Falling To Pieces #1 (COMPLETE)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“C’mon! Don’t feel bad” Alex laughed “You're doing really good… for an amateur”
I rolled my eyes and decided not to humour him with a reply.
We had gone out for sushi, which I really enjoyed but Alex immediately noticed that I had trouble using my chopsticks and decided to give me shit for it throughout the entire meal. Naturally, his teasing made me all the more determined to master the art of eating with sticks. Unfortunately, that didn’t work out so well, much to his amusement. I finally gave up and ate my sushi the way I always did— by means of stabbing it with the chopsticks and then putting it into my mouth.
“I don’t get it!” I told him irritably. “Why would people eat with sticks? I mean, who the fuck came up with this shit anyway?”
He threw his back and laughed at my frustrations.
“The Chinese” He answered unnecessarily. As if I didn’t know.
“You know the first chopsticks ever made weren’t even used for utensils." He told me casually, before easily lifting a salmon rose with his chopsticks and gracefully popping it into his mouth. Ever the history geek, ready to soak in information, my interests were piqued.
"Really."
"Mmm… They were invented in ancient China in around early 1766 BCE, and at the time, it was used for things like, cooking or stirring the fire”
I stared at him unblinkingly. I wasn’t sure what I was more surprised by; the fact that he was giving me a history lesson on chopsticks or the fact that I didn’t already know that small bit of random information? Then again, why would I know that? Why would anyone know that? It was so weird.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Surprised my brain capacity can hold more than the knowledge of higher grade brands of marijuana?”
I shut my mouth and swallowed my food.
“More tea?” He offered sweetly, when I didn’t reply.
I held up my cup so he could refill it. “I thought I was the history geek? Or did you just Google that chopstick information in hopes of impressing me?”
He laughed again and I found that I really liked the sound of the rich, husky melody.
“I read it somewhere once so, no. I’ve never really been a big fan of Wikipedia”
"Oh my God. You...can read?" I teased.
He laughed harder at that.
"Fuck off."
I chuckled and took a sip of my tea.
“It’s easy, you know” He said suddenly.
“Reading?”
“Using chopsticks." He said with an eye roll. "Here, I’ll show you”
“Oh… That's okay, I’m almost done anyway” I protested
He didn’t listen to me. He stood up and noisily scraped his chair around the table until he was right next to me. I looked around at the glares worn by the other diners before turning back to him.
“Go back to your side of the table!”
Of course he did the complete opposite and moved closer to me. Why was I even surprised? Doing the opposite of what he was told was typical of Alex. I jumped when he suddenly grabbed a hold of my right hand and turned it palm up. Panic raised its ugly little head as soon as he brushed his fingertips against the imprints of my scars. Quick handshakes aside, no one touched my scars. Not many people even noticed them and if they did, most of them would either ignore them or be polite enough not to ask about it. Alex however, was not most people. He was curious and he was pretty much the opposite of polite. He may have let me off the hook earlier, but the fact that he was touching my scars and studying them so closely now, made me nervous.
I couldn’t exactly be sure what my face looked like but, it was too late to hide it from him now. He had already seen the emotions that had been on portrayed. Whatever he had seen took him aback but, he still didn’t let go of my hand. Instead, he studied me with an intense amber coloured gaze that I found myself being entranced by. He tightened his grip on my hand, which was unnecessary because, despite of how uneasy he made me feel, for some reason, I didn’t plan on pulling away anymore.
“I’m not going to hurt you” He said in an uncharacteristically kind voice, while he continued to lightly brush his fingertips on my scars.
I frowned at how much he misinterpreted my reaction but, I was too enthralled by his gentle touch and his fierce, yet nonthreatening stare to form any words. I watched as his gaze moved down to my lips and my breath caught a little. Did he want to kiss me? And if he did, would I let him?
I was surprised to find myself feeling a bit disappointed when he looked away and turned around in his seat. He cleared his throat and then picked up my chopsticks.
“You were holding it wrong. Grip the first stick in the crook between your thumb and index finger…” He explained while demonstrating and going out of his way to avoid eye contact.
