Her Right Mistake

(12) Vren

***Hi! This book is under MAJOR revision, so some things WILL NOT ADD UP in the next chapters (especially in chapters that aren't labeled 'REVISED.') Please read on with this in mind.

I CAN'T STRESS THIS ENOUGH: it isn't an inconsistency in the plot, there's just a revision.

Vren swirled the wine in his glass as he gaze at the empty seat across him. Audrey has been in the bathroom for quite some time and he's starting to get worried. She's excused herself twice, okay, make that thrice and this time Audrey took a little longer. He wanted to flee to her side when he saw her reappearing from the ladies' room, looking paler than she did the second time she went in the bathroom.

"Hey, you okay?" He was up to his feet, ushering her back to her seat. He was surprised when she allowed him to.

She murmured something that sounded like a 'thank you.' She reaches for the glass of water and sips on it. "I'm fine."

Vren flops back down to his seat, perusing her. "The last time you told me that it nearly gave me a heart attack."

"I won't faint." She rolled her eyes.

"You know, we can just go. You're tired."

"What about your story?"

"Our story can wait. Besides, we've already made appearance." To be honest, the story is the least of his concern. He's more worried of the fact that she's not feeling well.

Audrey sighed. "Thank, God. Let's go then."

She stood, her purse in her hand ready to leave. Her hand smoothed down her hair as if her bun wasn't pristine enough. She handles a rough day so well that if he's not even close enough like across from him, he would never have the clue that she had one.

"Where do you want to go?" She asks casually.

"Wherever you want to go." Vren guides her out of the restaurant, feeling eyes on them. "Do you wanna grab some ice cream?"

Audrey snorted. "Don't ask me. I just want to be in my couch right now."

"Well, we can buy ice cream on the way. Am I invited to your place?" He opens the door and she climbs in.

"It depends."

"Depends on what?"

"Depends on what flavor the ice cream would be," Audrey answers curtly.

He chuckles. "In that case, every flavor that your heart desires."

***

"You're not allowed to touch this." Audrey slides the peanut butter flavored ice cream from his reach. "And this." This time, it was the butterscotch.

They're in her living room and got themselves five flavors of ice cream. Let's just say Vren wanted to be invited more than he could vocalized. The TV was droning on but neither of them was paying attention. It's tuned to a News Channel and Vren has had enough of bad news about the world his brain refuses to absorb any more. Audrey on the other hand is preoccupied with the ice cream and the spoon. His seat might as well be empty and she wouldn't even mind. It's pretty clear Audrey is not into impressing him when she came out in from her bedroom in sweatpants. She had no makeup on but the changeless bun bites at him. Her hair is beautiful. It deserves to have a little freedom.

However, he's still grateful his on her couch across from her. And maybe a tad bit lucky for having her this engrossed to an ice cream that she doesn't notice how he was shamelessly staring. It's simple. She is occupied with the ice cream and him with her.

Her phone buzzes on the coffee table and she stopped mid-chew to tend to it.

"Does that ever stop buzzing?" He kidded.

She was typing an email, the spoon in her mouth. When she was done, she put her phone down and answered, "I don't notice that anymore."

"I'm guessing you have a very clingy relationship with your phone."

Audrey shrugs and shoves another spoonful of ice cream to her mouth. "We never broke up though."

He laughs. Ice cream is definitely working magic to her mood. He made a mental note. Vren watches her usher ice cream to her mouth spoon after spoon. She couldn't notice he was looking so he dared to study her face.

Makeup suits her beautifully but not having any makes her climbs past that. He had no idea how soft her features were without the colors giving them an edge. Without them she's... touchable.

"Do you not have somewhere else you need to be?" Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you kicking me out?"

"If I was, I would tell you right in the face." It would have been a snooty comment if she wasn't licking her spoon clean. "Do you?"

He grinned. "Okay. Why ask then?"

"I don't like keeping people," she says matter-of-factly.

"No worries. You're not keeping me from anything at all."

"Oh, I'm not worried. If you're wasting your time on me; that's on you." She puts down her spoon to put her hands on the back of her head.

Vren hadn't realized what exactly she was doing until strands of platinum blonde started raining on her shoulders. He had a playful comeback at the tip of his tongue but he's forgotten all about.

Now how is this a waste of time? He thought.