He is Ghost

Meatballs

Neira looked at him. Was she harping on him? She sighed, "sorry. I guess I'm the grouchy one." 

It's fine, Neira. I understand. 

Did he really? Or was he just saying that to be nice? "I feel like I'm stuck here. I feel like all I do is make the wrong choices. I should have never left him." She kicked a rock with her boot. 

Then why did you? His voice, the shadowy vacant tone, sounded far off. It was shallow like he was flickering out of existence. 

Neira looked up the sky, the stars twinkling overhead. "I don't know," she said softly, her gaze still on the sky. 

When she dropped her gaze to him, to see if he could offer some divine insight, he was gone. She hated it when he did that. His sudden absence made her feel hallow. It reminded her that she really was alone. That he wasn't real. Shadow could very well be something she dreamt up to help ease the loneliness that had gnawed at her insides since leaving her parents. She didn't know what to think. 

She took the steps two at a time. No one was here, no Kesler or Allistar to be seen. She knew Shade was here though. She just knew it, her fear radar making her skin sizzle. She knocked her knuckles against the glass door. 

Shade appeared from around a corner and moved towards the door, sliding it open for her. He stood off to the side, allowing a narrow alleyway for her to enter into the house. She kept her eyes on his knees, not wanting to meet his black eyes. 

"You hungry?" he asked as he slid the sliding door closed behind her. 

Before she could answer her stomach growled. It was loud enough that Shade let out a low chuckle as he moved towards the kitchen. 

"Don't answer that," he said pulling something from the fridge. She hovered, trying to look over his shoulder without getting too close. He pulled plastic wrap off a plate and popped it into a microwave. Shade turned to face her, leaning back onto his hands against the counter. 

Neira took a step back, feeling awkward with his full attention turned towards her. She went around the counter, taking a seat at one of the many bar stools. 

"Did the boots fit?" he asked and she glanced at them from where they sat beside the door. One had tipped over. 

She nodded, keeping her gaze down. 

"I asked Enzo to pick up some groceries for your cabin when he left today," Shade said nonchalantly. "I am guessing you'll end up with a kitchen full of chips and cookies."

Neira tried to hide her excitement with a small smile. "That's perfectly fine." 

Shade tilted his head. "Cookie fan?" he asked with a smile. 

Neira looked up and met his gaze for half a second. "Junk food fan. Food fan really." 

The microwave beeped and Neira jumped in her seat. 

Shade sighed. "Am I allowed to hand you the plate from the microwave?" His tone was dripping in sarcasm. 

"Sure," she said with her gaze on the white counters. 

He wasn't expecting her answer because it took him a couple of seconds before he moved and popped open the microwave door. The scent of the food made her mouth fill with saliva as he slid the plate before her with a fork clattering alongside it. I was filled, overflowing, with rice and meatballs and covered in some kind of tangy salty sauce. 

It was like her fork had become a shovel. She all but inhaled it, barely breathing between bites. Shade said nothing while she ate, just watched her shovel the food down like a starving animal. He didn't mock her.

She resisted the urge to lick the plate, wishing there was more of it to swallow down. She could have eaten double that. 

Shade's fingers closed around the edge of the empty plate and dragged it towards himself. "Round two?" he asked. 

Neira looked him dead in the eye, not caring about the swirling black. She dared him to be joking, to ruin the idea of him having more of those tasty meatballs hidden away in the fridge. He dumped the empty plate into the sink and pulled open the fridge to reveal another massive plate filled with those delicious meatballs. 

"Thank you," she said trying not to sound too appreciative. Like a keening shewolf in need of his services. 

Shade waved her off, "you don't have to thank me."

She ate the second plate slower, taking time to breathe between bites. "Did you explore much today?" he asked looking out one of the massive windows. 

"Not really," she said. She hadn't. She had laid under a tree and moped for most of the day. She cursed her cowardly bones.

"I could give you a tour tomorrow," he said running a hand through his golden hair. "If you want." 

Neira didn't answer him. Not until she was tugging her boots on to leave. "Maybe," she said not meeting his eyes as she slipped from his house and down the steps.