Chapter 8

Avril tiptoed out of the adjoining bathroom, her arms circling around her towel-clad body as she reached for the A/C remote. It was freezing. She eased down on the edge of her bed, her teeth chattering so hysterically that she swore her teeth would soon run out of her mouth. She began toweling off her long hair as she stared off at an indistinct spot on the wall.
Being here was no different than being at home. The only difference was that she couldn't be comfortable enough to sleep in. She couldn't recall the last time she woke up at 8 AM on a day she had no responsibilities.
"What to do today?" She posed the question to the silent walls. She dropped the towel from her hair and lied back on her bed. She stared at the ceiling as if the answer would appear written there.

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It was already time for dinner. She didn't know exactly how the time flew by, it had been bright and sunny outside and by the time she momentarily pulled her eyes away from one of her historical romance novels to gaze out her window, the sun was bathed in shadows of red and orange. Without intending to she'd spent her entire day cooped up in this room. She seriously needed to get out of here a little, maybe check out the campus, actually decide what she was going to major in.
There were two firm knocks at her door, Avril jumped at the sound, not expecting to be interrupted from her thoughts.

"Come in." she called out with just enough force so that the person on the other side would be able to hear it. However, Avril was certain the other person was not the dark-eyed intense owner of the house...why? Because he didn't knock. A slight wave of disappointment rolled over her as Trish pushed open the door. "Dinner is ready, dear come down when you're finished." she smiled at Avril.

"Thanks," Avril responded with a smile and the door closed.

Avril sat up and placed her book underneath a pillow. She raked her hands through her hair and realized that the middle of her head was still damp. She used a towel to attempt to soak up some of the moisture as best she could but the strands were still damp and they fell over her shoulders in a curly tangled mess. A look that would betray her age by convincing all those around her that she was not in fact, by Law an adult.
Avril sighed. She would usually attempt to tidy her appearance but when she remembered her company the need fell away. She had no reason or drive to impress anyone in this house. Yet, she stared at her reflection in contemplation of at least looking presentable. She groaned in frustration and decided against it. She had to stand her ground.

She made her way downstairs, her heart thudding louder and louder with each step forward she took, she wondered if its rate would decrease in the same fashion if she were to take a few steps back towards her room.

A shadow came into perspective for Avril and her heart paused for half a second. She knew it wasn't Trish. No one would ever mistake his body and form for that of a woman's. Avril didn't know what it was about him that had her on edge. She wasn't sure if she was scared of him or if she just didn't like him.

"No need to stand on ceremony." His cool voice caused a shiver to race down her spine as she revisited the world of reality. Avril realised that she'd stopped at the entrance to the kitchen.

She gathered herself and found a seat at the table...the one farthest from him.

"Where's Trish?" Avril asked, she was impatient for the woman to enter and ease the awkward tension.

"She's at her home. She wants you to know that since I'm home now there is no need for her to stay here." Thomas picked at his food casually, a small smile playing on his lips.

Avril's fork clattered against her plate and Thomas rose his eyes to meet her terrified ones.

"No need for her to stay here?" The words came out unevenly.

"Yes. In my and my father's absence, she was required to take responsibility for you but since I'm home that task falls to me." Thomas enlightened and Avril wasn't sure if she'd seen a glimmer of humor mask his eyes...whatever it was it had gone before she could truly interpret what it was.

" So basically when you're going out, of course, you need to inform me of where, when and the time you're coming back." Thomas brought his glass of juice to his lips.

Avril rolled her eyes. It was as if she left one father's house and entered another. "Any other house rules I should know about? I don't want to be attacked and strangled to death if you get mad." The shock was replaced with sarcasm.
Thomas narrowed his eyes dangerously but a different effect flooded through Avril. Her breath hitched and her body felt heated which contrasted with the coolness of the house.

"You're here to go to College, might I ask what are you planning on majoring in?" his tone reverted back to normal...if normal was a word one could readily use to describe Thomas Lynne.

