“Thea….” Carl called as he approached.
“Hi carl.” Thea greeted, waving curtly at him.
“I was coming to see you.” He said surprising her. She turns back to look at Florentine who overheard him.
“Me? Are you sure?”
“Why not?”
“Nothing….” She stretches the word. Florentine walks past them but both she and Carl could not resist the urge to look at each other. Thea noticed the affection between them. This was definitely not one sided. Carl turns his gaze back to her and acts uncomfortable knowing she had just caught him watching Florentine.
“What is it?”
“Uhh…. He laughs nervously making Thea curious.
“Are you okay?” Thea asked finding his sudden laughter weird. He hesitates before speaking.
“What did Florentine speak with you about?”
“Why do you want you want to know?” Thea said, she wasn’t going to let him have it easy. She wanted to get the truth out of him as well.
“I think she doesn’t feel comfortable around me.” He blurts and sighs like a weight had been lifted.
“Who knows, it could be for the right reason.” She said hinting on Florentine’s attraction to him.
“Don’t tease me Thea.” He said getting suspicious with her suggestive tone. They stare at each other for some seconds before Carl breaks the silence.
“Is it strange that I want to be around her so much?” He blurts and lets a breath out through his mouth. He was tensed.
“Why exactly are you telling me all this Carl?”
“Thinking about her is driving me crazy Thea?”
“Carl?”
“Damn it! I think I might be having feelings for Florentine.” He finally lets out his secret. Thea sighs sharply. Had these two just confessed their feelings about each other on the same day to her? A smile appears on her face. She was happy that Carl felt the same way about Florentine.
“You know what I think?”
“Just say anything.” Carl sounded desperate.
“You should offer to teach Florentine how to shoot a gun.” She says smiling at him. She leaves him to dwell on the thought. How could he get close to Florentine again after what happened the first time?
The thing was he had a choice and he had to make a decision.
While Florentine stood at a place mathing down all the possible things Carl and Thea could be talking about, carl walks up to her. She stiffens suddenly the moment she caught his scent.
Her neck becomes stiff unable to look at him and her breath hitches. Carl looked at her noticing the obvious discomfort. He knew there was chemistry between them but couldn’t understand why he was nervous to take the next step. Maybe he didn’t want to start something that wouldn’t head anywhere. Not like he could stay in the mansion for longer than Thea was there. Maybe the earlier Thea went back the better for him. He could stop this growing feeling he was having for Florentine.
He just stood beside her saying nothing while they watched the others get started with the practice. It was becoming awkward standing in silence, it was almost as if they could hear each other’s heart beat, the sound of the movement of their throat when they gulped down fluid. It was starting to get very intense.
“Are you going to try shooting or you’re just going to watch?”
Carl asked finally breaking the silence. Florentine’s heart beat wildly as she heard his voice, her lips quivered when she tried to say something and her voice seized as well so she cleared her throat before speaking again.
“I was about to go try. Just right after Knight.” She said even though that was a quick decision to move away from him. She wasn’t a fan of this but now she had to hold a gun and it was all because she was trying to avoid Carl. Once Knight and Cassie were done with that round, Florentine went ahead. She took a gun and everyone turned immediately to look at her, she could see them through her side eyes and it only made her nervous.
It was obvious that she wasn’t the type to do this. Carl folded his arms across his chest as he watched her, no one was trying to help her and it was because they were too stunned to think of that yet.
‘why isn’t anyone coming to offer help?’ She spoke within, getting desperate. She somehow found herself looking around as if asking for help but no one came yet. She locked eyes with Carl suddenly and quickly looked away.
‘No not you. Please don’t come.’ She pleaded within but unfortunately for her, he was the only person stepping forward. She felt like she was going to piss in her pants seeing that Carl was the one approaching. All her efforts to stay away from him only ended up bringing him even closer.
“Need help?” He asked looking at the gun in her hand. She shook her head slightly.
“You don’t need to bother yourself, someone else will do that. She said and he nodded taking a step back. She sighed in relieve and asked one of the guards to teach her.
She tried to be brave but she needed someone that made her feel safe with what she was doing.
On her first trial, she found herself screaming when she pulled the trigger. Knight offered to help but she was too scared to try it out again.
“If you’d allow me.” Came Carl’s voice again, gentle and soothing. Florentine got lost in his gaze and Cassie gave the bodyguard a head tilt, giving him the signal to leave then she pulled Knight by the hand and he who wondered why she acted that way.
“I’m just trying to figure out something.” She told Knight. She had the same suspicion as the girls. Their chemistry was undeniable.
“Carl I told you not to bother.” Florentine said, desperately trying to get rid of him.
“I want to be bothered. Somehow I feel you’d be comfortable with me teaching you.” He boldly stated to her surprise.
She chuckles nervously.
“You? when I couldn’t even feel safe with the bodyguard or Knight?” He stares at her seriously breaking her walls. “What? I don’t think you’d be any better. ” He comes close to her.
“Everyone is watching and they’d be wondering.”
“Wondering what?” Florentine wouldn’t let him finish.
“The same thing I ask within. Why are you so nervous around me?” Florentine is shocked. She never expected such bold statement from him.
She blinks nervously and struggled to say something.
“Why do you waver when you gaze catches mine?” He said again causing a nervous breath to leave her mouth.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t need the lesson anyway.” She said dropping the gun and walking past him. Carl hesitates a little then follows her. Her eyes widened and her heart leaps when she feels him walking behind her.