Love Bites

LOVE BITES Chapter 17 : Human Eye

She had a nice smile, but it wasn't hard to notice the way her green eyes skirted from me and lingered on Alastair. Unintentionally, I squeezed Alastair's hand a little tighter.

"How can I help?" The assistant asked cheerfully.

"I'm here to see Chàntelle," Alastair responded swiftly.

Chàntelle? Who was she? And why did Alastair seem so determined to meet with his person?

The girl's sweet smile waved and she looked Alastair more closely. "Did you have an appointment with him?"

He smiled. "More or less."

Chàntelle was a he, I noted.

"Can I get a name?"

"Sure. It's Alastair." Why was he acting so friendly towards her? Or maybe, I was just imagining it? I still felt detached, like I was barely here. Perhaps I wasn't thinking coherently. "I know Chàntelle will recognise that name," Alastair said.

The assistant ran a painted nail down the clipboard she pulled from a draw and slowly shook her head, gnawing on her bottom lip. "Sorry, but I don't know you. And besides," she paused, flipping her curled light brown hair over her shoulder, "Chàntelle is not here today."

My eyes narrowed in on the necklace she wore. It was a narrow cylinder glass, only a few centimetres tall, and shimmered with some blue liquid on a long silver chain. I liked it, and probably would have complimented her on it had she not been blinking her eyelashes at Alastair in the flirty way she was.

To my utmost surprise, Alastair actually leant over the counter to close the distance between himself and the girl. My eyes widened. When did Alastair ever act this direct? The assistant blushed and I think I saw red, and not because of her cheeks. What the hell did Alastair think he was doing?

I could not handle this right now.

The pounding in my head increased. I couldn't deal with this. Not when I was in this state. Not when my head was in such an  incomplete and unarranged state. I couldn't handle this petty emotion right now. Jealousy.

But what were we even doing here? I was so confused. Tiredly, I rubbed my temple with the hand that wasn't being held in my brother's. As if sensing my pain and trying to comfort me, he squeezed my hand reassuringly. That only made me more confused.

"So Chàntell's not here?" Alastair asked, clearly pronouncing each word in that smooth voice of his.

The girl shook her head, slowly, as if to second-guess herself, while she leant in closer too. I hated how small the distance was becoming between them. Why was he fishing her in like this? And why in front of me? It hurt. Alsa, you're not allowed to look at anyone else but me. You promised...

Then I realised.

That smile that lingered on Alastair's face... it was all a façade. His ash mauve eyes, I noticed, casted downwards briefly through the silky black hair that brushed over his brow. If I blinked I would have missed it. His smile was calm, exact. He knew what he was doing, how to play with this girl's emotions. And then, in that velvety voice of his he noted rather decisively, "Chàntelle is always here...witch."