Two Sides

My eyes squint awake, the sun's harsh rays battling with my sight. I feel the tightness of my tear stained face, the tenderness of my puffy eyes. Looking to my side, Silas has fallen asleep in a chair near me.

He stayed.

The events of last night hit me and I remember it wasn't a nightmare, it was real. I stare at him, the sun playing with shadows on his face, his glorious face. If I were an artist, he would be my only muse, one I'd never tire from. Such endless beauty resides within him.

"I can feel you staring." He groans with his raspy, sleep riddled voice.

Startled, I look away, abashed. "You're awake?"

"Remind me to buy you another chair because whatever this is," he gestures to his seat. "Is an insult to furniture."

His complaining earns a chuckle. Opening his eyes, he looks at me almost to discern how I am after everything. "You snore like a truck." I joke, my eyes begging him not to bring up the previous night.

He smirks, "Have you seen what you look like when you cry?"

Shaking my head, I smile. "That didn't stop you from staying the night."

"Well, it's going to take a lot more than that to repel me." He replies, rising from his seat.

I wonder if that was true, I question it. Words in the moment were just that, words. You see if they meant anything in the long run.

Noticing my distraction, he speaks, pulling me out of my daze. "I want to show you something."

I quirk my brow in question.

"Get dressed." He orders.

I wasn't doing much of anything lately, what with waiting around for Sonders to call and classes having ceased. I doubt he would take "No" for an answer.

Forcing myself out of bed, I pick a dainty, casual dress from my closet. Silas stands, waiting for me, "Aren't you going to turn around or leave?" I ask.

"Nothing I haven't already seen." He slithers.

"Turn. Around." I say, enunciating the words sternly.

Rolling his eyes, he obliges. Undressing, I slip on the dress and leave my hair unbound.

"Are you finished?" He asks impatiently.

"See for yourself." I reply as he looks back.

"Need some help?" He says, pointing to the undone zipper.

Nodding, he walks toward me. I look in the mirror as he stands behind me, he delicately swoops my locks to one side before his hands hover near my lower back, one holding the dress, the other slowly pulling the zipper up. He looks at me in the mirror before his gaze falls to my neck, tracing my collarbone as I feel his breath, hot against it, igniting gooseflesh all over me. I tilt my head towards his, our faces too close as he whispers to me,

"Are you ready?"

I nod. He backs away, desperate to close the harsh distance, I follow him out the door.

"I assume you're not going to answer me if I ask, where we're going?" I admit as we walk side by side on the streets of Oxfordshire.

"Took you a while but you're finally starting to catch up with me." He quips, hailing a taxi.

"Is that so, Golding?" I remark, eyebrows raised as a black Hackney taxi stops in front of us.

"Oh yes, Burroughs." He replies with a sly smile as he opens the car door, inviting me in.

"Took you a while but you're finally becoming a gentlemen." I say, craftily adjusting his leather jacket as I enter the taxi, the movement pulling him behind me, sparking a smirk on his face.

"Barton." He nods to the driver.

That was odd. Why were we going to Barton?

The drive was quick but even with its swiftness, the shifting sights I saw through the window solidified for me how much I loved living in Oxford. The historic atmosphere, teeming with knowledge and mystery. From the homes to the family owned businesses dating back to the 1700s that decorate the streets, some inviting people in with warm, embracing walls others luring them in with bait on a fish hook. You never knew what you were going to discover and perhaps that was the best of all, the unexpected, and I lusted after that spontaneity, the one only Oxford gave me.

The car comes to a halt in front of a small apartment building.

"Thank you." Silas says to the driver, shaking his hand. To which the driver looks up with a grin, pocketing something,"Too kind, sir."

Ofcourse. If I've learnt anything about Silas Golding is that he relishes in grand gestures.

He nods in response before opening the door to exit, extending a hand toward me. One I take as we walk toward the building.

"You know not many people would let someone take them somewhere with not many people, all alone, without at least knowing what's happening." I propose.

"I suppose you're right, Burroughs. I mean for all you know I could be a murderer or worse." He states with a grin, shrugging. "Would you still trust me?"

"That would make me a fool." I reply as we walk up the steps to the entry.

"Aren't we all someone's fool?" He counters, pushing the buzzer of apartment 13.

I hum a note of approval, "And if we are, whose fool are you?"

A sly smile tugs on his mouth, half lidded eyes attach themselves to my own.

But before he could say anything, the speaker sounds, "Hello?" A woman's voice.

"Got room for two more?" Silas speaks igniting a gasp from the former before the sound of the phone clanking back in it's holder replaces it and the door opens.

I turn my head to him in confusion. He places an arm behind my back, guiding me upstairs.

Reaching the door, he knocks.

"Silas!" A short woman with a beautiful afro yells, jumping on him with a tight embrace. "I thought you couldn't come."

"Helena, did you really think I'd let you and Lina down?" He replied.

She whips her head to me, "You must be Eleanor!" embracing me with just as much vigor.

Shocked, I smile, hugging her back.

