𝕚𝕗 𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕝𝕚 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕...

                            “     what’s     with     that     face?     you     look     like     an     emoji     or     something.     ”

                        she’s     laughing,     however     –          it     comes     off     oddly     natural;    there’s     something     not     as     practiced     about   the     chuckle     that     she     cannot     manage     to     conceal.     It     doesn’t     quite     matter     (     she    doesn’t     think     he     will     notice;     nobody     really     does     ),     but     it     cracks     her     walls     slightly,     and     that     worries     her     more     than     she     cares     to     admit.    

                        Pillow     talk     is     her    forte     (     she’s     crafted     the     perfect     pattern     of     conversation,     the     perfect     script,     that     will     benefit     her     whenever     she     brings     someone     to     her     bed     ),     never     talk     too   much,     let     the     other     ramble     about     their     day,     their     worries,     their     frustrations     –     perhaps     that’s     why     it’s     so     unexpected     when     he     makes     that     face     and     she     cracks   up     laughing,     because     it’s     not     part     of    the     script.     Holli’s     heard     humans     are     creatures     of     habit.

                              She     hates     her     own   laughter,     always   has     (     it     sounds     too     nasal,     it     pitches     way     too     much    when     she     truly     means     it     ),     but     he    doesn’t     seem     fazed     by     it,     and     perhaps    that     makes     her     feel     more     at     ease     about   what     she     considers     a     slip     of     the     tongue.

              The    impatient     click     -     click     of     her     heel     against     the     ground     comes     to          a     halt     –         Holli     hates     being     caught     off     guard,     it     happens     very     seldom,     and     at     this     point,     it’s     something     that     makes     her     moody   and     snappish     (     it’s     easier     to     pretend    nothing     ever     shocks     her     any     longer     ).     she     has     no     idea     what     lies     behind    his     words     (     the     meaning     is     clear,     yet     Holli     doesn’t     really     think     him     the     sentimental     kind     ),     and     that     makes     her   even     warier.     it’s     not     often     that     the     tables     turn     and     it’s     a     man     who     gets     to     shock     her     (     she     indeed     thrives    at     the     idea     of     being     a     perpetual     enigma    to     the     male     species,     a     rush     of     adrenaline     in     curvaceous     shape     )     ,     Holli     wishes     it     didn’t     show     on     her     face,     even     as     it’s          turned     away     from   him,     she     knows     he     can     probably     tell     by    the     way     her     shoulders     hunch,     that     he’s   striking     a     chord     in     her.

                    I    think     you     might     be     the     same     as     me     …

                    Holli    hates     the     idea     of     being     like     anybody     else     (     she     wants     to     believe     herself     unpredictable     as     a     hurricane     ).

                         “     honestly,    that’s     the     lamest     attempt     at     getting     cozy     with     me     i’ve     ever     heard.     ”     voice    turns     mocking,     spinning     on     her     white     heels     to     face     the     man,     she     closes     the     distance     he     has     set     between     them     beforehand     with     three     quick     steps     and     a     sway     of     her     hips.     And     as     she     glances     up     at     him,     she     tries     to     find     in     his    eyes     a     trace     of     his     true     intentions     –    he     can’t     be     stupid     enough     to     think     this     will     work     on     her.     He     can’t     think    her     stupid     enough     to     buy     a     gruff     man     like     him     will     suddenly     soften     up     at    the     prospect     of     finding     a     mind     that     thinks     alike.

                       Still,    she’s     not     risking     having     a     conversation     she     really,     really     doesn’t     feel     like     having    tonight.