This world lies hushed and bluish, save for the whisper of an autumn breeze swirling around the balcony.
Strands of loose curls brush against her cheeks, her lips curving in a contented smile as the rising steam of hot chocolate curls softly against her face.
She's serene, cocooned in her comfortable, cushioned armchair,
wrapped in the tender warmth of a blanket.
Her fingers reach for the book lying open on the coffee table, its pages fluttering faintly in the wind. Taking another sip of hot chocolate, she sinks into the words,
building another world within them, chasing wonder and revelation between the lines.
She sighs, her gaze drifting toward the shadowed woods beyond the apartment building. Focus eludes her, her thoughts once again stray to the Mystery man.
Two days ago, she'd finally learned his name.
Rhett. Though his surname still escapes her.
He appears once a week, tails her like a shadow, only to vanish just as quickly.
Her lips curve into a small pout of dissapointment.
Every now and then, when she steps out of her apartment, her eyes betray her, flicking toward his door.
Maybe he's just… busy with work?
"Tsk. Talk about pursuing me."
The words slip out before she can stop them, and Neva immediately flicks her forehead with the edge of the book.
How absurd.
With a soft huff, she shuffles in her chair, curling deeper into her cozy little nest.
She raises the mug to her lips for another sip of hot chocolate, her gaze gliding back to the page, when the doorbell rings,
its chime echoing through the hush walls.
"Who could that be at this hour?" she murmurs.
With a small shrug, she sets the book and her cup of hot chocolate onto the coffee table with a gentle clink and rises to her feet.
The warmth of her cozy nest immediately tugs at her as she half-heartedly drags herself across the living room, through the dim glow until she reaches the threshold.
She twists the knob and pulls the door open.
And there he stands... her Mystery man.
"Good evening, Angel," Rhett says, the familiar teasing smile tugging at his lips.
Neva blinks, warmth blooming across her cheeks at his sudden appearance.
Her heart dances,
mirroring the happy swirl in her eyes that catch and hold his for this fleeting moment.
But she masks it perfectly, refusing to let it show, won't even admit it to her Father,
her brows knitting in feigned annoyance.
"What do you want here?" she asks, folding her arms across her chest.
Rhett leans against the doorframe,
that lazy grin never leaving his lips. "I want some, sugar."