bill back at him.
“I want to pay for it,” he said slowly, biting off each word.
The tension in the air was a sharp tang on the back of Eren’s tongue. The pressure between the two of them was so thick if she turned her head just right she could see it shimmering like a mist. Knowing that he wasn’t attracted to the pretty girl was encouraging but by the tension between them Eren feared she might be an ex-girlfriend. He was always so laid back that his temper kind of surprised her.
“You’re money is no good here,” the girl said through clenched teeth before turning her back on them again.
Aiden shoved the money back into his pocket and stormed away from the counter. When Eren gave him a curious look he forced a smile, his lips pressed tightly together. They made their way over to the plush loveseat that sat farthest from the counter. It didn’t escape Eren’s attention that he could have chosen two chairs which were a bit farther away from each other. They sat down and she pulled a leg beneath her, turning sideways so she could look at him. That put a bit more distance between them, but the view made it worth it.
“This is my parents’ place,” he said with a sigh.
There was sadness in his voice and he said the word ‘parents’ as though it didn’t quite feel right. It made Eren think maybe his relationship with his parents wasn’t all that good. Curious as she was, that wasn’t something she wanted to press him on right now.
“And you don’t exactly get along with the help?” she pointed out.
“Yeah, you could say that,” Aiden agreed with a half-grin.
As they talked and drank their coffee, he relaxed bit by bit. The flare of anger that had shocked her so much, faded away and the Aiden she had come to know, returned. He struck up a conversation and the last of Eren’s concern faded away.
The way he looked at her made her feel like she was someone who was fascinating as well as beautiful. But even more, she loved the way he talked to her. Aiden wanted to know what she thought about things, how she felt, and what her opinions were. Most guys she’d been around got a far away look in their eyes any time she spoke. That, and made a move on her within the first week. Aiden had yet to make one, though he was clearly interested. Eren figured that might have something to do with the whole energy releasing thing whenever he got anxious though. No matter how she looked at it, he was a rarity.
When they finished their coffee they made their way down the deserted street toward Zolin’s store. Even though it wasn’t quite nine o’clock, the cobblestone sidewalk was already hot beneath Eren’s feet. It was a good thing they were planning on going to the river later.
They came to the four way intersection and Eren gravitated toward the roundabout ‘meeting place.’ Like the sidewalks, it was all cobblestone, even the steps leading up to it. It looked very old and very well cared for. The stone benches were all worn smooth, no doubt by countless attendees over a very long period of time. It sort of hummed. She could feel it coming up through her legs.
As she placed her foot upon the first of those steps, Aiden grabbed her arm, stopping her. She turned to look at him and he shook his head vigorously, an almost fearful look in his eyes.
“Until we belong to one of the Societies we’re not allowed up there,” he said.
The urgency in his voice made her step back down.
“We’re not born into Societies?” Eren asked.
“Normally, yeah. But since your parents left that means you don’t belong to one,” he said gently. It looked like it hurt him to say the words.
It definitely hurt Eren to hear them. Her mouth went very dry and her throat closed, saving her from having to respond.
“I don’t belong to one either. Being adopted means you don’t automatically belong to one. Especially when you’re adopted by a different culture like I was,” he explained.
“That seems so wrong,” Eren
“I want to pay for it,” he said slowly, biting off each word.
The tension in the air was a sharp tang on the back of Eren’s tongue. The pressure between the two of them was so thick if she turned her head just right she could see it shimmering like a mist. Knowing that he wasn’t attracted to the pretty girl was encouraging but by the tension between them Eren feared she might be an ex-girlfriend. He was always so laid back that his temper kind of surprised her.
“You’re money is no good here,” the girl said through clenched teeth before turning her back on them again.
Aiden shoved the money back into his pocket and stormed away from the counter. When Eren gave him a curious look he forced a smile, his lips pressed tightly together. They made their way over to the plush loveseat that sat farthest from the counter. It didn’t escape Eren’s attention that he could have chosen two chairs which were a bit farther away from each other. They sat down and she pulled a leg beneath her, turning sideways so she could look at him. That put a bit more distance between them, but the view made it worth it.
“This is my parents’ place,” he said with a sigh.
There was sadness in his voice and he said the word ‘parents’ as though it didn’t quite feel right. It made Eren think maybe his relationship with his parents wasn’t all that good. Curious as she was, that wasn’t something she wanted to press him on right now.
“And you don’t exactly get along with the help?” she pointed out.
“Yeah, you could say that,” Aiden agreed with a half-grin.
As they talked and drank their coffee, he relaxed bit by bit. The flare of anger that had shocked her so much, faded away and the Aiden she had come to know, returned. He struck up a conversation and the last of Eren’s concern faded away.
The way he looked at her made her feel like she was someone who was fascinating as well as beautiful. But even more, she loved the way he talked to her. Aiden wanted to know what she thought about things, how she felt, and what her opinions were. Most guys she’d been around got a far away look in their eyes any time she spoke. That, and made a move on her within the first week. Aiden had yet to make one, though he was clearly interested. Eren figured that might have something to do with the whole energy releasing thing whenever he got anxious though. No matter how she looked at it, he was a rarity.
When they finished their coffee they made their way down the deserted street toward Zolin’s store. Even though it wasn’t quite nine o’clock, the cobblestone sidewalk was already hot beneath Eren’s feet. It was a good thing they were planning on going to the river later.
They came to the four way intersection and Eren gravitated toward the roundabout ‘meeting place.’ Like the sidewalks, it was all cobblestone, even the steps leading up to it. It looked very old and very well cared for. The stone benches were all worn smooth, no doubt by countless attendees over a very long period of time. It sort of hummed. She could feel it coming up through her legs.
As she placed her foot upon the first of those steps, Aiden grabbed her arm, stopping her. She turned to look at him and he shook his head vigorously, an almost fearful look in his eyes.
“Until we belong to one of the Societies we’re not allowed up there,” he said.
The urgency in his voice made her step back down.
“We’re not born into Societies?” Eren asked.
“Normally, yeah. But since your parents left that means you don’t belong to one,” he said gently. It looked like it hurt him to say the words.
It definitely hurt Eren to hear them. Her mouth went very dry and her throat closed, saving her from having to respond.
“I don’t belong to one either. Being adopted means you don’t automatically belong to one. Especially when you’re adopted by a different culture like I was,” he explained.
“That seems so wrong,” Eren
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