Sold?

Arius took me to a popular street food place, L'as du Fallafel.

The falafels were really nice. A different kind of food but tasty.

We talked about completely random stuff as we ate.

I scratched my neck when something clicked in my mind. It probably didn't cross my mind before because I had gotten too used to it .

"Arius?" I stopped in my path.

He halted in his path and looked at me, "Hmmm?"

I pointed with my index finger to my neck, "What about this?" I placed my finger on the collar. The collar that was proof that I was his slave.

"..." He didn't answer me immediately. In my mind, I thought that he would take it off immediately now that we were together but he started thinking about something, "I can't." He shook his head lightly, "Not now."

I raised my eyebrows at him, "Why not?"

He was at a loss and was hesitating with his answer, "Just." He chewed his lower lip.

Was he nervous?

He had stopped eating but while he was thinking about what to say I decided to finish my food.

"I'll take it off." He answered me as I took my last bite, "Just, not now." I sighed, "Just wait till the time I've decided it's safe."

"What are you so afraid of?"

"..." He turned and started walking ahead, "Do you want something sweet?" It was clear he didn't want to answer me, "We can get some crepes if you want. It's just up ahe...ad?" He looked back and froze. The woman he was talking to wasn't there, "Azalea?"

He shot his head around, his eyes moving everywhere, "Azalea?"

But still he couldn't find her.

The street he was on did not have his partner so he walked back and looked in the alley's but she wasn't there either.

"Azalea!!" He was panicking now.

What could have happened to her? She was right behind him?

He stood in the middle of the shady alley utterly confused. The falafel in his hand escaped his grip and was about to fall to the ground when someone caught it.

"Hey!" I said, "Why are you wasting food?" I ate the last remaining bites of it.

He turned to face me and I paused as I saw what was in those eyes.

Fear.

Those golden brown eyes were filled with anxiety and an unknown fear in them.

Arius held my shoulders while he tried to calm himself down.

I was feeling guilty now.

I only wanted to play a harmless prank on him since he wasn't answering my questions and until a few seconds ago I was really enjoying him frantically looking for me.

"Where did you go?" He tried to ask in usual tone but I could sense the anger in it.

"A grandma called for help." I pointed in a random direction as I lied, "I was just helping her out." I would have told him I was just pranking him but not now.

I felt like if I told him that he would get seriously angry.

"You should have told me." He said as he kept his teeth joined together while containing his wrath.

I looked at him and then reached out my hand for him.

I placed it on his cheek, "What were you so afraid of?" I said softly, "I can see the fear in your eyes."

He took a deep breath and placed his hand over mine that was on his cheek and brought it down to his chest.

It shocked me.

His heart was beating quite fast.

I looked at my hand on his chest and then looked up at him.

His gaze already on me when he answered, "I'm afraid of losing people important to me."

I could feel my breathing get faster at his confession but I chose to smile at him.

"It's alright.' I brought my other hand to his cheek, "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

I don't regret playing the prank now though.

It showed me something new. Showed me a side to Arius I love even more because it showed me something very human about him.

He placed his hand on my mine and then brought both my hands down, let go of one and pulled me along out to the main road with the other.

"Let's have a cruise dinner tonight." He smiled.

I could see the relief back on his face, "Okay." I answered.

"We can walk through the city, seeing places and go to the shore in the evening."

He gripped my hand tighter and brought me closer to him, "Let's do that." I answered him.

***

Most of our time passed while talking.

In my opinion, in a relationship, getting to know each other is the most important thing and I got to know a lot about him.

I found out he loved chocolate and sweets as much as I did. Quite surprising really, he doesn't look like a person with a sweet tooth.

I found out he and Lexus were together in the same college and got closer there.

I found out he hated bicycles because he crashed one into an old man when he was still learning and ran away leaving it there plus he lied to his parents about it. He told them it drowned in the lake.

Like what kind of an excuse is that? I laughed at it.

I found out his favorite cartoon as a kid was courage the cowardly dog.

"I honestly loved Samurai Jack. " I told him.

"Oh man." He snickered, "Good old days."

"Yea…"

In the evening we had dinner on a cruise and later went on the roof deck to enjoy the night view mixed with soft music and gentle breeze.

We sat on the cushioned bench in the front and enjoyed the lighted city.

"I barely remember my family." I told him as I rubbed my arms. It was chilly, maybe that's why there weren't many people out here.

Arius asked for a blanket from one of the workers.

"You barely remember them?" He asked and I shook my head.

"Let me correct that. I don't remember my parents at all." The worker came by and gave us a big, nice and warm blanket.

Arius wrapped it around me but I opened it again and invited him in with me. He was reluctant and wanted me to have all of it but after my constant invitation he joined me in the warm red blanket.

I laid my head on his shoulder and continued, "I only remember my older sister. Dahlia. Just some fragments though."

"Dahlia Violet…" Arius said my sister's name. There was a familiarity in his voice but I didn't ask him about it.

"She was a bit retarded." I said, "Her brain activity had declined after an accident she managed to survive." I snuggled against him, "But even after that. She was the very best older sister." I gave myself a nostalgic smile, "It's funny how another accident took her away."

Arius wrapped his arm around my shoulder on the farther side, "Do you want to share the story?"

The city lights flickered as the cruise slowly passed them. They glowed bright and soft, holding life in them while giving out a sense of serenity.

"If you ask it from that one remaining deal question you have." I glanced at him and passed him a smirk, "Then I might."

He thought about it, "If that's the case then I'll ask the deal question like this." He looked at me, "I want to know about everything. Every major highlight regarding you."

"The highlights aren't really pretty." I looked back at him.

"I've asked my question." The ocean made soft ripples, the sound of which was pleasant to the ears.

"Okay." I settled back in, preparing myself for the answer as I looked at the seemingly never ending dark water in front of me.

The gentle brushes of the breeze made my cheeks cold but I still enjoyed them.

The scene of calmness and serenity helped me tell him my story.