Periculum

The Coffee

After the meeting, Jason took Elara home and I hopped on Caleb's motorcycle so he could take me home. Getting on the second time was definitely not as hard as the first. Regardless, my grip on Caleb's waist was nothing short of iron.

By the time I got home, it was close to 4 but I was still exhilarated when I got off Caleb's motorcycle. I jumped off and started looking around, alert for no reason.

"Are you ok?" Caleb said, his voice swallowing the silence of the night left over after he turned his motorcycle off.

"Yeah," I replied. "Just a little hyped. And still kinda confused."

I plopped down in the grass of my front lawn. Caleb walked over and sat next to me. We sat in silence for what felt like an eternity but in reality was probably only ten minutes at most.

"You know," I started. "I think I'm going crazy."

Caleb chuckled lowly. "Why is that?"

"Because it's three in the morning and I'm sitting on my front lawn with a guy who I've never spoken to before yesterday after coming from a secret illegal cult meeting and I'm not even tired."

"You're not crazy," He replied. "A lot has happened to you tonight."

I didn't answer and we fell into a comfortable silence again. What he said was true. I had a panic attack, joined a cult, and rode a motorcycle again all in one night. I turned to look at the motorcycle. The moonlight bounced off its frame and gave an eerie glow to the pavement below it.

"You have a beautiful motorcycle," I commented.

Caleb turned to look at me, stunned.

"Thank you," He replied tentatively.

"It's nothing compared to mine though," I said, nostalgic.

"Wait," Caleb faced me full on. "How do you have a motorcycle but are afraid to get on one?"

"It's a long story," I replied standing up. I brushed the dirt off of my pants and started to walk towards the house. I could hear Caleb struggling to stand and keep up with me.

I turned the knob to the front door and walked inside.

"If this door was open the whole time then why did you jump from the window?" Caleb asked from behind me.

I shrugged and made my way to the kitchen.

"Adventure?" I answered. "Want coffee?"

He nodded and took a seat at a bar stool. I set up the coffee maker and looked at the time. 4:30. I turned my attention to the boy in my kitchen. He wasn't bad looking. Definitely not anywhere close to Rex though. He had high cheekbones and a set jaw that together stretched his ebony skin tight across his face. His eyes were so dark they could pass for black. His lips were full and slightly parted as he took in the interior of my home with curiosity and concentration.

The coffee machine beeped and snapped us both out of our respective trances.

Once we both settled with a warm mug in our hands, the bar stools we sat on suspended our curiosities about one another.

"Are your parents home?" Jason asked, breaking the silence.

I nodded.

"My mom is," I answered. "But she takes strong sleeping pills so that's why she didn't hear us."

"And your dad?" He asked. He started to look around, wary, as if my father would pop out of nowhere.

"I don't remember," I answered. He calmed down. "He's on a business trip but I don't remember where."

It was my turn to ask questions.

"Why aren't you home?" I asked. "Won't your parents be worried?"

"My dad understands," He answered.

I turned back to face him now and so did he. In the dark of my kitchen I studied his eyes. The sun was coming up through the window behind me and its rising was reflected in Jason's eyes. Almost glowing, they enveloped me in a familiar sense of warmth and vulnerability. Sort of like how warm coffee feels as it passes down your throat to your stomach. It makes you want to sigh and close your eyes and just feel it and then do over again.

"You have beautiful eyes," He whispered.

This noise brought me out of the slight trance of his eyes and I realized that he was studying me as well. I looked down and blushed a bit.

"I get that a lot," I whispered back.

He smiled. So did I.

The room around us was soon shrouded in silence. Not uncomfortable or awkward, but warm and nostalgic, like the coffee we shared.

I spy some chemistry in the making... Do you ship it? 

Thanks for reading!