Programmed Love

Chapter Ten: Surprises

    When I woke, the comforting feeling of arms wrapped around me was gone. Instead, I was wrapped snugly into the plush blankets as if someone had tucked me in. Turning onto my other side, I witnessed Dominic's side of the bed empty, and not disheveled suggesting that he left quite a while ago. Yawning into my hand, I sat up and stretched, clearing the drowsiness from my mind. That was the most refreshing sleep I had experienced in weeks. The room seemed brighter, and glancing to the left revealed a circular, domed window. It was the kind of window someone could sit in the middle of and still glance up into the sky. It seemed to protrude quite some ways, but it seemed stable. The light illuminated the floor, which seemed to be made to have the look of grass. Dominic could easily be described as an outside person, which was slightly hard to believe considering his milky white complexion. 

     Swinging my legs over the side, I noticed my shoes were gone, but placed at the foot of the bed was a pair of fuzzy slippers in their place. Deciding they were better than nothing, I placed them onto my feet and stood up, releasing a sigh of comfort. They gave the impression of walking on a cloud. Glancing at the nightstand beside the bed, a note was left with curvaceous writing, indicating that the writer of the note spent time and effort into what they had to say. A galaxy colored mug rested to the side with a brown liquid inside, along with a couple swirls of a white, fluffy substance atop it. Curiosity getting the best of me, I picked up the note and held it towards the light. 

     "Dearest Valencia,

                 You look so cute asleep! I simply didn't have the heart to wake you when you looked so peaceful and happy. Sadly, I had to leave before you woke up because I put off some important work yesterday, and I need to finish it. I promise that when I do manage to finish, I'll come find you and we can spend the rest of the day together if I manage to get done fast! I brought you a pair of my favorite slippers, as well as some hot chocolate for you to try and make it up. I hope you like it. If it's cold by the time you wake up, there's a microwave in the kitchen (go straight from leaving my bedroom, take the first left you see, go down the nearest staircase, go down the right hallway, and into the second door on the right). You can also eat whatever you'd like while you're in there, because I understand you haven't had much to eat lately, and I'd hate for you to starve. I'm sure Corrine will find you eventually to give you company, and I also instructed her to give you a new change of clothes. Try not to have too much fun without me!

                                                                              Sincerely,

                                                                                 Nic

     A wide smile graced my face as I read the letter, and a blush even managed to appear as well. He was so kind and considerate, and a major flirt, too. Having a friend such as he was enough to make my heart swell with joy. He'd only known me for a couple days, and already it felt as if we were best friends. Thinking of friends brought the memory of Hanna, Charlie, and Genni to mind. Just what happened to them after they were dragged away? I needed to ask someone about them, and it would most likely end up being Corrine since she's most likely the first I'd see. 

     The need to go to the restroom presented itself, and I thought for a few moments on where the nearest one would be. There were no other doors in Dominic's room besides the exit and one to enter Violet's room. However, Nic did mention that Violet would use the adjacent room from her for a bathroom. Having no better lead to follow, I walked into her room to find it empty of the wolf and Orson. 

     'They're probably running around playing somewhere,' I told myself. It slightly saddened me. Orson was my companion, and just a little baby. All my motherly instincts went to him, and it felt like he was growing up too fast. 'Maybe that's how all parents feel. Perhaps mother and father felt that way watching me grow up those first eight years. I wish I could ask them. I wish I could ask them a lot of things,' my thoughts stated, another pang of sadness filling me. Remembering them hurt, but it also helped me remember my main goal here. It wasn't to spend time with Dominic, no matter how much my heart fluttered at the thought of him, or to fight with Aradella. I needed to discover the meaning of the key, and everything I needed to do so, I had here. 

