Chapter 719: Alone Together Again
Mr. and Mrs. Collins hung around the place for a little while longer.
Ambiance noises from the television, warm tea for the thirsty, and some light dessert taken out from the fridge, and we had ourselves a little encore of a dinner. Nothing really much happened in the meantime. A few light conversations, some jokes thrown here and there. All in all, since the first time I got here-things felt quite normal.
The storm had passed, the waves had calmed, and the looming, imposing titans that were Amanda’s parents had shrunk down significantly in my eyes. It wasn’t just gut-feeling either, I could see it. In their eyes, how they’d address me... no longer as a stranger, some shady outsider, but instead-something just a little bit closer.
Cake crumbs on saucers, and teacups long depleted, it was only after that Mr. Collins had regained some of his balance, able to finally walk steadily on his two feet again-a miraculous feat that Mrs. Collins seemed wholly content on closing this entire nightly affair on.
“Well then, It’s getting quite late,” She declared, picking her husband up to his feet and swiping the car keys from his pocket. “Any later, and we’ll have no choice but to spend the night.”
“And just what’s wrong with that?” Mr. Collins objected, staying put and reluctant to follow his wife in his footsteps toward the front door. “Plenty of space here. We can always just head back in the morning.”
“Nothing more to snoop out here, I don’t think. Come now, sweetheart, give your daughter some breathing room. After all, she’s a bit too big now to be sleeping with her parents anyway.”
.....
“You have work, Dad. Remember?” Amanda added on, springing to her feet, and practically pushing him out herself. “Important meeting, important client. Can’t miss it for the world.”
“I can miss it for you.”
The sweetest smile formed on Amanda’s face, and standing on a slight tiptoe, she reached up and gave her father a peck on the cheek.
“Go home, Dad,” She said to him. “I’ll be just fine.”
And so promptly came the pivotal moment of farewells. Lots of embraces and kisses thrown about everywhere, and as nonchalantly as I could, I wedged myself into the middle of such a tender scene, going over and politely hugging Mrs. Collins, who apparently still have a few more words for me, lingering her hold and softly whispering in my ear.
“Going home soon too?”
“Um, sticking around a bit longer, but... that’s the plan, yes,” I replied back.
“I see,” She snorted, her breath warm on my neck. “But is it her plan though?”
“Uhh...”
“Just be safe, okay?” She loosened her hold, drawing herself back with an ominous smile on her face. “Thin ice out there...”
I was still in a bit of a daze on that when I shuffled over and firmly shook Mr. Collins hand. Now unlike the wife, he didn’t have much to say to me, lips keeping firmly sealed as we bid farewell-but within his piercing eyes spoke a completely different tale.
Of thanks, of good-to-meet-you, and the sharpest glint of ‘I’m trusting you’, then right before he let go and he looked away, I saw his face turn, subtle enough that only I caught it-the stiff, stone-cold expression, whispering to me, ‘or else...’
After one last hearty wave goodbye, Amanda swung the door close after them, and just like that-it was as if they were never here. We stayed silent for a while longer, listening to the muffled echoes of their footsteps gradually fading into silence.
A minute, maybe even two minutes, and then Amanda let out the biggest sigh her lungs could hold, her shoulders dropping, her head sagging, and one wobbly knee away from completely collapsing.
“Interesting people, aren’t they? She asked me, rubbing her face with her palms until it left imprints. “Lovely people...”
“The loveliest,” I nodded.
“All in all though, that didn’t go as badly as I thought it would,” She said, marching away from the door and beginning to clear up the mess. “Mom restrained herself, Dad didn’t push too hard. They almost seemed to approve of you at the end there too. If nothing else, that’s promising.”
“I’m guessing this isn’t the last I’m going to see of them?”
“Ah, if only,” She mused forlornly. “They’re a multi-phase boss, unfortunately. Gonna have to beat all the phases if you want to get to the princess locked in the tower.”
“One-hit kill, one life only, no continues,” I thought aloud. “Think I might make it?”
“And if you somehow don’t, do you really think that’s game over?” She asked, flashing a smile vaguely obscured by the sway of her wavy hair. “You don’t think the princess would just jump out the tower for you anyway? Pick you up, cheer you on, run away with you forever? Because trust me, she will.”
“I think this metaphor’s getting a bit too dramatic now.”
“It’ll only be that dramatic if you fail, remember,” She reminded me. “But I have the utmost faith that my sweet prince will prevail.”
Baggy eyes, sluggish movement, even from afar, where she seemed as merry as ever, Amanda looked seriously exhausted.
Wordlessly, I spurred forward. She took the saucers, I took the teacups. I got busy with the sink and she began busy floofing the cushions on the couch. Steadily, her apartment was reverting back to a more homely state-a more quieter one, definitely.
Now that it was just the two of us alone again, things should be back to normal, right? So what’s this stiffness, this tension I’m feeling... why do I feel so conscious of the fact?
“It’s getting heavier out there...”
I spun my head quickly, finding Amanda peering over at the serene fall of snow coating her window frame more and more. She looked normal, she seemed fine... so why wasn’t I?
“Do you think you’ll make it home safe on your bike?”
I followed her gaze, and I couldn’t even see the streets anymore over the blanket of pure white.
“Probably,” I guessed.
“Probably...” Amanda adjusted the last of the cushion, rising slowly, a heavy weight in her eyes as she stared at me over the couch. “But do you want to?”
Low, quiet, and a little hesitant, I heard her voice. There it was again, that tension.
“Do you want me to?”
“Question with a question, that’s not fair,” She smirked. “But if you insist...” quickly, nimbly, she glided herself closer. I saw her reach, soft, slender fingers weaving seamlessly into mine, with whispered words of sincerity filling all I could hear. “Don’t go home.”
“Amanda...”
“You want to stay too, don’t you? C’mon, say you do.”
I didn’t even think. I let instinct speak for me, “I do.”
“Then it’s settled. You’ll stay here for the night,” She said, her voice swelling with satisfaction. “Or for as long as you like.”
“Or just until the morning,” I said. “Weather should be better by then.”
“Yes, unfortunately. But for tonight, you’ll be with me.”
Inches away, gazed her baggy eyes, pale, plain lips smiling so sweetly, her blonde hair poked out to her sides in curled stands... and frankly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her this beautiful before.
“So, uh, umm...” I could feel my heart thumping, beating, almost jumbling the words in my mind. “If I remember right... you got a pretty comfortable couch.”
Amanda just laughed at that, like I’ve told a joke, like I just said something ridiculous.
“Funny...” She said, stopping herself before planting a quick kiss square around my lips. Then stepping back, she turned away from me with a parting smile. “I’ll see you in bed.”
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