, seems to be quite uninterested in me, because he simply approaches the armchair opposite the stained couch on which I have been sleeping, with a beer in his hand.

,,Hello, you can't just kidnap me and then ignore me," I hiss angrily at him. which makes him look at me with an indefinable look. ,,I didn't kidnap you," he replies emotionlessly, in a rough, dark voice that gives me goosebumps. "Oh, what would you call that then?" I ask him, annoyed by now, and make a sweeping motion that includes the entire warehouse.

,,Again, I didn't kidnap you, I saved you. Didn't your parents teach you not to just sleep in a dirty alley, or why are you doing this shit?. I don't know what drove you to do it, but whatever the reason was, there are characters in this neighborhood you would rather not meet. So the next time you feel the need to run away from home, don't. It's childish and dangerous. Unless you want to see what real danger looks like, go back to sleeping in some alley,'' he glares at me angrily.

His words don't leave me cold and inside they make me wince. Unconsciously I agree with him, but still, it makes me angry that he has already made his judgment before he even knows my name ,,.Well, excuse me for trying to live my best life," I state bitingly, throwing my hands in the air. "But thanks for saving me, Batman. Next time, maybe bring a cape or something to really complete the look."

Not sure if my teasing is a good idea, I'm surprised to see him slowly moving toward me, beer still in hand, coming to a stop just before I do. "This," he points at the musty pillow I'm still clutching tightly, "isn't going to help you unless you plan on having a pillow fight. Fortunately for you, you won't need this, because I don't intend to do anything to you. On the contrary, you are free to leave at any time. There's the exit,'' he points at a door, where it says Emergency Exit in a neon light, briefly glaring at me again before turning away to leave.

He doesn't even respond to my teasing, which leaves me stunned. But before he is out of reach, I unceremoniously hold him by the shoulder, which makes him turn around. The evil expression that has now formed on his face makes me regret for a second not having taken the first opportunity to escape. But something in his dark eyes leaves me with confidence that I did the right thing.

"Can I stay here?" I ask not as cheekily as before as the thought occurs to me that I don't know where else to go and the warehouse seems a slightly better and safer place than one of the many gases.

"Oh, sure. Let's make this warehouse a bed & breakfast. I can even put a mint on your pillow. If we had pillows, I mean." he replies wryly. But I'm not going to be sent away that easily, now that he's just brought me along anyway.

,,First of all, I don't even know where we are, and second," I swallow, thinking again if this is a good idea, but right now I don't really care about anything, so I reveal the thought to him, which almost makes tears come to my eyes, so I have to blink them away before I whisper pathetically, "I don't want to go home".

Ashamedly, I keep my gaze fixed on the floor, where dust motes have been kicked up by the footsteps, now elegantly shining in the light that casts small beams from the upper windows, causing a storm.

But, although I would like to continue watching the spectacle, I lift my gaze, as my lowered posture only makes me feel more pathetic. An even more beautiful spectacle unfolds to me as our eyes meet. Briefly, I see something flare in his gaze, but just as quickly as it came, it's gone.

But that doesn't make him any less interesting, rather the opposite. His black hair hangs in his face, which goes well with his dark grey eyes, which look just as black as his hair from further away. His lips are narrow and his skin is pale, with his lanky body looking almost unhealthy all in all, though that doesn't make him any less attractive.

My eyes first travel to his eyes again before moving further down to his neck. Where I can make out a small part of the black lines that adorn his skin, but before I even have a chance to analyze what motive it is, he breaks the silence between us. ''For now, you can stay here'''.

He seems almost desperate when he says the words as if he already regrets taking me in. He looked at me with indifference, like I was just another burden he had to bear. Not knowing how to express my gratitude or even if I should express it, I finally decide to introduce myself, "My name is Chiara".

''Good for you''

With these words, he hands me his beer and disappears through the emergency exit.