     After discovering that door to really lead to a bathroom with a small area for Violet to use, I did my own business. The bathroom was obviously meant for a person, and I couldn't help but look in the mirror. My face was starting to take on natural glow that I hadn't seen for years. The bags beneath my eyes were lessening, and even my hair was starting to take on a shine. I could even see a small spark of happiness which was soon replaced by sadness when I understood the meaning of my happiness. Being around Dominic had brought it back. He'd given me a small chance to be happy, and I was. This place was all I could ask for. No, that wasn't right. It wasn't 'this place' as in a physical building. It was more 'this place' as in with Nic. 

     'Get these thoughts out of your mind, i***t. You have Orson......who's also found a best friend...Oh God,  I can't tear him away from Violet. He's still a child. If I stay here any longer with Nic and continue to be his friend, I won't be able to leave. I have to avoid him...at least until I do what I have to. I could always use him- No, Val. I'd never be able to use him. He's too sweet. Please, please something. Help me. Everything was so much easier on my own,' I told myself. I'd put myself into a daze and hadn't even realised it until I felt a streak of warm, wet tears fall across my cheeks. My brown eyes were turning red and puffy. Grabbing a small bit of toilet paper, I used it as a tissue and wiped both eyes while trying to even my breathing. Running my fingers through my hair seemed to help. I gently worked out the tangles and removed the flower crown that had remained on my head. The makeup had worn off my face, and I finally looked more normal, besides the dress. Hopefully Corrine would find me soon to fix that problem. 

     Leaving the bathroom, I decided to follow Nic's directions to get to the kitchen. The last meal I'd had was small and probably close to twelve hours ago. I nearly forgot my cup of hot chocolate, but managed to carefully pick it up with one hand and walk out. The cup was nearly overflowing, so I took a small sip. There seemed to be a tiny hint of mint within the liquid, and even though it was cold, it was still soothing. My slightly frazzled nerves were sedated and allowed me to have a clearer head. The hallway I entered appeared to be a long one, so I stuck to the sides and ran my hand with the note along the smooth texture of the wall nearest me.

     A few doors littered the hall here and there, but mostly the space was filled with pictures dating back all the way to 2374. A faint memory resurfaced at that date. Something to do with a book my father had me read while he worked in his lab. If I recalled correctly, that was the year a man was able to create the AI that destroyed the world. The man's name was slipping my mind at the moment, but the robot's name was clear. Beneath the photo, the words "Dr. Fujimoto and best creation, Hajime" were engraved into the golden frame. One of the oldest robotic models were displayed beside an older man with thinning grey hair. The robot was in a position that suggested he was waving his hand to the camera man, and a look of disgust spread across my face. This was the robot and man that started it all. They were the ones that turned Earth into a living hell for the human race. 

     Continuing forward, various other photos depicted the man and automaton winning various awards to do with science and engineering. Eventually, a picture showed the Dr. Fujimoto character seemingly on his death bed with an improved version of Hajime by his side, smiling at the camera. I stood before that photo for quite some time. Evaluating and absorbing any information that it could reveal. It sickened me how easily the creation could smile like that. So innocently like it had nothing planned. I remember reading that over the years, it managed to fool everyone entirely before overthrowing the entire human population and starting the war, nearly killing all of humanity. 

     After that picture, a new person appeared, as well as other pictures that seemed to be taken from a type of news clipping. Lots of articles about a conspiracy of Hajime appeared, as well as whether he should be shut down. Eventually, those articles abruptly stopped, almost as if someone banned them. Curiosity arose, and after carefully examining the next photo, I noticed a small corner slightly crinkled. It would be risky to take it down. There was no way to tell whether I was being watched at the moment. Marking in my mind which photo it was, 'Happy Union of Carlisle Estis and Irene Derlott', I decided to move on. The last name 'Estis' carried on, so naturally I figured that Hajime was passed down to the male heir, regardless of whether a sister was born first. Or, perhaps, the prestigious family decided to keep that name no matter what happened. There were a few holes in the timeline, but enough information was present. 

