A Hint Of Fierce

Chapter 11: Color Me Surprised

"I guess he's out, saw him leaving a few minutes ago. Seemed in sort of a rush." I shrug and start scrubbing the dishes or actually trying to scrub them considering the fact that I've never in my life washed a dish.

We share a comfortable moment of silence as I look at her without being obvious while she uses her phone and it's just my luck that the dish falls on the floor and breaks.

"We do have house help around here." she tells me calmly and adds after seeing the panic on my face, "It's just a dish, not the end of the world. You don't have to look so horrified, it's replaceable."

I sigh, "You're right. I'll get started on cleaning this. Could you tell me where the cleaning supplies are?"

"That cabinet right there," she points without missing a beat.

Wow, I truly thought she'd at least offer to help. I simply nod and follow her lead to get the cleaning supplies out of the cabinet. I believe paper towels would be perfect to clean it up.

Well, my guess about cleaning something is as good as a toddler's so might as well give it a shot.

When I look back at Beth, she's already back on her phone recording an audio message "Hey Dimitri, I don't mean to bother you but could you tell me if you've prepared dinner yet? I couldn't find any in the kitchen. I don't mind ordering in but just wanted to make sure nothing's already cooked before I do. Thank you!" she smiles as she finishes even though the person on the other end can't see her.

I get back to the crime scene, aka where I broke the plate, and bend down to start collecting the glass pieces with a paper towel. It takes about three seconds for one of the glass pieces to pierce the paper towel and then my hand with it.

"Oww," I hiss and pull my hand back dropping the paper towel and the pieces of glass wrapped in it. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!" I panic as I see blood dripping all over. I can't be making more mess right now, I look up nervously to see the girl with the caramel hair with fear on her face, she's on her feet now and runs out of the kitchen quickly.

Um... rude!

I'm still kneeling on the floor panicking and thinking about how to stop this blood from dripping all over the place when she returns, "Come here." she points towards the kitchen bar she was sitting moments ago and sets a first aid box on the counter.

Aww! I can't help but smile.

"Did you damage your auditory receptors via your fingers?" she screams when I continue to sit here dumbfounded. "Come here I said."

And I oblige, when I stand up she holds her palm up straight towards me, "Come carefully, don't hurt your feet now."

I don't think she notices the fact that I'm wearing leather shoes and I honestly don't mind, her concern is somewhat... heartwarming.

I slowly jump over the broken pieces of glass scattered on the floor in front of the sink and reach her. She quickly grabs my arm and sets it down on the counter.

"Put your other hand on top" she points to where my skin is cut open, "and press it tightly," she tells me and I comply. She then rushes to get cotton and antiseptic liquid out of her first aid kit and quickly replaces my one good hand with her own as she starts to clean the wound.

I honestly didn't mind the pain at all. Hell, it was what I considered normal after the series of bar fights I've been in but her fear makes me happy. Not in a sadistic way but the fact that she cares about me enough to do this for me is pleasantly surprising.

A strand of her hair falls on my arm as she bends down to tighten the band-aid she's wrapping on my palm. I can't help but smile at how close she's standing right now or how her caramel-colored hair smell like vanilla. The girl's a walking dessert.

"All done." she stands back up and I immediately feel a little void. "Please leave the dish as it is, I'll clean it up."

"I can do the-" she cuts me mid-sentence with a finger held up in the air.

"I just ran out of antiseptic liquid cleaning your wound and I'm not going to the store to get more right now. I'll take care of it. You can leave." she's now walking towards the mess I created and stashing the roll of paper towels back into the cabinet.

But that's how you're supposed to clean everything, Beth. I think to myself as she turns back around with a dustpan.

Oh.

She starts cleaning everything up and I feel guilty about being the reason she's doing it, especially when she came down here to eat her dinner. She cleans off the mess completely and puts everything back into its place.

She sighs as she looks at me while washing her hands. I know she's thinking why I was still here but I couldn't leave her, not like this, not when she's hungry.

"May I take you out for dinner?" I blurt out and immediately regret it when her eyes widen in shock. "Just as a thank you for helping me out, not like a date or anything," I quickly add. "I heard you saying that you couldn't find your dinner."

"Thank you but I'll just order in." she smiles and I have to take a step back to absorb it. In all of the times that I've met her, it's the first time I've seen her smile at me, even if it's meek.

"Are you sure? I don't mind."

"I do." her face changes again and it's back to giving me a stern look.

I raise my hands in surrender as I back out of the kitchen, "Okay, alright, I'll leave you be. Thank you for helping me out, Beth."

Now I did expect her to react when I called her Beth despite her very clear instructions to address her by her full name but the reaction she gave wasn't one I expected.

"You're welcome, Logan." she shakes her head from side to side and smiles widely, chuckling slightly at my attempt to annoy her on purpose.

Well, color me surprised for I am hooked on that smile.

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A HINT OF FIERCE