BEST SERVED COLD

18

“Are people looking for me out there?” Abel asks.

It’s been exactly a month since I brought him here to my home. I’ve gotten used to his presence. Every morning, I come to get him out of his cage. He takes his shower, wears fresh clothes, eats his breakfast and sits with me for a conversation.

I’m also giving him more freedom on the side. I no longer have to watch him under the shower. Abel is just behaving so well...Sometimes, he makes it seem like he doesn’t want to leave at all.

I let him rest his head on my thighs, my fingers running through his curls that have grown quite a bit, sitting over his head like a soft little cloud. I nod at his question.

“Yes. People are looking for you.”

It’s not exactly true. His disappearance has been reported only once, buried inside the pages of a local newspaper. Zoe hasn’t given up her search but she’s the only one who cares. I know for a fact that the police isn’t doing much to help her and that the people closest to her like her boyfriend are not being as supportive as they should.

She hasn’t contacted me ever since that time she came to my house with the inspector. She must think that’ I don’t really about the fate of her brother either.

I still send her pictures of Abel using his phone. She rarely replies and every time she does, her only questions are “why?” and “What do you want?”. I almost feel bad for her but then, I remember that I know exactly what it feels like to be helpless thanks to the way Zoe has treated me in the past.

I don’t want Abel to know that his disappearance doesn’t matter to people, though.

“Aren’t you scared that someone will find out that you did it?”

“Not really.” I tell him. “There’s nothing that they can find against me, no motives.”

“...Will you ever tell me why you did it, though?”

I shrug. Abel looks disappointed. It’s true that I don’t trust him enough to share information about my past but that’s not the only reason why I don’t want to tell him. It’s also that I don’t have the courage to do so.

Abel sits up.

“I’m worried about my sister, Carla. I would like to know that she’s doing okay...Will you just let me text her or-...”

“Out of the question, Abel. I can guarantee you that Zoe is doing fine.”

“How do you know? You haven’t seen her, have you? Listen...Zoe is the only family I have left. She doesn’t have anyone other than me. Please...Will you just let me talk to her?”

Abel puts on a sad face. I raise my eyes to the ceiling in frustration. He scoots closer and intertwines our hands.

“Please, Carla...”

“I’m not letting you talk to her but I can get in touch and make sure that she’s fine.”

“Really? You’ll go to the apartment and bring her food? She doesn’t really know how to cook and that will cheer her up...”

“I will see what I can do.”

Abel smiles and I feel some kind of satisfaction now that his sad face is gone. He lowers his head slightly, dropping kisses on each of my knuckles. I stare at his long lashes brushing over the top of his cheekbones. His rosy lips part and he slips my index finger in his mouth. My breathing catches in my throat. Abel’s tongue wraps around my digit, warm and wet. Something like a volcano starts to wake up inside me. He raises his pale eyes to check my reaction.