I ended up falling asleep in there, waking up when Chris’s way graced my mind. I hazily got up and walked out to the kitchen and saw that it was about six in the evening, meaning dinner would be done soon. There was an urge forming in me to go see Derek, hesitantly I did.
I walked up the stairs, stopping when I got to the big brown door that I’ve begun to identify with his office. I lightly knocked, butterflies hitting my stomach, making me nervous.
( ‘Just ask him to eat dinner with you.’ )
… What if he doesn’t want to?…
‘Wouldn’t blame him!’
‘Who would want to do that?’
The door opened and I was greeted with Derek. He looked down at me, eyes quickly flicking over my body, before looking back up at my face.
“What?”
“I was just wondering if you wanted to get dinner with me?” I asked, but it came out rushed and my face heated.
He raised an eyebrow at me, eyes flickering, and then spoke.
“Let me finish up and I guess we can,” he chipped, and motioned for me to come into his office. “Sit,” he pointed to a chair, “it shouldn’t take long.”
I nodded and sat down in the seat, he made his way to his desk. He sat down, sighing, and started to read some documents. His brows were drawn together as he focused on his task, he could occasionally clench his jaw in what I assumed was frustration.
“Do you need a-any help?” I offered, shyly, lowly, and awkwardly.
He glanced up at me before looking back down to his work, shaking his head. “Nothing you’ll understand, so no.”
My heart sank slightly at his words, I nodded and I tried to shake it off, but the voices twisted his words. I started to twiddle with my fingers out from a bored reflex. I didn’t know what to do.
“Violet,” Derek started and I looked up to him, respectively. “Do you know how to read?”
I paused for a second, words stuck in my throat. “Um, y-yes. A little bit.”
He hummed and continued to read and sometimes write something down. Soon Derek stood up and walked over to me. He held out a hand for me and I paused, slightly confused, before putting my hand in his.
He was right, he didn’t take long.
He pulled me up and then dropped my hand. “Come on,” he crisply spoke and I followed him out of his office and down the stairs. A part of me wanted to hold his hand, it felt right.
We sat at the set table and quietly ate the tater tot and pulled pork hot dish and steamed vegetables. I felt myself getting full very quickly, but Derek was still eating so I slowed down to an impossible rate, chewing very slowly.
“You need to eat more.” I looked up at him, but he wasn’t looking at me although his comment was directed to me. I nodded and continued what I was doing before. He deeply sighed. “Usually, people respond in a conversation.” he rolled his eyes and I felt my face heat up.
“Uh… I’m s-sorry. I’m just not that hungry,” I whispered.
“Yeah, well, when you barely eat and skip meals I would assume that would happen,” he scolded and I brought down my gaze. “I expect you to eat three meals a day, Violet. Meals. That doesn’t mean an apple or banana as breakfast or lunch,” he grunted. “Get yourself in a routine.”
… Like he cares, he doesn’t want me…
The unwanted thought came uncontrolled. Derek growled and gripped his fork, a small fire of fear lit in my chest. He looked up and gave a cold glare, slightly snarling at me. I flicked my head down, submitting to him, feeling guilty for angering him.
“Oddly enough, Violet,” he spat, “I do care if you don’t eat because you could possibly die, and since we’re sadly bound together, that would deeply affect my well being,” He explained, “because that means I could die. I would prefer not.” he casually said as he picked up his glass, drinking.
I nodded and put back up my mental block. How did it even come dow-
… Oh… yes, I called for him when… yes…
He grumbled some curses before continuing to eat. He finished, and the cooks took our plates. He got up, walking over to me as I sat opposite of him.
“Come on, let’s watch a movie.” he gestured and waited for me to stand up before walking out to his living room, grabbing the remote and sitting on his sofa.
He turned on the television and I awkwardly stood, he glanced over at me, raising a stern eyebrow.
“Come sit,” he patted the sofa and hesitantly I walked over and sat about three feet away from him. Wasn’t he just angry at me? “What type of movie do you want to watch?” He glanced over at me. I didn’t want him to watch something he didn’t want to watch so I shook my head.
“You c-can pick, I don’t mind,” I whispered.
“So, a horror movie?” he asked, his voice slightly warmer than his usual cold tone and I tensed slightly.
‘It’s a joke, bitch, lighten up, you whore!’
I gave a small closed-mouth smile and looked down at my hands, “that’s okay if you want to watch it. I don’t m-mind.”
He chuckled, my head looked over to him at the strange sound, “that’s funny Violet, but I like my sleep and don’t want to be kept up to the sound of you crying.” he sarcastically said, but it still panged my heart.
He had said I kept him up, and I still felt guilty about it. He flicked through Netflix, he ended up clicking ‘Scary Movie’. I felt a small ounce of dread fill me, and he glanced over.
“Ever seen?” his cool voice asked, I shook my head ‘no’, and he smirked before turning back.
A few minutes into the movie, I realized it was a comedy. I would glance over at Derek and see him crack a smirk every so often, amused at the movie. He moved his arm from resting on top of the sofa and leaned over to me, tugging on my forearm.
I was easily startled but he just tugged it lightly.
“Come here, Flower,” he told me, and pulled me to his side, and I let him. He adjusted his arm around my shoulder and I was tensely pressed against his side.
“Don’t forget: election’s Tuesday!” the nerdy girl on the television spoke.
“Just relax, Flower,” he commented on my stiff form, I looked over at him and he gazed back at the television.
“Ah! Goddamn it! Son of a bitch!” I flinched at the sound of the aggressive male’s voice.
Derek’s arm tightened around me, and I turned my head back to the screen realizing it was just the movie, only to see a man holding a girl up against the locker, kissing her. I blushed and looked down onto my hands.
“It’s just a movie, Flower,” Derek teased and squeezed me into him.
I relaxed into him as the movie progressed, flinching when the character, Greg, would hit Cindy. I knew it was a comedy, but I still reacted, Derek would rub my arm and press me into him. Comforting me. The longer we watched it, the more my body relaxed into him, my head resting on his head.
His hand brought my chin up to meet his face, he stared almost longingly at my face, he moved so he had a better look at me.
“Flower,” he whispered, lost, “you’re just so…” his eyes flickered back and font between mine and I felt my eyebrows furrow in anticipation of the insult to come, “beautiful.” his voice was so low I almost missed what he said.
My eyes widened in shock of the compliment, why was he complimenting me?
He moved closer to my face, eyes flickering between my russet eyes and my lips.
“Such cute honey eyes,” he whispered to himself, “pretty little Flower.”