Toxic Innocence

TWENTY

Awkward wasn't the apt term to meaningfully describe the situation after what U had said. But since Althea was a regular victim of such moment she had tried not to laugh at the event as soon as the embaressed and angry waitress left. But her Canadian genes weren't that strong as she failed to hold in those bubbles of laughter.

"You are something buddy" wiping away those happy tears with her pinky, she sobered up as she saw U immersed in a deep thinking as he watched her.

"What are you looking at? Haven't seen me laugh before?" trying to lighten up the mood Althea spoke, but U had given up his efforts to try and figure out the reason behind his usual throbbing heart whenever he saw the youthful girl in front of him smile. Her diverse action caused him a hard time keeping his vital in check.

Meanwhile Althea looked down at her phone, sliding up a couple of text from her friend charlotte who demanded to know where she is. Althea lied about being busy with a pouty lips.

U stared at the sky from the glass wall by his side. In silence Althea observed him in tranquility. She had occasionally seen him do that in her apartment. Him reading the sky crucially as if sorting answer from them. But little did U knew that his road to freedom and life was the one who had selflessly given him all she had worked for till this date.

The one who made his heart race was his answer.

When the food arrive the philosophical healing by both the beings cracked into a form of lavish starvation. It was almost noon with them skipping the breakfast in the morning.

U ate his food with the mannerism of a prince that he was once taught of. He kept flicking the hair off his frame with a jerk of his neck when it interrupted his meal.

Althea was familiar with this trait of his too. So when she offered the beret cap she had tossed inside her backpack to him. He stared at it for a couple of seconds, then with an absence of his thankfulness wore it atop by pulling his hair back.

When they stepped outside the established street church bell rings, the significance of hour end echoes as they resume their journey. It was two when Althea and U entered the busy looking street. Althea slipped off her backpack and rummaged through the contents while U was engrossed by a large open ground with colorful pavilions. Cheerful kids and adults likewise strolled and ran in that very direction.

"Wear this" Althea distractedly offered U a turtleneck swear and large black coat. Without a single question U did as she said. She had lived in this world longer than him, she sure would know what to be done.

From her denim jacket she stretched out a dark black health mask and tucked the ends behind his ears. He strained his gaze lower to look at the mask plastered across his nose.

Althea then stepped back to admire her dress up puppet.

Her smile fell when she concluded that there's nothing that could make him less handsome like and not a highlight of the crowd. Even with half of his face covered he looked intimidating and gorgeous.

"What does this contribute for?" he asked lowering the veil by his chin, which Althea swatted his hand to side and pulled it up again.

"That my dear friend is to keep you sheltered from cold and the mask - for there's going to be a hoard of people in there. you just recovered from fever. Can't take the risk. I am going to be broke after this trip" she muttered the last part to herself which was not resilient enough to surpass the sonic hearing of U.

"Where is your protection?" The question came out of nowhere and so did Althea's dirty misconception as she chocked.

"What?" she cleared her throat as U looked at her from the corner of his eyes, easily breaking through her thoughts. He would have rolled his eyes or smirked if he was a regular human. But since this was U, he- well