Second Fate

9

"Vine."

My voice carried no sign of surprise, just as his expression didn't. I'd known it was him before I even turned around to face the man stepping out from the tree line. How, I didn't know. Perhaps because it had become a habit to come across him in this way.

He forewent any sort of greeting as he asked: "Should I leave?"

I could feel my head shake as I formed the word "Yes" with my lips.

Without a clear answer to his question, he just remained in place, staring at me squatting down in the grass. My hand was still stretched out to touch the water's surface, so I pulled it in quickly.

"It's pretty late for a walk", he said, while watching me rise to my feet.

His broad build filtered the moonlight, throwing a large shadow onto the grass between us. This time, he was wearing clothes. The dark cotton shirt hung loosely over a washed-out shirt which was past its prime.

"Yeah, we need to stop these accidental meetings", I replied with as much neutrality as I could gather. Was I annoyed at his presence or glad about it? What was with the panic rising inside of my chest?

A nervous laugh escaped me, as I was trying to fight the surge of emotions welling up inside of me. Don't be glad, don't be glad. Do not dare to be glad.

There was no smile spreading on his face. The dimples stayed hidden, as he looked me straight into the dark eyes.

"It's not an accident. Today, I was hoping to find you."

"Oh."

"I felt your presence in the forest."

"Okay."

"Would you rather not talk?", he asked coolly as I continued to give one-syllabic answers to his attempts at making conversation.

I shook my head without taking the time to think. "No. No, I'm just ... I don't know what to say to you after last time."

"You had a lot to say last time."

I groaned. There it was, my mood was shifting again. Alaska wasn't even on my mind anymore as I listened to his deep voice with a hint of sulkiness in it.

It didn't fit his image, but he was actually sulking. It sent a little shiver down my spine to think that I was affecting him. I really was too far gone for my own sake.

Maybe I shouldn't pass up on this chance to make up. If he was even open to it.

"I've heard some things since", I replied slowly. "From Caitlyn, mainly. They made me think that I might not know half the story. Maybe I was a little ... quick to shoot."

Vine was listening intently to every word I offered him, no matter how sparse the bits were. His eyes were burning through my skull as he tried to decode them. I was starting to understand that my behavior must be as irrational to him as his was to me.

"And you didn't think of calling me?"

"I ...", my voice trailed off, as I wondered about the right answer. I'd thought of it a million times, but step two of my program didn't allow for any weakness. "That's a little hard to explain."

"Then let's have a proper talk about this. Do you have work tomorrow?"

"No, it's a Saturday."

He shot me a How-should-I-know-your-schedule look before he said: "Will you come to the mansion with me?"

I hesitated for a second, before I pushed aside all the doubts I still felt. Did I believe him? Not entirely, but I wanted to.

In my mind, I was cursing at myself as I noticed that I'd been hoping for something this. A chance meeting which took the decision out of my hands.