     Eventually I got to the most recent pictures, just before the staircase I was supposed to take down to the kitchen. They showed Aradella as a child, along with a toddler version of Dominic. Who I was guessing were their parents were playing with them in what looked like a game of tag. What was the most shocking was that Aradella seemed to actually be laughing while her father picked her up and tossed her into the air. It wasn't until after I'd stared at the picture for awhile that I realised it was actually a video being played on loop. It was still in what looked like a picture frame, but upon closer inspection, the glass was really a screen. The further the frames went, it became evident that the rest were video type pictures. The next one showed Aradella, slightly older, with now what seemed like a seven-year-old Dominic. At a young age, Dominic's hair was kept a lot shorter, and it was a lot darker of a shade of blue. It was the opposite for Aradella. In this video, Aradella and Dominic were hugging each other so close their cheeks were touching as they smiled at whatever was taking the video. Dominic's smile radiated innocence and joy, and Aradella seemed to be squeezing the life out of him. Her eyes still showed that same possessive tint, and they strangely appeared red. 

     Next was a video of the parents and children at the dinner table. Aradella was standing behind Dominic with her arms wrapped around his torso with her head on his shoulder. They seemed like teenagers in that video. The parents were talking, they seemed unaware the video was being taken, but Aradella seemed all too aware of it, her red eyes still gleaming. Her hair was cut short at that time. Nearly military style. Her eyebrow was pierced with a silver ring, and that same possessive smile was settled upon her visage. Dominic held what seemed to be a tensed smile, his whole body language radiating a "let go of me" vibe. At the very end of the video before it looped back, Aradella moved her head to give his cheek a kiss when Dominic lost it. He whipped his head to the side, and it looked like he fell out of the chair. He was moving so fast, everything was blurred. The tablecloth even seemed to start moving. Just when Dominic nearly fell from his chair, the video looped again. It had my attention now. No matter how many times I watched it and willed it to keep going, nothing else was revealed. 

     After that video, Dominic was nowhere to be found for a long while. Aradella still made her appearance, but bags were beneath her eyes, and she looked deathly. Over time, her face lost her happy, youthful appearance and in the videos the words 'Stop scowling, Ella' was heard often. It wasn't until I reached the bottom of the stairs that Dominic appeared again in the videos. He was in what looked like the lab he showed me, and he was bent over a table with goggles and a pair of tweezers. Halfway through, Aradella ran into the room yelling how much she missed him and engulfed him in a hug, knocking him to the floor. He chuckled a bit before hugging her back, and she just stayed there for the remainder of the video. The words 'Brother-Sister Reunion' were the caption for that video. That was the most recent video, and nothing was after that. 

     'So what happened to Dominic?' was one of the many questions that whirled around my head at the missing puzzle piece. It was giving me a slight headache to piece it all together. 

     All the questions made my walk seem a lot shorter than the first half, because it seemed like in no time at all I'd found the kitchen door. Although by the time I'd found the door, I'd nearly drained my cup of hot chocolate unconsciously. It hadn't stopped my stomach from releasing a growl of hunger, though. So I continued through the door. 

     The kitchen seemed like one servants would use. It was simplistic, white, and filled with lots of room. A countertop filled the middle section, and white tiles lined the floor. Three large fridges rested on one wall, and four different sinks lined the wall on the opposite side. Counters filled what space the fridges and sinks didn't. Wooden cupboards lined the upper walls, and multiple lights hung from the ceiling. Brown, wooden stools sat around the middle countertop. Going near the fridge closest to me, it seemed to be filled with meat, the second fridge held fruits, and the third held vegetables. I went back to the meat fridge and grabbed some cold ham and munched on that with a little bit of lettuce and tomato. Searching the cupboards, I found a new glass and filled it with water. I'd even found a few crackers, as well as honey, so I indulged myself on my strange cravings. By the time I was done, I was so full that I was drowsy once more. The countertop was comfy enough with my arms to cushion it, and I soon drifted off while sitting on a stool.

                                                          ·                             ·                             ·

     "Why, hello there, little one. I haven't seen you around here. Are you one of Dominic's new creations?" The voice of an elderly woman called me out of my sleepened state. Turning my head to the side, I shook it at the baby pink blob. My eyesight was blurry from just waking up, and it took a few more moments for them to adjust.

