Complicated Love

5 - uninvited guest

Naomi didn't know how to feel after what had just happened. She had never let a man get close to her as Anthony did. James had attempted it and it ended up in am argument. She didn't know what had gotten into her. It had just happened and she wasn't sure if she regretted it or not.

She wondered whether he had just complimented her in order to lure her into going to his home, to drive her focus away from the main situation. She refused to believe it. She wasn't that gullible to fall for his trap.

Was she?

Once in a while she would feel Anthony's gaze linger over her and it made her fuzzy inside.

She continued looking out the window distracting herself with the houses passing by at a rapid pace. There was an eerie silence about this place that made her feel uneasy. A distant sound of a hooting owl was the only thing resonating through the atmosphere everything else was still and silent. It felt unnatural like a ghost town reborn. The roads looked abandoned and alone. It gave her the chills. She turned to him "Anthony?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are the roads so empty?"

He glanced at her, "What?"

"The roads..." She said, gesturing to the window and the lonely neighborhood beyond "...why are they so empty?"

His mood turned gloomy instantly as he's fingers encircled the steering wheel "It's late. People have to sleep. They're probably in bed right now like normal human beings would be"

"Yeah I know it's late but I'm just saying. Why is it so desolate. It doesn't feel normal"

"So what? You want people to be walking around in the middle of the night under the rain. Is that what you consider normal?" He retorted

"Why are you getting defensive Anthony? I was just asking. I assumed that people would be walking around."

"..." Anthony remained silent. Naomi was too busy gazing out the window to see how red his hands had turned as he gripped onto the steering wheel

"At Helslip people are always so hyper. You would see people walking around with friends, or cars driving by some people even going on night shifts etc so I assumed here it would be the same."

"Dont assume, that's what gets people killed around here" Anthony murmured, the words seething through his teeth inaudible for the human ear.

She sighed as she realised that she had pinched a sore spot"I'm sorry if I said something wrong. I didn't mean to offend you. "

He sighed and placed a hand on her thigh squeezing slightly "It's ok. I was overreacting too"

Casually she shifted, moving her body closer to the door, getting the hint he removed his hand from her thigh and placed it back on the steering wheel. His eyes cooling over like an iceberg

Naomi gazed out of the desolate neighborhood as beautiful as it was there was still a creepy aura around it but she couldn't seem to place a finger on what the cause could be "There's a curfew in this place." He said as he glanced at her. Catching her curiosity, he went on "People aren't allowed to be walking around when they want to."

Her brow scrunched in confusion as she peered at him under hooded eyes "What's the reason for the curfew?"

"The curfew helps keep order and discipline."

"It's controlling people's lives..."

"It's not your place to say." He grumbled dismissively.

Taken aback she shut her mouth and laid back wandering into her aimless thoughts.