Avril was grateful for the small talk, it erased some of the tension boiling inside of her.

"I am not quite sure yet." she lowered her eyes to the food on her plate.

"What do you mean?" his interest was piqued.

"I got accepted to do three different majors, but I am still mulling over my options. Of course, I choose this university because it's the best option for Psychology as for my other choices it's pretty good to."

Thomas eyed this woman as if she was some strange creature. He'd heard about children not knowing precisely what it was they wanted to accomplish with their lives, hell he'd been in that same situation before he knew what his father truly did for a living, but to meet someone who didn't know what they wanted to do simply because they were blessed with too many options was strange to him. No, the strange part came on when he got the sense that she wanted to partake in all of her choices.
Was everyone this ambitious now?

"Which one does your heart call to?" He heard himself ask. Why in God's name would he even involve the word 'heart' in a conversation with a female was lost to him.
Avril was struck by the question. Did Thomas even know anything about the heart? Did he know anything about emotions or feelings? Her internal analytical minions roared a resounding no. This man who had boldly asked her of her heart's calling was in no position to talk to her of matters of the heart. Of that she was certain. However, she would answer him, if she could for she was still unable to decipher what it was that her heart truly craved.

"I am not sure yet. I am passionate about all but even if I choose something I fear I may not want to continue that particular thing by somehow losing interest." Her eyes grew sad and desperate somehow.

"There isn't one that binds you strongly, nothing that gives you that feeling of clear and uninterrupted certainty." his eyes were intent. His senses attuned to the conversation. He pronounced each word carefully as if he, himself were dissecting the meaning of his words. Avril's eyes connected with him and the innocence in them was unearthly.

Avril gave an uncomfortable laugh...if her snort could be called a laugh.
"Funny, I hadn't thought you capable of empathy," Avril responded, wishing desperately to go back to bickering. This comfort that enveloped them made her uncomfortable that even her legs began to shake incessantly under the table.
"I am capable of lots of things, many of them you're too innocent to know of." His eyes darkened and Avril shuddered at the emotion that licked its way through her veins.

"Innocent? I am not innocent, babies are innocent I am not a baby." She defended but there was less fight in her voice than usual. Thomas mentally slapped himself, how would he know what was usual for her, he'd just met her.

"You're not far from infancy," Thomas responded more for his comfort than anything else. He found that his body was lusting after her and maybe if he convinced himself that she was but a child the feelings would evaporate. He shrugged it off, either way, his lust for a woman never lasted long anyway...he'd just have to wait it out. Maybe he was lusting because he hadn't had the sensation of a woman's body in a while. Yes, that must be it. One good roll around and he would forget these innocent eyes that we're able to make him feel and want to empathize with.
As it was, he couldn't take her. And he could if he wanted to, his powers of seduction were practically legendary. However, it didn't seem a good idea to fuck his father's friend's daughter. Nope...Not a very good idea at all, especially when she was staying at his house and would have to face her every day.
Avril was quiet. 'not far from infancy...' the words rolled around in her head. Well, now she knew what he thought of her. Nothing but a mindless child causing an adult-like him grievances.

She didn't understand why she felt appalled by his classification of her. Why it even mattered to her was a mystery. This man was nothing to her so why would his misguided thoughts phase her?
Avril rose silently from the table and walked over to the sink. She cleared her plate and washed her dishes.
Thomas' eyes traced every movement she made, every agonising sway of her hip caused him pain. He made a mental note to set up a distraction tonight...a female one.

"I am going to bed, Mr. Lynne. Enjoy your night." She responded, her voice monotone almost as if a robot had spoken the words for her. She was upset. He saw it in the way her eyes appeared empty and he felt a crushing sensation in his stomach.
Sigh. This is why he needed to have sex tonight. Her eyes were haunting him. The way she looked made him want to be the one saving her, making her smile.
"Good night, Avril." he whispered.