     "Oh, my sincerest apologies then. I didn't mean to offend you, or wake you. Are you, perhaps, from the Arena then?" The woman asked instead. I nodded my head in response. 

      "I'm terribly sorry you had to go through that then, dear. You look so young, too. My name's Eleanor Estis. I'm Aradella and Dominic's grandmother," she explained. She looked to be in her early eighties, but it was hard to tell age when it was so easy for the rich people to hide their age. She had a pair of bright red, square rimmed glasses around her cloudy pink eyes. Her lips were painted a bright red as well. Crow's feet wrinkles were around her eyes as well, signifying that she spent a lot of time smiling. She was short, around 5'2" maybe, with a floral pink kimono. Her white hair held a slight blue tint, and it was up in a high, tight bun with two chop sticks. Her wrinkled hands held a mug that was shaking slightly, probably due to hand tremors. A pair of white cat ears rested on her head as well causing me to immediately grow a curious look.

     "Oh, these things?" She slightly laughed and continued, " They're similar to hearing aids. Aradella was such a doll and fashioned them for me. Of course, they're sewn on and can never be taken off, but I do love them so. It makes me so happy to see my grandchildren using their talents," she ended with a smile. I made an 'o' expression and nodded my head in understanding.

     "Not to pry, but who are you, dear? I never like watching the Arena battles, even if my darling Aradella runs them," Eleanor questioned. I signified towards my throat and shook my head, trying to explain that I couldn't speak. 

     "Ah, I see. That makes sense. I was wondering why you were so quiet compared to the others who get brought here. Would you like something to communicate with? A keyboard perhaps?" Her gentle voice asked. It'd been so long since I'd heard such a concerned voice. She was the epitome of a perfect grandmother. All that was missing was a plate of cookies. I gestured that it was fine, or that I'd rather have a pencil and paper.

     "I'm sure I can get Erika to bring you that. Erika, dear, could you please get this little girl here some paper and a pencil?" Eleanor inquired, motioning behind her. Slightly moving my body over, I was able to see another female standing behind the older woman. She had caramel skin with striking red eyes. Long, turquoise-tipped white hair rested around her face while a fuchsia flower crown sat gracefully on the top of her head. Her lips were painted red as well, but they were much fuller than Eleanor's. She had a long baby-blue dress on that accentuated her curves, and a shade darker of blue cape that wrapped around her shoulders. Her beauty shocked me, and I was slightly jealous of it. Erika bowed her head before exiting the room to retrieve the items.

     "Erika is my personal robot servant. I had her specially made by Dominic for me. I told him to design what would make him happy, and he made her. Of course, she wasn't built for perfection. Her voice box was so delicate he accidentally broke it bringing her to life. She also has a lack of common emotion, so she's more a moving doll than anything, but I appreciate her all the same," Eleanor explained. It slightly upset me that Erika had the looks that made Dominic happy. I'd never reach her levels of beauty, especially if that's what he looked for in a romantic companion.

     "Why so down, dear? Oh, don't look so surprised that I could tell. You may be able to fool others with your neutral expressions, but you can't fool these old eyes," the older woman chuckled. I was startled that she was able to read me so easily. No one was ever able to do that.

     "I may be going blind, but I don't only use my sight to understand things. I'm acute to feeling auras of others. It may be some time of spiritual thing. The closer I get to the other side, the more I can sense others feelings," she said nonchalantly. She so easily talked of her death, and I could hardly understand why. 

     "It's quite alright, sweetie. I came to terms with it. Robotics may be able to keep me alive, but I'd rather pass on. No one's meant to live forever," Eleanor stated with a sentimental look. 

