Hell to the No

Eye to Eye

"Hello Aleithea," he says, offering a tight smile. His expression was otherwise blank.

"May I sit here?" I ask politely, and I see some of the girls from the table beyond this one turn to stare at me. Roman gestures to the empty chair beside him. I slide into it, straightening my frayed jeans before tugging on the edges my Saosin tee. He returns to his burger.

"I... wanted to start with an apology," I say, hating that introduction the moment the words leave my lips. I realize he picks up on that when he hides a smirk. He stays facing his tray, both elbows against the table, his back slouched and arched into a muscular curve. How I hate his tight black tee shirts.

"I forgive you," he says as I open my mouth to elaborate. I clamp it shut as he finally turns his smoky gaze to me. I hold his look, my brows knit and my stomach uncomfortable, as I still want to apologize in a better way.

"I had no room to speak at the mall this weekend," I continue, despite his sudden acceptance, initially thinking he is being a smartass, "And... I overreacted earlier today."

"Allie," he says, almost a whisper, leaning toward me slightly so that I would look at him squarely, and I do. In place of the blank slate, the look on his face in sincere, and behind the curtains of his ebon hair, his gray-green eyes are soft. "Its alright. I overreacted too. I'm just too damn stubborn to admit those kinds of things sometimes. We're good, Allie. And we'll find a way to work on that project together, I won't leave you hanging," he says with a smirk, sitting up straight. The knots in my stomach evaporate in relief, and I return his look.

"You sure about that?" I smirk at him, leaning my arm against the table and crossing my legs at the knee. He leans in close to me again, resting his arm parallel to mine on the table.

"Well that depends on how you propose we go about working on this project together," he murmurs, his voice at a low and rumbling register. I force my gaze not to flicker to his strong jaw line, his bright silver snakebites.

"Over the phone," I tell him with a shrug.

"No service at Alpine Mine."

"Video chat sessions," I continue with Kaitlin's suggestions, and with each one his smirk broadens.

"No internet." I look past him at Sage, who had put earphones in when I started apologizing to give our conversation at least a bit of privacy. Thinking slyly to what my flirtatious devil of a friend would do in this situation, I stretch my arm out in front of Roman, leaning into him slightly as I lightly touch Sage on the arm. He pops out one ear bud and looks at me expectantly.

"Is Roman lying? Is there no service or internet access at the camp you guys go to over the summer?" Sage laughs, flicking his thin blonde hair out of his eyes.

"He's telling the truth, Alpine Mine's a dead zone for those kind of things," he confirms. The smell of Roman's tantalizing cologne fills my nose, and the small hairs on the back of my neck rise with the touch of his warm breath on my ear.

"Thanks, Sage."

"Sure thing, Allie." I return to my own personal space, and Roman's grin is as broad as ever.

"Looks like we're SOL, darlin'," he murmurs, the last word soft and warm. My heart gives a treacherous leap, and I fight to keep the coloring of my face to its normal shade. God damnit, his ability to make my heart and feelings react like a lion-tamer was frightening. And slightly annoying. No, definitely and extremely annoying. I straighten, looking away from him.

"So you are going to bail, then?" I say plainly, using a smirk to hide my discontent.

"I'll come up with something. I promise," he tells me, leaning both arms in front of him on the table again to pick at a pile of tater-tots on his tray. I wrinkle my nose.