A Silent Hope

Chapter Five

I could see the tiredness under her eyes, it didn't lessen her beauty. Her face appeared makeup free, smooth with that innocent look she had the day I asked her name. She was solely focused on what she wrote, her surroundings non-existent in that moment. If Thalia was even slightly mindful, she'd see me standing a few feet away.

It was the most peaceful I'd ever seen anyone.

So, as much as I wanted to walk over there and bother the woman, I didn't. I smiled to myself, soaked in the tranquility that radiated off of her for a moment longer, and headed to the bakery across the street.

~●~

I peeked into the water, eyeing the way Paul's fishing line wavered. "Caught something?" I asked, glancing at him.

Paul roped me into going fishing with him. We were sitting on the lake's dock on two beach chairs, the sun high in the sky. I'd chosen my least favorite pair of jeans and a men's tank top, not wanting the smell of fish on me.

"Nah, not yet. Are you sure you don't want to try?" He asked for the sixth time.

I shook my head negatively, clasping my fingers behind my head. "I'm good with just sitting here. Besides, fish stinks."

I could feel Paul's eyes on me. "You go to the gym a lot, right?"

I smirked. "I do."

"Is it because you like working out or it is a stress reliever thing?" He angled his body to me.

"Both. As soon as I left high school I hit the weights and cardio. Lost all my fat and continued because I loved the way it made me feel. I may have started because of all the bullying, but I kept it up for myself. It keeps me balanced, focused. There's plenty of worse ways to relieve stress, I suppose and with this, I at least get killer abs." I grinned, lifting my men's tank top to show my rock hard abs.

Paul laughed out a bark of laughter, hand gripping my bicep. "And these bad boys. Cool tat by the way."

I peered down at the sparrow on my arm. "Thanks."

"I have one dedicated to my Mom on my back. Her name." He murmured quietly.

"You miss her a lot, don't you?"

He nodded. "Thirteen years wasn't enough of her, but truth is, I could be an old man and I'd still need her." He inhaled, a smile replacing the frown from before. "Wanna go to the bar later. Blue and Vivian are gonna be there. Larry might come by too."

"You exchanged numbers with them, didn't you?" I questioned, already aware that he did. Paul gave me his number on our very first meeting, insisting I gave him mine as well.

He smiled sheepishly. "Maybe. I like friends, okay?!"

"Okay, okay." I chuckled, scooting down and spreading my legs to get comfortable. "Wake me up when we're leaving." I leaned my head back and closed my eyes.

It felt like seconds after when Paul shook me awake. I groaned and swatted at him blindly, my other hand rubbing my eyes.

"You snore, Mac." He grumbled. "Loudly."

"Only when I'm extremely tired." I said through a yawn as I stood, stretching my hands over my head. "Where's the fish?" I asked, looking into the empty cooler.

"Didn't catch anything." Paul chirped happily.

I puffed my cheeks. "Why do you sound so happy about that?"

He had his fishing supplies already packed up and reached for the cooler with his other hand. I folded up the beach chairs and followed him to his car. "I don't fish to actually catch anything. Your therapy is working out and mine is sitting and relaxing near the water."

"And you need the fishing rod and cooler for that?" I questioned as we stopped by the car, stuffing the cooler and chairs in the trunk while the fishing rod went on the roof rack.

"I like it, okay?" He rolled his eyes. "I like pretending to fish. Leave me alone."

I pressed my lips together to suppress my laugh. "Okay."

Later on, I sat having friendly conversation with Larry and Blue, while Paul and Vivian did their version ballet on the dance floor. I want to say they were drunk, but neither of them was. The boy didn't have an ounce of alcohol, instead decided to enjoy his night sober. His dance partner had only one beer.

My eyes trailed to the bar area, still not able to see Thalia anywhere. I sighed, emptying the contents of my bottle down my throat. I wiped my mouth with the back of my palm, slouching a little in my seat. My fingers tapped my thigh, head rocking to the music coming through the speakers.

Paul and Vivian rejoined us, their laughter almost louder than the bar's music. "Blue, you better take care of this woman. Because if you don't, I'll have Mac beat you up."

I looked at the boy in amusement. "Trying to get me to fight your battles, Lahey?"

He nodded his head enthusiastically. "Hell, yeah. I'm single. I need my hands to, you know."

I scrunched my face with a laugh. "Dude, too much sharing."

"No need for anyone to try and beat me up. I treat her right. Don't I, baby?" The blue haired man asked his fiancée with a sweet smile.

Vivian blushed with a nod. "Yes, you do."

Feeling jealousy built up in me at how lucky the two were, I turned away. I tried to find Thalia again, but the woman was no where around.

"She doesn't work Thursday nights." Paul said next to my ear.

"What?"

"Thalia. Isn't that who you're looking for?" I didn't reply so he went on. "She has Thursday and Wednesday nights off. Sometimes Sundays."

"Oh." I mumbled.

"Yeah. Information you might need in the future." He grinned mischievously.

"Whatever." I shoved him away. "I saw her this morning at the park, but I didn't want to bother her and when I saw her at the gym she was really busy."

"Are you going to ask her out?"

I immediately shook my head. "No, I don't want to ask her out."

"Why not?" He sipped his coke.

"Because, I'm not ready for that yet. Everything still.....aches for someone else."

"Gotcha, buddy."

I looked down at my empty beer bottle. Heart thumping at the thought of Bella, but my mind filled with thoughts of the peaceful picture of Thalia sitting beneath that oak tree.

I didn't want to date Thalia, I just wanted to burst that lonely bubble she lived in. There was something about that woman that drew me in. Maybe it had to do with the lack of smiles. She smiled, polite ones at the gym but that was it. They were always fake.

I wanted to make her smile, everyone deserved that small miracle.

-E