Page 22 of Encounter

Feeling a slight sting in my chest, I paused at the end of it, across from him.

It was afternoon already, but after the fiasco at the club, it was no wonder he still needed rest. Even with the warm light coming into the living room through the big windows and the busy sounds of the street finding their way in, Chast seemed unbothered, breathing peacefully with his mouth half open and arms resting over his forehead.

As I continued walking beside the couch, I studied his face. Some apprehension still lingered because of what happened last night. I was shaken and hurt and... I didn’t even knowwhatI felt, or why. The wound on my thigh, the one I inflicted late last night, stung and itched, almost as if to remind me of how much he rattled me.

No matter all that, I couldn’t help but feel drawn to him.

How stupid...

I hadn't told anyone. Inevertold anyone and that man ripped me open andknew. After so many years of ignoring or pushing aside that part of myself, why couldn’t I stop from staring at him like that? Now he knew. And I didn’t even know why I cared so much, but I did. Even though he probably didn’t outright call me a faggot only because Dad paid him, his reaction was still milder that I would’ve expected.

God, how low is the bar? Tragic, really.

How old was he, anyway? Forty, maybe? How does one even come to do a job like this? Those horrifying, bloody moments aside, he seemed like a pretty normal person. Not the kind I would ever come in contact with, butnormal.

As Chast slowly opened his eyes, it took me way too long to realize it. Before I could step away, he already noticed me standing over him like some stalker. Frowning, he tiredly glanced around the room, looking like he just woke up from some wild bender.

“Wh— What do you want? What time is it?” he asked drowsily, sounding a bit cranky as he stretched his arms out.

“Half past eleven,” I said, deciding to remove myself from the situation and walk into the kitchen, where I was heading in the first place. I was starving and didn’t want to rile Chast up.

Trying to act like it was any other day, I broke two eggs in a pan and started frying them, adding some herbs and cheese. As the pleasant smell spread throughout the room, Chast was drawn to the kitchen as well, still groaning and stretching.

Hovering behind me with a judgmental grimace, he opened the fridge and peeked in. “Hmm... That all you gotta eat?” When I didn’t give him a response and turned back to my pan, he chuckled and seemed to have quickly given up searching for something more filling in the fridge. “No wonder you’re so skinny. This wouldn’t feed a child,” he noted before walking back to the living room to grab his phone. “Takeout it is again...”

Was he going to act like nothing happened last night?

I wasn’t sure if it even meant anything to him. Did he make me so uncomfortable on purpose? Or was it nothing but some weird game? That same sensation I felt back then—this burning, paralyzing sense of powerlessness—passed through my body again, making me shiver.

I wanted to run away, to hide in my room until that man was gone but… I also wanted to somehow prove him wrong. He might have seen me shaky, anxious, and scared—and I was a lot of the time—but I could do this much… So instead of listening to my cowardly instincts, I ate my breakfast at the kitchen bar. Chast sat spread out on the couch like he owned it, watching TV before his food arrived.

After that, I retreated into my music room to read a book. I still had to catch up with my schoolwork, even though it was the last thing I could truly focus on. It seemed impossible to come back to the life I had before. I was in some weird in-between now...

This time, Chast didn’t surprise me when he walked up into the room because I made sure to watch the entrance.

He paused at the door once again and waited until I looked up. “Not playing?” he asked, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe. Instead of responding, I turned back to my book and didn’t even try to hide the bitterness on my face. Chast let out a sigh. “Alright, look… Sorry for whatever happened yesterday. Sorry for what I said.”

He sounded like an unwilling child, being made to apologize for his naughty behavior. Still, the fact hedidapologize surprised me and forced me to meet his eyes.

“I was on edge and pissed about the whole clusterfuck,” he said, slowly walking toward me. Somehow, I wasn’t scared of him this time. As he rested his arms over his chest, he seemed unsure—like he was protecting himself. “I was irritated,” he paused, tilting his head, “and hurt, so I went overboard. I guess I was a little annoyed, too.”

When he chuckled, I wasn’t entirely sure what about the situation was amusing.

Seeing my hesitancy, he softened his gaze. “Felt kind of sorry for you. Livin’ in this golden cage, havin’ your life figured out for you. Makesmefeel trapped just bein’ around.” He frowned, not hiding his disdain. “Wanted to give you a chance to have some fun, so... I guess it kind of pissed me off you didn’t. That you couldn’t.” After a short pause, Chast snorted and rubbed his face. “Usually, I don’t get the chance to stay around anyone this long. Most don’t get tolivethis long. That’s the job. It was nothin’ personal.”

Widening my eyes at him, I put the book down.Was he just being awkward before?

“That’s—”

The buzzing of his phone interrupted me, but I was glad. I didn’t know if I wouldn’t have said something stupid or embarrassing, anyway. While Chast reached for his phone, I buried my face in the textbook again, hoping I didn’t look as awkward and flustered as I felt.

“Yeah?” he responded to the call, raising his brows. “Yeah, that’s fine.” Chast nodded, while the person on the other side kept talking. “Alright. We’re finished, then... Was a pleasure.” With that sarcastic note, he ended the call.

The way he looked at me afterward made it clear who called.

“Looks like it’s time to part ways,” he said, playing up the disappointment in his voice. “Your pops sorted his squabble with Ramirez. Like I said before—this was all for nothin’.”

Chast turned around and walked out of the room to presumably pack his stuff. Staring at his back as he left, I blinked, trying to understand what that sharp sensation in my chest was.

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