Chapter 4
I felt his eyes on my neck, then my arm, checking if I was okay.
After a moment, he spoke, his voice cool and magnetic. "Are you feeling okay?"
I immediately understood and shook my head. "No worries, just a few sips of red wine, not enough for a rash."
He nodded, pulled back, and started the car.
The cool evening breeze cooled my flushed face through the car window.
I thought Silas would be bold and fiery, someone who stood out.
After a few encounters, I realized I was wrong.
He was quiet, aloof, and clearly kept others at a distance.
At every party, he either didn't show up at all, or just made a quick appearance and left.
Ashur said Silas was a prodigy with a silver spoon, able to do anything and winning so many awards he needed a second shelf.
I never understood how someone so out of everyone's league ended up with Ashur and the gang.
Silas and I rarely met from high school through college.
But then, last month, something unexpected happened.
The violin club had a dinner, and I accidentally drank a whole bottle of fruit wine, thinking it was just juice.
When the other club members saw red blotches on me, they panicked and tried to take me to the hospital.
Just as we stepped out of the restaurant, we ran right into Silas.
He grabbed me, threw me in the car, and slammed the gas.
Honestly, my rash from the wine looked dramatic, but it was nothing serious.
The real disaster was me getting drunk, grabbing Silas by the neck, and biting him three times.
After that, I even licked my lips and said, "Tastes pretty good."
Embarrassingly, when I sobered up, that was the only thing I remembered clearly.
I felt so mortified I wanted to beg Silas for forgiveness and promised to make it up to him.
He looked at me with a faint smile, the red bite marks clear on his neck.
"So, how exactly do you plan to make it up to me?" he teased.
My mind froze. Should I take responsibility or let him bite me three more times?
"Can I think about it first?" I stammered.
"Yeah."
After that day, I kept running into Silas everywhere.
He was everywhere, library, stadium, restaurants, even passing by my violin practice window.
I was starting to think he was doing it on purpose.
I finally spoke up when Silas sat at my lunch table for the tenth time.
"Silas, are you in a rush or something?" I asked.
"I still haven't figured it out," I stammered.
He hummed and dropped my favorite Honey-Glazed Pork Ribs into my bowl.
Then, in a low voice, he replied, "I'm not rushing you."
When I came to, we were downstairs at my place.
Silas walked me right to my front door.
I dragged my feet, slowly pulling out my keys to unlock the door.
"Get to bed early. Call me if you feel off," Silas said.
"Okay," I replied.
He watched me briefly, then softly said, "Close the door."
I gripped the doorknob, looking up at him, finally decided.
"Silas!" I blurted out.
"Yeah?" he answered.
"I lied about having a boyfriend," I admitted, my heart racing.
"I know," he said.
"But it could actually be true!" I blurted out, my voice shaking a little.
He froze, then chuckled, his icy look softening.
He teased, acting clueless, "Oh? What do you mean?"
"I want to make it up to you. Will you be my boyfriend?" I said, palms sweating.
My palms were sweating like crazy.
I said, "No need to answer now. Take your time; I'm patient."
"Bye! Goodnight!" I shouted, my voice shaky.
With that, I slammed the door shut.
My heart pounded like it would burst.
I leaned back against the door, letting out a long breath.
I hadn't turned on the lights, so it was pitch black.
Suddenly, my phone screen lit up. It was Silas calling.
Seriously, isn't he just outside?