     "Now, if I was to guess why you were upset when I brought up Erika, I'd assume something to do with either Dominic, or Erika herself. You've probably only been here a few days, which explains why I haven't heard of you. You have a note set in front of you, as well as a coffee mug with what smells like Dominic's special cocoa he makes. I'm going to guess that you two have gotten a little close over these past two days, and if I know a young girl, you're probably a little swoony over him. So by me saying that building Erika made him happy, you must have assumed what he made her look like made him happy, or is his idea of beauty, correct?" She theorized. I sat gawking at her for a few moments before shutting my mouth and nodding my head. I was amazed at how well she could read the entire situation with such little detail. The only thing I was reluctant to believe was that I was swooning over him.

     "How adorable. Don't worry, sweetheart. He built Erika to look like his late mother when she was younger, with the exception of the skin tone. My daughter always wanted to have that caramel skin however, so he made her so. He loved his mother dearly. So it wasn't his version of beauty he created, merely his way of remembering the woman who birthed him," she ended. I released the large breath of air I didn't even know I was holding in as she finished. I nodded my head in understanding at her. Eleanor laughed a hearty laugh and waddled towards me, resting her hand over mine that lay on the counter.

     "You seem like a sweet thing. I don't sense any maliciousness from you, unlike the others who win the Arena. If Dominic really has been taking the time to spend with you, you must be special to him. Mark my words, something amazing will come of this if he decides to go after you as a lover," she said with a wink and a twinkle in her eyes. A blush quickly spread across my face as I shook my head, trying to say that I didn't like him that way. We were only friends. Eleanor laughed once more, this time sitting beside me.

     "I know what a young girl with a crush looks like, dearie. It's alright to fall for someone. Remember that. There's always time for love, even in a world like this," she continued on. I continued shaking my head, retracting my hand from her firm grip. 

     "Oh, alright. If you insist. Maybe you are only friends and only wish to be so with him. I understand, but it's a shame, too. You would have made nice children to carry on the line. If you ever have second thoughts, I'll be rooting for you," she said. I wish I would have been able to cut her off at the children part. It was embarrassing for her to be talking about such things in terms of Dominic. Right when she was about to open her mouth once more, an orange-eyed robot I'd come accustomed to in the past days hurriedly walked in, scanned the area, and breathed a sigh of relief at seeing me.

     "Oh, Miss! You can't even begin to understand how relieved I am to see you!" Corrine explained while rushing forward and engulfing me in a hug. 

     "Why hello there, Corrine. I feel like it's been ages since I've seen you around! How have you been?" Eleanor asked, finally turning her attention to something other than me and Dominic. 

     "I've been quite alright, Mistress Eleanor! I'm terribly sorry to cut this little reunion short, but I simply must be getting Valencia dressed and ready for tonight! It took me forever to find her, and I was getting so dreadfully worried. We must be off, Mistress, but I promise I'll come see you soon!" Corrine called out, quickly ushering me out the door. I waved a hand at Eleanor and heard her say a faint  'ta-ta' before Corrine shut the door and had me racing through the halls.

     "I wasn't expecting you to stay in the kitchen! I was afraid you'd gotten lost in the halls somewhere. I knew I should have looked in the kitchen first! Oh dear, I've lost so much time, what time even is it? Eep! We only have thirty minutes to get you dressed, your makeup down, and your hair done! This is nearly impossible! You can run fast right?" Corrine managed to get out all in one breath. I nodded my head, and she said 'good' before racing off with my hand in hers. I didn't understand what any of this was for, but I went along with it. 

     We soon came to the normal door that led to my small bedroom. Corrine hurriedly opened it and rushed towards the closest. She seemed to have already had the outfit picked out, and it was no time at all before she thrust it into my hand and pushed me towards the bathroom. 

     The outfit consisted of a cyan and white summer dress with white leggings. The summer dress was horizontally stripped and cut off mid-thigh in the front and gradually went longer in the back to be knee length. She gave me a pair of white flats as well, and I slipped them on before exiting the bathroom in my new attire. There was no time to even mentally complain about the dress, so I just went with what Corrine wanted. 

