Cappuccino

Feel.

I had few good memories stored in my mind that I liked to look back on. Those memories contained my father, my mother and I, as one happy and functioning family. At least at a certain point in time we were, which hadn't lasted long.

It was unfortunate how the good memories were overshadowed by the bad ones lurking in the back.

Focusing on the good over the bad is tough, especially when the bad pulls so hard on your sleeves that it is the only thing I am reminded of.

I didn't like to be reminded of who I was when I was with Jaden. I didn't like to be reminded of my mother.

I particularly remembered the evenings my parents had one of those heated quarrels. It had become a regularity, a reoccurring event. Each time, a paddle of hope for them to reconcile would fall off and wither till it reached a point where all the paddles were gone... and so was the duo that were supposed to be my parents.

Now it was just me, and my dear father.

Whenever they fought, my mother used to yell at my father, sometimes even at me, so aggressively, so loudly that it made me physically draw back. The memories resurfaced when I raised my voice at Maximus. I didn't want to raise my voice at him when we had a fight or a misunderstanding. I've seen how things can escalate, get nasty even.

"I'm sorry for raising my voice at you earlier."

He smiled at me, slightly shaking his head. "It's okay Amelia, when emotions get the best of us. We tend to do or say things that are not necessarily in our nature to do."

I poked his nose, "You sound so wise Maximus."

His green eyes sparkled when I gazed at him, his eyes were inviting, alluring, and I just wanted to hold his gaze for a little while longer.

"Have you always found it difficult to express and understand your emotions?" His voice sounded very delicate and I felt that he was aware, the subject at hand was a sensitive matter.

He clearly didn't want to overstep any boundaries. I admired him for it.

He stared at me intently, his hands drawing small circles on my back in a soothing manner. "Yes I think so. I get annoyed, sometimes easily, I have to admit. I don't know." I shrugged.

I was sliding down from his lap, he repositioned himself, grabbing me by the waist and shifting me on top of him. "My major kind of demands for me to be rational. In my teens years, I had always been quite fascinated with science as well and I think I just neglected my emotions too, I think— I just—"

Maximus nodded as I was trying my best to explain it but he frowned when he saw how I was struggling with words "Mel, it's okay. We will get there, step by step."

I smiled at him, and as his arms were wrapped around me, I used mine to hold his face in between them. "You are so amazing Maximus."

Emotions stirred inside my chest, it felt good, really good.

The distance closed between us, and before the small gap was completely sealed, he looked up at me and he grinned. Our lips touched in a soft embrace but this one had more force behind it, it was more intense. My mouth slipped from his, towards the corner of his mouth where I planted another kiss and left a trail up towards his ear.

"This feels really good Maximus, I feel good things right now." He hummed absentmindedly, and pushed me closer against him. The warmth he radiated felt smothering, as if it was absorbing me, but not necessarily in a bad way, definitely not in a bad way.

I felt his breath tickle my earlobe before I heard the next, very sweet spoken words. "I feel good too, I feel happy when I'm with you..."

"...more alive." I barely caught the last bit, to the point where I wasn't sure if I really heard correctly. I probably would have, if it weren't for Maximus' office phone ringing rather loudly, both stirring us out of the momentum.