The Raven and The Dove

Chapter 6

At half past six, Melia is pacing restlessly back and forth, cursing under her breath. Why was she so nervous? There was half an hour left, until Caleb would come pick her up, and she felt like she was going to pass out from nerves. This wasn’t like her, at all! 

She lets out a deep sigh, casting another glance at the clock on the wall. At this rate, she would wear herself out. She had to do something. 

Looking down at herself, she contemplates her options. The purple dress, tight fitting around the torso and looser from the hip down, was not really all that practical for her first choice of relaxation. She had no time, for the second, leaving her third option, which has her grumbling a bit. She’d always hated meditation. Sure, it was effective, and she had to do it daily, but she had already done her daily meditation.

Another sigh escapes her, as she decides to put her hatred aside and sit down where she stands. She pulls off the black ankle boots, dropping them next to her, before straightening her back and sitting criss cross. Her eyes slowly closes as she steadies her breathing, emptying her mind and looking for that shred of calm.

Caleb is sitting in his car, just staring at the car’s clock. Twenty minutes left, until he had to pick up Melia. She had texted him her address earlier, so he knew where to pick her up, so he knew it would take about ten minutes to get to her place. It was too early to leave, but he felt restless and nervous, and kept running his fingers through his hair, making it even more messy than normal. Five more minutes. 

Finally deciding it wouldn’t hurt to be a few minutes early, he decides to start the car and make his way to her house. Hopefully, she wouldn’t be bothered by his slightly early arrival.

When he arrives at the address, he can’t help but stare a bit. He double checks a few times, making sure he had the correct address, before slowly getting out of the car. His eyes are taking in the sight in front of him, his mouth slightly agape, and he looks like an i***t as he’s staring at the house in front of him. This couldn’t be right. Right?

Catching sight of the black Trans Am in the driveway, he lets out a small undefinable sound. What was this? The house wasn’t huge, but it certainly was above average. A small front yard, neatly kept, and looking further he catches a glimpse of a backyard, seemingly huge.

He slowly makes his way to the front door, taking in the details of the house. It wasn’t big enough to be called a mansion, far from it, but the design reminded him of one. The big windows, gracing the sides of the white walls, the big double doors that looks to be made from an exquisite type of wood, elegantly decorated with beautiful carvings. It looks way too lavish, for a student to live in. How did she afford this?

Hearing the sound of a car outside, makes Melia snap back to reality. She looks at the clock, frowning a bit when she sees the time. She should still have a few minutes left. Was he early? 

She gets up from the floor and puts her boots back on, before making her way to the door. She reaches it, just as a knock is heard, and she opens it slowly, almost cautious.

A small sigh of relief escapes her, when she sees Caleb standing there, his hair messy but pretty neatly dressed. Her gaze travels down his body, mentally approving of the sight in front of her. The black jeans, not too loose yet not too tight, the light grey shirt that seemed as if it was made to fit his muscular torso, and the black leather jacket. All in all, he looked like a snack, and she can’t help a smile from showing as her eyes meet his.

The sight that greets Caleb when the door is opened, makes him almost drop his jaw again. She looked absolutely amazing. The way the dress hugged her curves, the way her smile seemed to light up her face, and her green eyes meeting his. She took his breath away.

“You look stunning.” he says, sounding like he was slightly out of breath, which wasn’t all that wrong.

“Thank you.” she responds, looking away a bit as a slight blush dusts her cheeks. She had left her hair loose, now thankful for that as it fell in front of her face slightly, but had styled it  a bit, making it fall down her back and over her shoulders in soft corkscrew curls. The curls made her hair look shorter than it was, but it still reached a little past her hip. 

“You look pretty good yourself.” 

She lets her gaze meet his again, trying to hide her surprise when she sees his expression. He looks almost embarrassed. As if he wasn’t used to getting compliments. 

Snapping out of his slight daze, Caleb steps forward and grabs her hand, kissing the back of it slightly before looking back at her with a grin. He knows it’s a cheesy move, but he feels like she would enjoy his way of trying to relieve the tension a bit.

Sure enough, his ears are graced with a soft laugh. A laugh he can’t help but join. Seeing this side of her, made him even more interested in her, having only seen the side she shows in school. From what he had seen, she didn’t laugh much at school, and she mostly seemed like she didn’t want people near her, which was also part of the reason why it had taken him so long to talk to her. She had seemed unapproachable, in every way. 

As she was now, however, standing in front of him with a smile on her lips and a posture that radiates confidence, he finds himself preferring this Melia. Who wouldn’t, though? She was radiant.

“Shall we?”

Her words brings him back to reality, and he straightens as he reluctantly lets go of her hand. “We shall.” he responds, a teasing tone to his voice.

Melia steps back inside for a few seconds, grabbing her purse and keys, before stepping back out and closing the door behind her. 

“You sure live in a fancy place.” Caleb mumbles, not really intending for her to hear, as he casts one last glance at the house.

A small chuckle escapes her, as she also looks back at the house briefly.

“It’s nothing much.” she says, shrugging a bit.

“I was offered something bigger, but I really didn’t feel like living in an actual mansion.”

Caleb stares at her, his hand on the car door, completely forgotten.

“Offered? By who? Do you have a sugar daddy, or something?” There’s a teasing tone to his voice, but he is genuinely curious.

“No way!” she laughs, but she dodges the rest of his questions, by asking another; “So, where are we going?”

Opening the car door for her, Caleb silently wonders what she wasn’t telling him. What was it, that she didn’t want him to know? His first thought, was that she had inherited the house, but with her dodging the question like that, he doubted it.

“It’s a surprise.” he answers, sending her a smile before closing the door and making his way to the driver’s seat.

“After seeing your house, though, I’m worried you won’t be impressed.” he adds, the teasing tone back in his voice. She would tell him, if he needed to know, right?