Catch Me

Chapter 2

      I was sitting on my bed and Will was sitting across from me, smiling as I vented about what happened with Kyle. Even with my low expectations, I had hoped at the bare minimum Kyle would have given me a chance, but Kyle had dismissed me immediately. And now, I had no hope that I could complete the mission.

     "Kyle couldn't care less about me," I said, putting my head in my hands. "He dismissed me the second he laid his eyes on me. There's no way he'll fall for me."

     "Clarissa, you just met the guy," Will said. "You can't give up now."

    "But you should've seen the way he treated me! He straight up told me I wasn't his type."

     "He's an idiot if he said he wouldn't be into you."

     I pulled my head out of my hands and looked at Will, and I grew surprised by the look Will wore. It was a look of deep affection, a mix of admiration and adoration, but I brushed it off as us being close friends. He'd been looking at me like that from the moment he asked me to join his team and I was used to it.

     "I don't know what to do," I said, sighing.

     "If you complete this mission our company will be more willing to give you missions. You know I've been trying to get you more missions, but they want you to prove yourself first before they trust you," Will said. "You need to complete this mission if you want them to take you seriously."

     "I know, I know. I won't give up because I want to prove to them that I'm a capable spy."

     Will smiled. "Good."

     Will slid over to me and he put his arm around me, pulling me close to him. I gave him a small smile, thankful that despite everyone doubting me in SSI, Will never did. He was the reason why I landed the job and to this day, he kept trying to get me missions. I was so thankful I met him.

     "Kyle is guarded. He can't trust anyone," Will said. "You need to break down his walls first before he'll let you in."

     "That's easier said than done," I said.

     "It is." Will ruffled my hair, leaving me laughing. "But, you got this. I know you and you'll complete this."

     "Thank you. Thank you for always believing in me."

     Will smiled - a smile that took over his entire face and left me unable to do anything but smile back. "You're welcome."

*****

     I entered the grocery store, praying Kyle would somehow end up being in it. Kyle was known for attending this specific store on Saturdays, which was why I was entering it in hopes of crossing paths with him. A part of me feared he'd think I was a stalker, but I realized I didn't have much dignity left from our first encounter, so I had nothing to lose.

     I grabbed a shopping cart from the side of the grocery store and began to walk through the aisles of fruits. The store was pretty empty with only a few elderly people strolling around. They gave me friendly smiles and I smiled back, growing more nervous by the second. Kyle was cold, his guard up and strong, which left me feeling like a helpless soldier trying to break down something that was indestructible.

     Gasping, I spotted Kyle staring by containers of salads. And for a moment, I was frozen, struck by the sight of him. His face was expressionless, his body tense and rigid, and I couldn't help but notice how tall he was. Kyle was stunning - a sight that left me mesmerized every time.

     As if sensing me, Kyle looked over at me and his eyes narrowed the second they landed on me. He looked annoyed and I flushed, moving my gaze away. I pretended to go back to shopping and grabbed a few apples, hoping I looked like I was genuinely shopping.

     Slowly, I walked closer and closer to where Kyle stood. He was still staring at salads, but I had a feeling he was keeping track of where I was. But despite that, I kept moving closer, gambling on how he'd react.

     Once I was only two meters away from him, staring at packets of vegetables, Kyle looked over at me once again. This time, his face was unreadable and I looked over at him, my eyes lingering. Kyle's blue eyes shone - they shimmered with so many emotions that I tried to read, but couldn't. And for a moment, we just stood there and stared at each other.

     But eventually, Kyle broke the stare and he grabbed a container of salad. He then turned around and stalked off, leaving me gasping. Without thinking, I ran after him.

     But before I could get too close, Kyle whirled around and shot me a look that left me shrinking back. My eyes flew wide and I stepped back, stunned by the expression he wore.

     "What are you doing here?" Kyle asked.

     "Shopping," I said. "What's wrong with that?"

     Kyle sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, looking stressed. I stared at him, unsure of what to say. I didn't know how to make someone fall for me - I hadn't been in a relationship in years.

     "Are you stalking me?" Kyle asked.

     "No," I said. "Of course not, I shop here normally."

     "Really? Never seen you before."

     Kyle starting walking again, pushing his shopping cart along and I followed him. It was obvious he wanted nothing to do with me, but I wasn't giving up just yet.

     "I haven't seen you around either," I said. "Are you new around here?"

    "No, I was born here," Kyle replied, his eyes anywhere but on mine.

     Hesitating, I thought about how that was a lie. Kyle had only move to Linhege a year ago and that was exactly when the surge of marijuana in our city began. Following him, I wondered if I would get nothing but lies from him, even if we grew close.

     "Do you live around here?" I asked.

     "Why are you asking?" Kyle asked, stopping once again. "So you can follow me home?"

     "No, of course not. I'm just... curious."

     "Why are you talking to me?" 

     Kyle finally looked over at me, his eyes full of questions. But the look he wore told me he wanted me to back off - that I wasn't welcomed and to catch a hint. And if it weren't for the mission, I would've backed off a long time ago.

     "Why won't you talk to me?" I asked.

     "Because I rather be alone. I don't need anyone but my own company," Kyle said, crossing his arms over his chest. "And I don't need some weird girl chasing me around. You're not the first girl to throw yourself at me."

     "Excuse me, I'm not weird." I scoffed. "I mean, maybe just a little, but still. And I'm also definitely not throwing myself at you. In your dreams maybe, but not now."

     To my utter surprise, a small smile appeared on Kyle's face. He looked up at the sky, seeming to wonder where on earth I came from, which left me struck. Not once had I ever seen Kyle smile and it was a sight that left me freezing.

     "Well, I'm going to leave you to self reflect then," Kyle said, rolling his eyes. "Later."

     Kyle walked off and instead of chasing after him, I realized it was time to give up, so I just stood staring after him. I didn't understand Kyle. I had never met a guy like him, which left me wondering about him. Who was Kyle and what made him the way he was?