Beyond The Gaze: A Love Unseen

Chapter 7

"S-sorry, sorry, sorry," Elysia started her mantra in panic and rushed to grab some tissues.

As I watched her dashing towards me in a whole panic mode, with a handful of tissues in her hand, a strange feeling washed over me as my eyes widened. Is she planning to wipe my pants?!

She reached me and bent down, ready to wipe my soaked pants.

"Mr. Knight?" Mr. Ashford's voice called again, but it didn't register in my head as I extended my hand in panic to stop Elysia's hand, when suddenly the door burst open and a familiar voice echoed throughout the office.

"Yo, bro! I'm back- Yikes! What the f**k?!" Maron exclaimed, almost tearing my eardrums.

My hand stopped midway. Elysia also stopped her actions and stared at Maron in bewilderedness and confusion, probably thinking of a reason for his outburst suddenly.

I noticed our position; Elysia bend over in front of me holding tissues, while my hand stopped midway almost a few inches away from her head and this oblivious woman still had no idea what kind of scandalous situation we were in just now.

"It's not what you think!" I said hurriedly, but Maron turned and left the office while giving me an evil smirk which clearly meant 'Liar'

"Wait!" I called after him, but he didn't even glance back, closing the door.

"I'll call you back in a minute, Mr. Ashford." I hung up without waiting for an answer.

Heaving a long sigh, I looked down at Elysia, who was still in the same position with the same bewildered look. I couldn't help being amused; she really could be slow sometimes...

She looked up at me, her innocent and questioning eyes furrowed in confusion. I raised my eyebrows, pointing at my soaked pants front and her position sarcastically, "Well, this is quite the situation we have here."

It took her a few seconds to realize as she observed our compromising position. When it finally registered in her head, her eyes widened like saucers as her face darkened with several shades of red, reaching down her neck and ear.

I watched her with interest as she stood up, shrieking and stuttering, "I- It- it's n-n-not what it looks like," she looked like a fish out of water, opening and closing her mouth in panic. Hm, isn't it a little too late for her to rectify the situation now?

She tried to step back away from me, while stumbling, but before she could step away more and fell down in her panic, which I'm sure would happen if I didn't take action. Impulse clouded my clear judgement as I grabbed her arm and yanked her towards me, circling my arm around her small waist.

Her hands landed on my chest on instinct, and a familiar fresh scent mixed with a faint jasmine one tickled my nostrils, strangely calming my senses.

Her body was so soft against mine that even a little pressure made me think she might break. She stared at me in complete shock and daze, her eyes wide, lips parted in a small 'o', her breathing still. For a moment, there was nothing I could hear except the beating of our hearts, so loud that I thought my heart would burst out of my chest. Her affect on me momentarily shocked me to the core.

I noticed her, and it seemed her heartbeat was as loud as mine. I immediately wrapped my thoughts around my head, "Breathe," I spoke softly because she seemed to have forgotten to breathe.

"-Uh?" Her throat made a soft sound of acknowledging my voice, but I knew it didn't reach her brain as she kept staring at me.

"Breathe, Elysia!" I pressed more this time and spoke with emphasis. She finally responded and took a deep breath, coming back to her senses as she tried to pull away from me, while looking like a deer caught in headlights.