Seated on the sofa Riley places his palms over his knees leaning over his arms, his head lowers as his eyes observes the super woman, who pulls out the first aid box.
She was the one who caused the wound in the first place, he tells himself.
He looks away when she turns around and walks to him, pursing his lips to a flat line he looks straight at her. She places the first aid box on the table and bends as she opens it, her side features radiating in his view. His gaze follows her actions as she brushes the few strands of hair behind her ear and pulls out the plaster and bandaids.
He looks at her his brain making its own comments, even though she acts all rough and looks stiff, she is pretty in her own way. Was I blind on our first meeting or am I blind now as her magnificent power made me mesmerized?
This super woman is really something, the way she stood alone and fought with the men.... Damn...she was freaking cool...The way she spoke to the officer ordering him to apologize...Oh my God her gut is phenomenal...
From her face he moves his gaze down to her neck, his brows furrow when he notices the blood stains on her gray hoodie...the fight scene pops in his head making him smile.
"You are like black widow." He says "You look amazing when you are in action." He comments as his eyes are fixed on her.
"Oh!," she blurts.
"My god!," He looks up at the ceiling and lets out a theoretical sigh. "Is this how someone should reply for a compliment?" His gaze shifts to her "Why are you always calm?"
"Let me clean your wound," she says, ignoring his useless question.
Aiden stands straight and walks to his side, she holds his chin and gently lifts it up. He lifts his head, his eyes directly meet hers. She places her left palm on the right side of his face, her eyes fixed on the left side of his forehead. She brings the cotton ball closer to the wound and dabs on it softly.
His eyes forget to blink as he stares at her, close, monitoring her features. A hiss leaves his lips without his realization when the ointment gets in contact with his skin…It stinged...but the sting only made him hiss whilst his body didn't react to it, it stayed still looking at her deeply. Lost in the charcoal eyes. She moves her hand away from his face and blows on his wound.
Her action makes his mind wild; it recalls their kiss. He grip tighter on his knees, his fingers digging into his skin as his heart races.
"Does it hurt?" She asks softly and this time her voice didn't come out dry as usual.
She looks into his eyes with furrowed brows,waiting for his answer.
"It's weird you know," he says, his eyes never willing to look away.
She continues to blow and dab softly cleaning the wound "What's weird?" She asks.
"The person who beat me is treating me,"
She pauses her movements; the pair of coal eyes meets his…
That moment makes his mind bloom. It's true that the color black is supposed to seem secretive and mysterious just like her, an intuitive person like her.
She stands straight and remains silent. Taking the plaster, she puts it on his forehead and walks to the other side where she takes her seat on the sofa to his left. He gazes at her when she takes another cotton ball and soaks it in the liquid. Turning to his side she rolls up his sleeve. The touch of her fingers on his skin gives him tingles.
She bends her upper body a little lower and rubs off the blood "Sorry," she utters softly.
Damn. What's with that tone?
She is apologizing for real!, His inner being shouts.
"It won't be self-defense if you are not hurt," she continues speaking as she cleans the cut mark.
"It didn't seem like that was the only reason," he asks.
She looks up at him immediately "What else would it be?" She questions and continues to nurse.
"I thought you were mad at me,"
"Yes, I was," she replies instantly, without hesitation.
The silence takes its presence again.
"You were so cool that I've become your fan," he breaks the ice.
She laughs softly, her cheekbones lift up below her arched eyes.
Now I realize why she doesn't laugh often… It's because beauty is rare.
"You look beautiful when you smile," He speaks his mind out, curious to know how she will react.
"Is that a compliment?" She asks and changes the cotton.
"Of course,"
"I thought it was a sarcastic remark," she blurts, smiling. His eyes are fixed on her his brain admiring her presence.
"I never sounded sarcastic," he shrugs as he rubs the back of his neck. He looks away clearing his throat.
After dressing the wound, she stands and puts everything back in the box. "You look hot when you smile too," she says dryly.
He faces her immediately when the words hit his ears, a wide grin forms on his face.
"Thanks," he replies cheerfully. One side of him feeling shy of her compliment.
"Sorry, I meant it sarcastically," she sneers as she picks up the box and walks to the shelf ignoring his piercing glare which throws daggers at her.
"You must be hungry as we had nothing after breakfast," she walks towards him again. "I'll get the dinner done," she passes a smile and strolls to the kitchen... Can't she see that he is affected by her answer...
Waiting for a while in the hall Riley walks to the kitchen, his feet stop by the dining room when he sees her tearing the packets of instant noodles…
 His inner being scoffs, Cooking? Did she mean cooking instant noodles...I thought it was going to be a feast…
He enters the kitchen looking at her. "Instant noodles?" He asks peeping at the boiling pot.
"Yeah," she spills the flavor in it. "I'm starving so this is quick and there will be a lot,"
"I see. I can eat a lot now. There is no need to care about my appearance anymore," he says.
"Who told you eating will make you ugly?" She asks with knitted brows. She faces him.
"No one," he scratches his hair with a crooked smile.
She chuckles and picks the plates. He stares at her, his lips part in surprise. Her sudden change of character makes him wonder.
Is it because we were not close at the beginning so she put on a cold shoulder and now we are close... Are we?
"Eating will always make you happy and healthy," she cheers, yet her voice is dry.
His eyes never leave her or he's unwilling to do so. His brain flashes the incident after breakfast. She just made me feel better...I was in pain feeling guilty, I thought I couldn't get back to normal but she healed me without my realization...I just forgot that I poured my heart out...I just forgot that I've been lonely...I just forgot my sadness... How's that even possible? I now understand why dad likes her.
She turns and grips the pot cap, his vision follows her action. He frowns as he notices the blood stain on her knuckles.
He holds her arm, making her drop the lid of the pot. "What happened?" His words come in adjure.
She pulls her arm away instantly “It’s just blisters," she answers as she switches off the stove "Get the glasses," she orders.
Riley arranges the plates on the table and takes his seat. Aiden brings the pot and keeps it between the two plates. She sits opposite him. They fill their plates and begins to eat, Riley steals a glance at her every passing minute. He takes a sip of water and leans forward.
"When did you get hurt?" The question in his head rolls down his tongue as he cannot capture a moment when she was beaten.
"Maybe when I punched his hard jaw," she states dryly and continues to eat.
"Doesn't it hurt?"
"No," she swallows the food in her mouth. "I'm used to it," she brushes off.
"I know that women are stronger than men," she stops her actions and pays attention to him, the charcoal orbs burning his skin. "You all go through a lot of pain and cramps that even men can't imagine but you are like," he stops when she leans forward in interest.
He gulps down his saliva as he batters his eyelashes.
"Like what?” she asks, raising her brows amusingly.
The word up in his throat doesn’t slip out.
"Idiosyncratic,"
"What do you mean?" She laughs moving back "You know," she continues which makes him focus on her forgetting his ridiculous description. "You look cool when you speak like this."
His brain takes some time to register her words. Did she compliment me again? I mean not again! Is she fooling me again?
He stays still with no excitement visible on his face but his inner being dances in joy. He clears his throat and arches his brows "I know you meant it...,"
"I mean it," she says before he completes his sentence with the word sarcastic…
Oh My God this girl is doing something to me...