“Hey, Casper.”
Since the night in the kitchen, this is his ‘oh so hilarious’ new nickname for me. I’m formulating my own for him; I haven’t got one clever enough yet.
“Tea?” I walk to the kettle.
“I’m good, thanks.” He tips the chair backward and reaches behind to open the fridge. As he retrieves a beer, I consider this is a move he’s perfected.
Unscrewing the lid, he swigs and frowns at me. “You look pale. Paler than usual, I mean. You okay?”
I swear I’m going to start wearing half-inch thick foundation in bright orange if one more person mentions my skin tone. “Fine. Thank you.”
“How was work? Did something happen?”
This guy has barely said two words to me since I moved in; now, when I want some peace, he starts a conversation. I don’t want to discuss myself so I change the topic.
“Are you working tonight?” I reply.
“No, seriously, did something happen? You just don’t seem right.” The creepy feeling I got before travels over me, a memory of his words to Lizzie.
“What are you, my big brother or something?”
Alek sits forward and sweeps his gaze over me slowly, head to toe in a deliberate way, “Or something,” he says quietly.
I frown at him. “You’re weird.”
Alek sniggers. “So I’ve been told.” He rests back and drinks his beer again. The intensity in his deep, brown eyes unnerves me. I shake my head and turn to the kettle.
“So, what happened?”
I don’t turn. “What?”
“That made you look like shit.”
My hand hovers the spoon over the mug and I hold my breath. I don’t feel well and he’s not helping. What have I done to him to make him behave like this? The spoon clatters to the kitchen bench as I drop it and turn around.
“What is your problem?” I snap.
His eyebrows lift skyward. “You live here now; I was just being a concerned housemate.”
Personally, I think telling someone they look like shit doesn’t show concern, but I don’t say anything. I can’t look at Alek without remembering the bizarre conversation I heard between him and his other housemate the other night.
“Sorry, Casper, just trying to be friendly.”
“I’d hate to see you being unfriendly.”
Again, the eyes, but this time accompanied by Alek running his tongue along his teeth. “Very true.”
I shiver at his semi-threat then turn away. For the next few minutes, I focus on watching the cars pass the kitchen window and will the kettle to boil. I sling a teabag into a cup and hastily pour water into the stained mug. I don’t want to be around this guy anymore.
A chair slides behind me, the fridge opens and closes again, and when I turn, Alek’s standing with another beer in his hand. Does this guy have a drinking problem? Is this why he’s so out of it? Cupping my hands around my mug, I attempt to sidle past him. I have to pause, waiting for him to slide his leg out of the way, and he slowly draws it back. Alek studies me again; not in the predatory way from before, but with curiosity.
“You’re not very much like me, are you?” he says, and I’m not entirely sure if he’s speaking to himself or me.
“No, I don’t think I am.” I step over his foot and brush my arm against his as I pass. Static shoots up my arm and I startle. No, not static, but a sensation of lightning charging across the space between us, jolting electricity into my body.
Alek holds his hand to his temples and closes his eyes. I hesitate, not sure if I should speak or just leave. He opens his eyes again, frowning. “Well, that was unexpected.”
Something just changed. I’ve no idea what, but there’s a shift in the way he looks at me; confusion edging out his previous strange look. He studies me and even though he’s heating my blood, I shiver.
“If anyone upsets you, tell me,” he says softly.
I have no idea how to respond to his unexpected and unwanted show of protectiveness. So I don’t.
Chapter 5
Over the next few days, I spend most of my time helping with an inventory check in stores. Luckily, I don’t have any necessary trips up to ICU where I might bump into Finn. I also avoid the cafe and go straight home after each shift. I’m mortally embarrassed about passing out in front of Finn and I don’t want him interrogating me about why it happened.
My luck runs out three days later as I head toward the cafeteria. I forgot to eat lunch, and my blood sugar has shifted my head into a dizzying state. Unable to trust my ability to remain conscious these days, I decide it’s easier to stay at work and eat.
“How are you feeling today?” Finn appears alongside me. I’m startled and turn to him, arrested by his soft blue eyes of concern.
“Better, thanks.” I weave around a couple with a small child heading toward us.
“Do you do that a lot? Faint?” Wow, straight to the point.