ARTWORK ON THE COVER IS NOT MINE!
Five minutes, I let her disappear for five minutes, and she comes back in a fit of tears. Why? I had no idea, she wouldn't tell me. The doctor did just do an operation to give her full working tear ducts, maybe she was just testing them out; although I doubted it.
"Cinder, what's wrong" I finally asked.
She only looked at me and in a barely audible whisper said, "I want to go home."
I took her by the arm and led her to the ship. No matter how many questions I asked her on the way back to my apartment, she still wouldn't answer. I finally gave up and let her sit in almost silence. (I could still hear her quivering breaths or an occasional sob.)
We got out of the ship and I gently guided her inside towards the elevator with one hand pressed against her lower back and the other against her butt. I scanned my wrist and the door to the apartment opened for us. Once it had shut and we were inside, I wrapped her in a warm embrace. She began crying again, an endless stream of salt water seeping from her eyes.
I leaned down so my mouth was pressed against her ear "Now will you tell me?"
She shook her head against my chest and struggled to let out "no, later, I just want to go to bed."
I took her hand and walked with her down the hallway to my bedroom. As soon as she entered the room, she threw herself down on the floor, not wanting to move any farther. I let out a deep, somewhat annoyed breath and reached down to pick her up. My right hand scooped underneath her knees and my left against her back. I couldn't carry her very far, speaking that one of her legs was entirely made of metal.
I walked with her in my arms to the closest chair and sat down, settling her in my lap. She curled up against my chest, slightly shaking from her crying. I rubbed her back trying to comfort her. After a few minutes, she still hadn't calmed down. I reached for her chin with my thumb and pointer finger, and held it up so her face was level with mine.
"Cinder," I began, "I love you very much."
The faintest smile appeared on her face. I leaned forward and our lips met. Her crying came to a halt. Her hands slowly worked their away around me, up and down my chest, and slowly upwards towards my neck. Her arms reached their destination and they kindly wrapped around my neck. She struggled to swing her left leg to the other side of my body so she could straddle my waist. She was finally successful and I pulled her closer. Our lips never parted.
A few minutes passed and she pulled away. A large smile was plastered on Cinder's face. "I want food." She mumbled and started to giggle. I smiled and helped her stand up because neither of her feet reached the ground from my lap.
"But I thought you said you wanted to go to sleep." I let out along with a sly smile.
"Well, I did, but now I don't" Cinder said, beginning to creep towards the door.
"Come back here, missy" I called, teasing and grabbing for her. My hand missed her shoulder and instead came to a rest on the zipper on the back of her dress.
She slowly turned around as I pulled her back towards me. She had a teasing, "really?" face on.
"Yes, really," I said, as if her expression had asked the question aloud. "Come on." I coaxed as I led her towards the bed, my hand never leaving her back.
I quickly turned her around so her back was now up against the wall. She took in a sharp breath, but now a mischievous smile was written on her mouth. I leaned down to kiss her again, our lips locked and so did our hands. I slowly moved her arms up against the wall and pinned them slightly over her head.
