DYLAN.
"Drop it. Your hands raised in the air. No matter what you do, how many lies you tell, I'm never going to hurt you. So are you going to let me know why you lied or admire this gorgeous face forever?"
I brought her hands slowly down to rest by her sides. Kiera remained rigid, stuck on the spot. Her stare became soulless, dark and brooding. She faded away back to somewhere I couldn't accompany her to, and I simply stayed watching her transform into a cold unmoving being. Seconds passed. Minutes wheezed by. Yet she said no more, just staring past me at nothingness.
"He-llo?" I wagged two fingers in her face. "Earth to Kiera?"
Whatever powers were holding her hostage released her from their stronghold suddenly; she jerked back to the real world.
"I'm sorry, you were saying something?" She asked.
Contradictory to her former state, a veil covered her new expression. My worries that she'd diligently guard her personality from me were proven accurate.
"Is it me?" I asked back.
"Did I throw you off? We were having a pretty nice conversation just now. I hate to be the reason why you lose your good temperament."
"No, it's fine. Really. I guess it's me who's selfish," she said, more to herself than me, "I was so obsessed thinking that you'd hate me if you actually knew my awful past so I tried to keep it a secret by pretending to be mute. All I wanted was a little compassion and love. Just a little bit, then life wouldn't be so hard and cruel in my eyes anymore. I guess I was wrong about you. Dylan, you see through the surface."
Her masked compliment warmed my heart strings. I sought her hand and found it under the sheets. Kiera stretched her lips in a terse smile, evidently unused to pouring out her story this easily. I sadly returned the cute gesture.
"I'm also sorry. For assuming you were weak. But now I see a strong, brave woman. It's time you started giving yourself some credit, okay?"
Her round cherubic cheeks turned blushing pink.
"Besides," I pushed my luck further, "I like the real you."
"Come on Dylan, stop it," she whined.
"Embarrassed? You're beautifully made, smart and pull off the sexiest look I've ever seen even in your plain pyjamas. The best part of you is right here." I snuck a peek at her chest to give her a clue of the message I was trying the convey.
"Gosh!" She exclaimed hurriedly, wiggled upwards and buried herself under the covers.
By now she appeared soaked in pink paint all over her face. I was a great mood to be a nice guy, a friend and an absolute dickhead.
"Dirty little girl." I smirked as I tugged part of the covers away, so I could enjoy an overhead view of her innocent, babyish expression.
"For the record, I wasn't talking about that. I was talking about your soul. It's tender and precious. Like a blooming rose flower."
**
Brilliant rays of sunshine streamed into the kitchen the next morning as I prepared breakfast. For Kiera. Nothing extravagant. A simple combination of waffles and fried eggs topped with grilled tomatoes, baked mushrooms and homemade baked beans. I ascended the stairs to her bedroom stealthily in my black socks, grey pyjama bottoms hanging leisurely on my lower waist, no shirt. And all this while, I was grinning ear to ear, better than a Cheshire cat. One push at the door had it giving away. I had entered when I remembered she could be in various stages of undress that I was unwilling to witness.
"Good morning," she sang.
I watched her rise, stretch her arms above her head and yawn. Clearly the aftermath of a good night's sleep.
"Oh. You're up early. I'm sorry I forgot to knock, I was carried away with the idea of bringing you breakfast in bed. It's not anything big and fancy because I'm not really the best cook but..."
"Relax, Master Dylan," she teased me at my own expense.
"Master?" I shot her a questioning look.
"That's what your servants call you," she divulged, smiling a smile that dissolved my hard core.
"I had no idea," I admitted.
How much more embarrassing could this morning get?
"Oh," she gasped.
Without a trace of shame, she openly checked out my dusky tanned muscles firm and sculptured into mouthwatering eight packs.
"Oh my God," she commented, lost in her little trance.
Seriously though, I thought my abs were no big deal. Every adult man out there who worked out thrice a day could acquire them. I adored the fact that she worshipped my bare chest; it was a strange feeling of gratification.
"Done checking me out now?" I teased her mercilessly.
Kiera blushed and blushed, her cheeks tinted cute pink as well as the tips of her ears.
"Yeah," she added, "You look pretty good. For a knight in shining armour who remembers his damsel in distress."
When she was finally wide awake, I took pleasure in sitting by watching her greedily wolf down the food I'd made, absentmindedly drawing circles on her bed while at it.
"Do you like it?" I asked when she was halfway through.
"Why wouldn't I? It's incredible."
"You seem... nervous," she'd been studying me for some time now.
"May I ask why?"
"Because I'm about to apologise for the fourth time in forty-eight hours?"
She took her final bite of the waffles and pushed the plate aside. "Dylan..."
I knew if she continued saying my name like that, I might completely lose my guard.
"It's okay to be sorry. I'm glad you're honest with me in this regard. We're all humans. Sometimes crappy, sometimes sweet, sometimes full of ourselves and our stupid egos. No one is perfect. Especially not me," she hit bullseye right on target.
"Now that you're going all out on me, I'm afraid I did the wrong thing by firing Amie," I drawled.
Recalling my argument earlier with the maid as I forced her to pack her luggages, went as far as slashing her wages in half, exaggerated to banning her from the premises for life, I regretted my hasty move. Amie was Kiera's only friend and confidant. The latter surely had the right to know if she was to be friendless for the remainder of the week, yes?
"What?" Kiera sniffled.
"I should've taken better care of you myself. Not tossed you into the hands of a mere servant," I said gravely, "Forgive me."
"Only if you do me a favour and bring her back. Otherwise, I'll begrudge you forever."
Seeing the smirk playing at the corners of my lips, she scowled. I found it rather adorable.
"As long as it means you get to think of me forever, I don't see why it should be a problem." I shrugged nonchalantly. "I can be your friend too. If you'll have me. But if you insist on that, I'll respect your wishes and reinstate your friend."
"Really? I'd like it very much, thanks. I'm missing Amie already."
The smirk froze into a veneer of ice then, shattered completely. "I thought you enjoyed my company, Kiera. What does Amie do for you that I haven't?"