     "The dress is a bit loose, but I think that's how those dresses work anyways. Come here so I can do your hair," she commanded. I got in front of her and sat on the floor while she sat on the bed. Tilting my head to one side, then the other, she quickly braided side pieces and clipped them behind my head in an elven hairstyle. I couldn't even process what was going on before she whirled me around. She gazed at me worriedly before pulling me to my feet.

     "I don't believe we have enough time to do your makeup. You look pretty enough on your own though, so I think we'll be fine. Come on, I'm sure he's waiting for you, and even though he's way more patient than the Mistress, we'd best not keep him waiting," Corrine ended, characteristically speaking very quickly. I didn't know who she was referring to, but I guessed it to be Dominic since she referred to Aradella. My heart was excited at such news, but my mind kept telling it to shut up and lock itself away.

     After racing through the hallways once more, we came to the garden door. I was slightly panting at all the physical work. I hadn't been using my muscles as much the past few days, and I was easily able to tell. I ran a couple fingers through my hair in attempts to untangle it, then I pressed on the door.

     "If the Master is not out there yet, give him a few moments. We managed to make it a few minutes early. I have to leave now, though, so please be patient. I'll be back later if Master calls me. Bye," she said before turning back and walking the way we came. I turned back to the beautiful garden and noticed the sun was beginning to set. Beautiful oranges, pinks, purples, and reds swirled together in the sky, painting the clouds like cotton candy. Closing my eyes, I inhaled the smell of flowers and breathed out a heavy sigh. It smelled like Nic, or maybe Nic smelled like the garden. The flats upon my feet were squeezing my toes at the top, and they were extremely uncomfortable. Taking them off, I rubbed my sore feet before walking further into the garden nearer to the large tree in the center.

     After waiting for what felt like five minutes, I decided to do something else. One tree limb seemed close enough to the ground that I could grab it if I jumped, so I decided to try and climb it. After a few attempts, I got a sturdy hold of it and shook loose a few blue blossoms from the ends. It created a pretty scene added with the sunset. I decided to move up one more branch before settling down. Swinging my feet over the side of the limb proved to be entertaining, and I was content as long as I didn't look down. I nearly forgot about my fear of heights since I was so caught up in the moment, but once I remembered, panic started forming. I was easily close to twelve feet off the ground. Falling from this height would cause injuries. Scooting closed to the trunk, I wrapped my arms around it as securely as possible and waited, mentally screaming for Nic to save me. Why Nic came to mind and not anyone else was a mystery to me.

     What felt like another ten minutes passed before I heard walking beneath me. I'd had my eyes squeezed shut up until that moment, and I nervously opened them only now to see who it was. Catching sight of a head of cyan hair, I nearly jumped for joy until I remembered my predicament.

     "Cutie? Corrine said she sent you out here, so where'd you go?...Valencia...?...Valencia, this isn't funny. You can come out now," his voice wavered slightly. I could feel my heart strings being plucked gently at it. He sounded so lost and broken, just like the night before. I tried to wiggle a little to give out my location, but once the branch bounced a bit, I lost my nerve and stopped. I mentally slapped myself for leaving my flats on the ground. Scanning the area, I found nothing else possible for me to throw down. The branches were too thick to break off, and I had nothing on my person. Glancing down once more, I saw him becoming more frantic, and a few more strings snapped in my heart. I couldn't leave him to worry like that.

     Biting my lip, I shifted my position before gently sliding down to the lower branch. My stomach rested on the branch I was on while my feet dangled off the side. The feeling of emptiness beneath my feet panicked me even more, and I could feel my hands growing sweaty. Nic needed me. I lowered myself further, and I could faintly hear Dominic's pleas over the blood rushing through my head. Just when my foot was nearly firmly placed against the tree limb, I noticed a hairy spider crawl across one of my hands holding the branch, and I immediately released my grip to shake it off. Once I noticed my mistake, I was already plummeting. A scream couldn't even leave my lips.

