The Fall [2]

Seven

❝ toto, I have a feeling
we're not in kansas anymore. ❞

"Do you notice something different about me?"

The Gecko sits up straight, studying her with sharp eyes as though he hasn't checked her out entirely twice since she entered.

"Your hair?" He raises his brows. It's shorter, reaching to her shoulders, if even. It used to go below her chest, falling in dark waves. Waves of temptation.

"Yeah," she smiles, putting down her bag, and the Gecko feels his chest warm up ― similar, he finds it is, to the effects of the drug. "You like it?"

"It's shorter," Seth just observes matter-of-factly.

"Is that a yes?"

Amber throws him a look over her shoulder and momentarily catches his eyes travel her up again. She instantly turns around again, fumbling somewhat clumsily at the grocery bag at the sudden rush of adrenaline in her body.

"I don't really care about those things," Seth eventually states and moves back to rest against the wall, whereupon she extensively rolls her eyes.

She's not surprised by his distant manner, he's been acting like this for days now. It seems like he gives her attention, but only when she isn't aware of it. As soon as she demands some from him he closes in, as though too afraid to open up to her any more than he already has since Amber discovered his dangerous drive for heroin.

In the meanwhile, Seth forces his attention back on the TV. From the corners of his eyes, though, he watches her.

She is showing him the consequences of his cold behavior by humming to herself, soft and tender. The girl might not realize, but it is way more difficult for him to talk to her nowadays than it has been before.

Nonetheless, every so often now, he can't help but come back to wondering what would be if . . . he took a step too far.

Seth fears to scare her away.

She's young. A lot younger than him ― the Gecko furrows his brows. But not that young, right? No, it's at the most eight to ten years. What are those few years, right?

Thinking about it he realizes how creepy he sounds. Counting their age gap, as though something would ever happen between them. Huh, in your dreams, Gecko.

He never felt like he had to treat her differently, though, only because she is younger than him. She is emotionally mature, whereas he still feels as though he's the same 25 year-old stud from KC, attracting girls left, right and center.