I felt confused about what had just happened but, decided not to think too deeply of it. I could have easily been reading into things that weren't really there. I was caught off guard and I displayed a moment of weakness. That’s really all it was.
I shook my head as a way of clearing my thoughts, and tuned back into what he was saying.
“…tuck your middle finger underneath the second chopstick and move— yeah! Like that!” He called out excitedly.
I got the idea after that and I was finally able to properly use it. As long as I moved really slowly.
Alex quickly picked up conversation and acted more like his usual self, after that. I was familiar with the playful, cocky and teasing Alex, so I felt myself relax again. The familiar was always comfortable. We finished at the sushi bar and strolled around town for a bit. Conversation came easily; if he wasn’t rambling about something unintentionally offensive, he’d point out things he thought I’d be interested to know. The more I spoke to him, the more I realized that he was a lot smarter than he let on. He was really funny too, elbeit in more of an unconventional sense.
I might not have known him for very long but, I knew now that I was right about him. He wasn’t bad, despite what everyone seemed to think. It was like he acted out because for some reason, he felt the need to push everyone away. He wasn’t doing that with me, though.
I had to wonder why that was.
“I had fun” He announced when we were back at the peach mansion. “Who would’ve guessed it? We should definitely do this more often”
I smiled and rolled my eyes at him. What was the use pointing out his backhanded compliment? He hadn’t even seen fault with his words.
“Sure. The gang’s meeting up tomorrow.” I told him “Micah will probably be there. Why don’t you come?”
He was shaking his head before I even finished my question.
“Nah. Probably shouldn't. ”
“Why not? You were all friends before. I’m pretty sure most of them wouldn’t mind your return”
“I highly doubt that. Besides, they were my friends; Past tense. I don’t really have any friends anymore”
I raised my brows at that.
“Oh? I thought I was your friend”
“You are.” He said through a smile “Sorry. I have one friend now and I really like hanging out with you Kara”
I ignored how good it felt to hear him say that.
“Why is that, exactly?” I fished, trying for casual.
“What do you mean?”
“You shut out everyone else. Why aren’t you doing the same to me?”
He furrowed his brows as he considered.
“I don’t know… I just like being around you” He answered with a little shrug.
When he went quiet, I opened my mouth to tease him in hopes of lightening the mood but, he surprised me by continuing.
“You don’t look at me like I'm a complete fuck up. Everyone else does, you know. I guess it just feels good to be around someone who treats you like an actual person for a change.”
I realized then, that he did care what people thought of him… at least some of them. He was just really good at pretending. His words made me feel something. Although, I couldn’t be sure if it was happiness, due to the fact that he obviously thought highly of me or sadness because, he didn’t seem to think too highly of himself? He appeared all cocky and confident on the outside but, something made me wonder if that was all a facade to cover up his insecurities. But then, one had to wonder, what insecurities someone like him could possibly have. He was rich, and unbelievably beautiful, he had an amazing brother who’d clearly do anything to keep him out of trouble. I didn’t know his parents but, Monroe mentioned that his father always managed to get him off the hook whenever he got himself into trouble. He used to have an amazing group of friends (except for Chloe. I didn't like her very much) but I’m pretty sure all of them still cared about him in their own way. Something must have happened— I blinked. My gaze refocused on him when he cleared his throat loudly.
“Still no good with social cues, I see.” He said, shaking his head sympathetically. “Now’s the part where you tell me how awesome I am to be around…” He suggested; his trademark smirk making its appearance once again. He was very obviously trying to lighten the mood. "Maybe throw in just how much you enjoy looking at me—I know how you girls are about your eye candy” He teased.
I rolled my eyes at him and then opened the door to his Jag.
“You’re okay, I guess” I told him, feigning boredom. He rested his head back against his seat and laughed his rich husky melody.
“Just okay, huh?”
“Yeah” I smiled. “See you around Alex.”
Before I shut the door, I thought I heard him mutter; “Yes. You definitely will.”