     I hadn't even realised I'd stopped falling until I heard a grunt from beneath me. My eyes felt as if they were welded shut, and it took everything in me to pry them open. Looking down, revealed a pained set of blue orbs staring into my own, and I practically jumped off him. Nic had broken my fall, and I could only hope I in turn hadn't broke him. Staring down into his face, I cupped his cheeks as if asking if he was okay. A small smirk worked its way onto his face at my actions.

     "Ya know, for not weighing much, you sure do pack a punch, Cutie" he said with a small chuckle. Breathing out a sigh of relief, I rolled my eyes before instinct took over me and I pecked his cheek. Coming to a realisation of what I did, my face erupted in a pink blush and I released his face. Moving away, his face seemed shocked as well before he laughed again.

     "If that's all it takes to get a kiss, I might just get hurt more often," he said while laughing and sitting up. I crossed my arms and pouted at him, looking away in embarrassment. Crawling closer to me, he pulled me into his lap and snuggled me close.

     "Now, now, Cutie. I'm just joking with ya, calm down. You're the most adorable friend I could ever ask for!" He exclaimed, smothering me in a hug. I awkwardly pet his hand that was wrapped around my waist as a smile worked its way back onto my lips. I shook my head at his childishness before turning my head and flicking his nose. He yelped in shock before releasing me from his hold and clutching his nose overdramatically. I took that time to crawl out of his lap and turn to face him.

     "You've wounded me, my love! How can I ever go on living in this abusive, one-sided relationship? Oh, what a cruel world!" He exclaimed, falling over backwards and pretending to cry. Shaking my head once more, my smile grew as I decided to do something. Reaching over to him, he parted his fingers to glance out at me with a hopeful smile. Smiling devilishly in return, I attacked his stomach and he reacted with a violent wave of laughter. He tried prying my hands off him and protecting himself, but he was too weak from being tickled. 

     "Stop! Stop! I'm done, I sw-swear! Please!" He called out. Figuring he had enough, I plopped back down onto my spot and continued sending him my own smirk while he wiped tears from his eyes. Sticking out my tongue, he did so back before reaching into his white button up shirt for what appeared to be a box. Sending him a curious gaze, half of his mouth tilted up.

     "Oh, you want to know what's in this? I don't know if I should give it to you now. You did just assault me," he drawled out. Giving him a puppy dog face, he laughed before instructing me to close my eyes. The faint sound of a box being opened could be heard before he instructed me to open my eyes again.

     Inside the box was a golden chain necklace with a golden panther. The panther's eye was a pretty turquoise gem, and the panther seemed to be crawling upwards. The tail swooped down in a beautiful arc, and a sparkle lit up my eyes. It reminded me of the jewelry my mother loved wearing. I wished I could tell him how beautiful I thought it was, but looking at him with a small smile seemed to say it all.

     "So, you like it? I'm so glad you do! It's yours now. And the best part," he excitedly said, reaching down towards the tail, "is that this is detachable."

     Pulling on the tail revealed a wicked blade that had been hidden inside. The small blade was curved to fit the structure of the panther, and the tail worked as an amazing handle. It seemed like the perfect hidden weapon. Reaching out to test the sharpness, I could hardly press my finger to it without cutting skin. After a few moments of me admiring it, Dominic put it back into its slot before taking the necklace out of the box.

     "Would you like to wear it?" He asked. Vigorously nodding my head, he chuckled before moving behind me and moving my hair to the side. Feeling the cold metal press against my sensitive neck, I took a shaky breath of air. He seemed to linger in that position for a few more seconds than necessary before clasping the back of it. He kept his warm hand against my neck for even longer. Right when I was about to lean into him, he moved away. 

     "There. Beautiful. Now, I think I deserve something in return, don't you think?" His heavenly voice rhetorically asked. I pondered for a few moments on what he could possibly want in return before I furrowed my brows at him in confusion. There was only so many things a friend could give in return.

     "Perhaps..." he trailed off, letting the words hang in the air beneath the falling blue petals as my heartbeat quickened, "...a kiss?"