Seventy nine

CHAPTER 79

GLENN

Goosebumps…

A clock ticked nearby, I could hear everything as the sound's around me seemed magnified, from the Ice clinking in a tumbler glass not too far away, to the anxiety in the air that left me to a certain distaste.

The blurred image of Santiago sitting behind his side of the table flashes across my mind, as I sat still occupying a chair in front of him while he was leaning against the table as he went on and on.

Truthfully, I wouldn't say the atmosphere was enjoyable , I had survived in a tense, awkward environment but this seemed so much different.

I was pretty sure it was his first time hearing anything about it as he seemed so unsettled—I wasn’t sure how long we’d been right here having the talk but I was getting uncomfortable.

“You can’t say they exist, why would they want me to work on something so supernatural.” The words cut the quiet just as my fading gaze found him again.

I let out a deep breath, as my jaw ticked. At that moment I could feel every bit of it crawling through my chest as my heart beat heavily, it was hard to concentrate to put my mind focussed on the situation.

How do I explain it to him?

Would he still accept me?

A lot of questions went through my mind that very minute and there was no way I could have stopped them, there was no way I could stop my heart from beating heavily either.

Each thudding sound it made left a pain in my chest as I felt a sharp prickling pain in my chest that was hard to explain. One minute we were all smiling and having a time of our lives and the next, it looked as though it was all starting to crumble.

It took just one question to bring me to this state, one question to make my mind blank.

"Do you even believe in that?" He asked again, this time tapping me.

I jittered. " What did you say? "

" Damn, you are not paying attention. " He ran his fingers through his hair. " It is just so funny that anyone would believe that at this age.'

A little voice inside my head was telling me to speak or say anything, anything at all that would change the situation.

I had this one chance to tell him what everything was truly about, to make him know that werewolves really did exist and in fact he had been in touch with one.

"Are you fine?" I asked .

"Huh?" I sounded a bit confused and out of place.

He shook his head. "You look like you got a lot on your mind."

" No I am fine, I just feel a bit uncomfortable…Maybe the food or something. " I answered.

It was a White lie, I did feel uncomfortable but it had nothing to with the food that tasted great by the way.

Why wouldn't he just change the god-damned topic, my mind kept screaming.

It was either he was so curious to know about it or …

I gasped at the second thought dreading the fact he knew what I was, I was prompted to look into his eyes. Santi wouldn't sit with me if he Knew what I was.

Much as I wanted to believe my thoughts were just a flicker of my in-depth emotion at the back of my head.

"Stop!" I said when I couldn't take it anymore, frustrated at how guilty I felt.

"Huh?" He looked at me shocked. "What is wrong?" He asked, looking frustrated.

He looked beautiful while looking so lost, naive and silly as well . His gaze fell in me as I wiped my hands with the napkin though the scent of the salty crabs still filled the air.

Tossing the napkin to the table, I muttered. "Just stop the topic already about the—"

"Werewolves?" He cuts in.

" Yeah. " I touched my temple. " I have got to the ladies. " I didn't wait for him to help me with the chair as I stood up. I walked briskly away .

****

Gasps… More gasps.

My hands were braced on the washing hand basin and it was all I could let out, it was a bit more relieving leaving him at the table, but at least it gave me all the time needed to catch my breath.

I froze, my heartbeats slowing like pieces had been dropping off to the ground bit by bit till nothing was left.

I stood there for a minute looking at myself in the mirror as I took heavy breaths as though my lungs were on a leash.

My breath stopped, shutting my eyes for a minute. I ran them over what he had said moments before I left the table.

How do man and a beast coexist in one body?

The word stung my heart, leaving a painful feeling behind, a bitter twist in my mind so much that I could have groaned if I had the air to do so.

I could feel those goosebumps again as it rose on my skin, it left a feeling of fear that started from my nape before trailing down my spine, fear of what would happen if he found out.

After adjusting myself and applied a few touches to my makeup, I turned on the faucet and let it run through my fingers.

With half-lidded eyes and my mind on the verge of going crazy, I blinked, trying to clear my head as I walked out.

Santiago was waiting, worried that I had taken too long.

"Are you fine?" He asked soon as I approached where he was.

"Yeah, just feeling a bit sick."

He looked concerned, "Do you want to go home?" He asked.

Soon, we were walking out of the restaurant with his hand on the small of my back guiding me out.

My mind kept spinning hoping that he doesn't by any way mention 'werewolf' that word anymore.

Helping me Into his car, my gaze turned to the passenger seat where it met with a brown envelope tagged "Confidential. "