Spaces in between (Stockholm Syndrome: Extended chapters)

August 2018

5 August 2018

~Archer~

"Not there!"

"You've been saying that for the past 10 minutes. Where Stella?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Just...somewhere else"

"That's it! I'm putting it where I put it the first time", I said.

"It's just so obvious there!"

"It's supposed to be obvious! Do you think Felix will look for something he doesn't expect to be here?"

"Yes!"

"You don't know my boyfriend!" I said. "I'm putting his gift on the bed".

"That is so obvious. You must make him hunt..."

"Shh!" I said quickly.

Stella looked at me with her eyes enlarged. She raised a brow.

"He's here or we are in the middle of a burglary", I whispered.

"What do...?" Stella started talking.

I saw Felix before Stella did. I'd heard a door closing while Stella was talking. I hadn't told him I would be at his apartment so I was thankful he didn't have a gun pointed at me.

"Hey guys. Um, what are you doing here?" he asked suspiciously.

Stella and I were both standing in his bedroom. Of course we looked suspicious.

"Uh..." I said.

"We are..." Stella said and I cut her off.

"Putting your gift on your bed", I said quickly.

Stella nudged me. "I had a believable lie!"

"I remember saying no gift", Felix said walking into the room.

"I know, but I..."

"I'll be watching TV", Stella said.

"Stay off my wine", Felix said.

"Whatever!" Stella said strutting off to somewhere in the apartment.

"So...?" Felix said.

I put the little box behind me.

"Happy 30th birthday babe"

"It's just an ordinary day", he said.

"It's not, you are 30"

"I grow everyday".

My shoulders slumped. "Okay fine, I'll take my gift and go".

"I didn't say you have to go".

"If my gift is going, I'm going".

He rolled his eyes. "Fine, here" he said putting his hand out.

I smiled and handed him the wrapped gift. I watched him unwrap it.

His gift was a simple whisky glass with a town map. An x marked the spot where we'd first met, the park in our hometown.

His eyes narrowed.

"I can never break this, can I?"

I shook my head. "No".

He walked the short distance to put his arms around me.

"Even then you intrigued me".

"So there was something else you were checking out besides where you wanted to put the bullet?"

He chuckled softly. "Thank you for the gift Pancakes. I love it".

"I hoped you would".

"But when I say no gift, I really mean it".

I shrugged. "Whatever you say babe".

He squeezed me tighter.

"And don't try to hide it here so I'll find it"

"Uh-huh"

"One last thing, get rid of Stella. The birthday boy has...requests", he said.

I moved out of the hug slightly. "What kind?"

"The sexy kind"

I grinned. "I'll be back in a few seconds".

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