10 Feet Down (Original Version)

Chapter 17

"Did you notice them?"

I look up from my laptop and at Tre, who had sat down across from me at his kitchen counter. "Notice what?"

He scratches his head. "The stares."

I furrow my eyebrows and look at him confusingly. "What stares?"

"When we were at the tram stop, you didn't notice people were staring at us."

I still don't understand what he is trying to explain to me.

"Tre, I don't know what you're talking about," I chuckle. "Why would people be staring at us?"

He bites his lip and then grabs my hand. He pulls my arm halfway across the table and then pulls his long shirt sleeve up and places his arm right touching next to mine. Seeing our arms next to each other, the contrast in color of our bare skin, I finally realize what he is talking about. And it's now a heavy thought running in my mind.

"Oh," I whisper.

He rubs his hand on my arm, his touch a comfort and reassurance.

"This is why people would stare," he says, bringing his fingers to mine and interlocking them. "Some people don't like to see this or they don't agree with being with someone different than you."

"Why do their opinions matter though?" I ask and look at our fingers intertwined. "They're not me and you."

Tre smiles and I get that warm feeling again every time he smiles at me. "They don't matter. They've never mattered, but it's something you need to be aware of."

"I know I'm ignorant to certain things." I look down back to my laptop. Everything's so new still, I haven't been able to learn all the ropes yet.

"I'm just telling you babe," he says and kisses the top of my hand. "I know you don't know a lot of things still."

"Thanks for reminding me of that," I grumble.

"I know you, Eva. I know this kind of stuff doesn't matter to you, but some people aren't as open and can be very fucking cruel about things they don't agree with."

He stands up and comes to my side of the counter, leaning his back against it and putting his index finger underneath my chin and tipping my head up to look at him.

"Listen to me okay." His voice tone is deeper but almost to a whisper.

His tone like that makes my stomach stir into knots that can only be untied by him.

"It's just you and me in this. No one else matters. But you need to realize that there will be things that try to break us. Some people will stare and say shit to you just cause they know it'll get to you."

He rubs his finger down the side of my neck, giving me goosebumps. "But as long as we have each other, that's all we need."

He brings his head down and gives me some slow pecks on the lips.