Shimmers & Shrouds (Abstruse) by Scarlett Brukett Read Free Book Online Page B

analyse it. She might get to know I was talking about her and me.
She looked up almost instantly after I ended up with the last sentence. Her eyes were wickedly amused. "He wants to catch her up in the bed?"
I was stunned. "Ye s ― N o ― I mea n ― Maybe. He thinks he's in love."
She rolled her eyes, "Every guy says that Orpheus, that's nothing new. I bet when he's done, he won't even look at her."
I got furious at this, she shouldn't have said this. I realized I was gritting my teeth. “You don't know a thing." I got up from the couch. I didn't want to talk with her now.
"I hav e ― been through it." I heard her voice behind me. It wasn't panicky. It was rather calm. I started walking away from her, out of the room, it was impossible to believe what she just said. Surprisingly, she was there in front of me before I could reach for the door, blocking the path with her hand. I stood with a blank face looking at her. After a few seconds of silence that followed, I chose to speak.
"It is rude." My voice was stern.
"Rude to speak of the trut h ― Orpheus ?" She took my name, it felt so special to hear my name from her.
"Rude to keep every guy in that category." I clarified.
"I'm sorry" she paused. "To say that you do belong to this category." she smiled apologetically.
"Yo u ― " I gasped. I was strong enough to move her from my path, but something stopped me. Was it her smile?
I decided to pretend she wasn't there. It was surprising to notice how often our conversations got awkward in the end.
"Honestly Orpheus! I can help yo u ― " She paused and my heart skipped a beat at the same time. "Your friend." she corrected. “If you are willing to tell me about your life, something that is not known to anyone but you. Trust me." She placed her hand on my shoulder. I felt worn out, and finally gave in, though I still wasn't able to understand why she needed to know about my personal life if it was my friend I actually talked about.
I nodded in a yes. She simply smiled and in the next five seconds, we were back to our places, only this time, there was seriousness all around.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Yes." She smiled.
"I am talking about my friend. Do I need to tell you about my life?" I asked.
"Yes. A man is known by the company he keeps."
    Intelligent girl. F ew seconds slipped in silence. She asked me her first question.
"How many girls have you slept with, Orpheus?"
    The very first question hit me at the back of my m ind like a hot iron rod would.
"I'm not sure. I don't count." I confessed, shamefaced.
"Hmm. How many girlfriends did you have?"
    This conversation was turning out to be even more worse Than I had expected.
    " Why are you asking all of this?" I asked, irritated.
"Can't you answer me without arguing?" She was as calm as ever, well this was awkward just for me I guess. My personal life was being discussed here at the present after all.  So obvious.
I hid my anger and wished if I could get a single opportunity to save myself from this humiliation.
"Many! I don't know why I'm still going on with this!!" It was too much to bear. The torture was just the worst one I'd ever been through.
She nodded with her eyes closed, without an exception of a wide smile, like she understood all of it.
"Then why are you here?" She looked straight into me after that. Her stare was piercing me and then I realized something I should have the moment I met her. There was something more than love that I was experiencing right now, something deep inside was blossoming, making me lighter, I could feel the air passing right through me, like there was nothing inside. My entire body was calm, just a corner, that was ignited by a fire that didn't hurt me at all, slowly spreading all over me. I had never felt this way before, never felt so well in my life. Things weren't difficult to understand now.
"That is what I was trying to do!" She stood up, walking towards me. "You're smiling!" She sat near my feet, with legs