"Sorry, I'm just so happy you're here. Both of you. Please come in." She exclaims looking at Silas and me, pushing us in.

Vibrant decorations embellish the room, music and the laughter of children filled the air, guests scattered in every inch of the room. "Lina! Look who came." Helena shouts.

A little girl with umber hair, styled in pigtails turns. Her smiling face shifts into shock as she screams, bolting toward Silas. He picks her up and spins her around, "Ah, the birthday girl!"

She rests her head on his chest not caring that her fairy wings bent under his embrace. "You made it!"

He places a small kiss on her forehead. "Ofcourse I did, princess."

Her sincere smile and the joy that radiated between them warmed my soul.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out a small box, "Open it."

She clutched the box before ripping into it. "A charm bracelet!"

I look closer to see different charms of fairy tales. The North star, Aladdin's magic carpet, the Beast's rose, Cinderella's slipper and in the middle a heart with an engraved message, one I couldn't read.

He made her a customised charm bracelet.

I couldn't take my eyes off him.

The little girl's eyes gleamed with elation as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"There's someone I want you to meet." He says, looking at me. "This is Eleanor."

He said my name as though each letter was a musical note that he expressed with such precision. I never thought much of my name but when he uttered it-

It was a hypnotic sort of sound, a spell he bewitched me with.

Crouching down, I smile at her. "I'm Eleanor. What's your name?"

"Lina." She says, abashed.

"I hear its your birthday, Lina and my, what a beautiful costume! Are you a fairy?"

"I'm Tinker bell! And my friends are fairies too!" She expresses animatedly.

From the corner of my eye I see Silas looking at us as though everything else was a blur and we were the only clear image. Helena stands next to him as they whisper to each other, his gaze still set on us.

"Dance with me!" Lina demands, tugging at my dress.

"Oh, I'm a horrible dancer." I blurt as she throws me into a crowd of little children whose bug eyes gawk at me. "Hello." I say a little hesitantly, their all encompassing attention on me. This must be how fish feel in aquariums.

From a distance, I hear Silas snickering. I shoot him a look.

"She's my new aunt." Lina's announcement pulls me back.

I laugh, "Oh no, no, no." I deny. Her brows knit together as she frowns.

Good going Eleanor, you upset a little girl on her birthday.

I look at Silas for help, he only raises his brows, smiling smugly, also waiting for my response.

"What?" She questions.

"I- Ofcourse I am." I amend, terrified.

She grins before pushing me into the circle and grabbing my hand as we all spin in a circle. I laugh, dancing with them.

I catch a glimpse of Silas, the last person I imagined to be here. The world slows down a little and I think to myself, if I could see his eyes alight and this wondrous smile on his face for the rest of my days...

Life wouldn't be too bad.

We spend the rest of the day with them. Cutting the cake, opening presents, singing and dancing.

As Silas occupies them with a story. Helena slips next to me.

"You're all he talks about you know." She whispers, offering me punch.

I take the drink, the statement diminishing every thought in my mind.

"I can tell he cares a lot about the both of you." I say with a smile.

"He saved us." She admits.

I furrow my brows in response.

"He found us on the streets and helped us with a little bit of money, he made sure we had food every night and a place to sleep in the homeless shelter. He offered us an apartment to live in but I refused, it was too much. He respected my wishes for a little bit but when... Dodgy people slipped into the shelter- he wouldn't take no for an answer and bought us this apartment. Slowly, I found a job and now I can afford a living for Lina and me." She finished, voice earnest and grateful.

Pity pooled in my heart. I look at her now, such strength and patience filled her eyes.

"Silas?" I question, disbelief in my tone.

"Oh yes, he may seem like the proud, snobbish type but even 'a heart of gold' wouldn't be enough to describe Silas. Even after everything he's been through, never once has his generosity and kindness faltered." She elucidates.

How ignorant I must've been to judge him so quickly, to have such a rigid opinion of him. Everyday, he does something else to make me question everything I thought was so clear to me about him.

"You two speaking about me?" He says, approaching us.

"You'd like that, now wouldn't you?" I reply.

"You know me too well, Burroughs." He says, motioning to the door.

"Are you leaving?" Helena asks.

"I'm afraid so." He replies.

Hugging her and Lina, I say to Silas, "I'll wait for you outside."

He nods in response, turning to Helena.

Descending the stairs, I exit, waiting for him near the road.

I look out at the horizon, past the suburb where twilight allows the last glimpse of sun to peer through its night riddled colours, a sinister gust of wind whooshing past.

"What's a beautiful thing like you doing out here all alone?" A croaky voice says, startling me.

Turning, I'm greeted by a tall, thin man.

I ignore him, moving a little to the side as I pat down my dress, praying something useful is in it's pockets.

"No need to be afraid darl', I'm a nice guy." He whispers laciviously, making me cringe. "Well, that is if you don't piss me off."

"Don't come near me." I demand, inching further and further away from him.

"Come now, don't be a bitch." He responds, too close to me as he drags a finger on my face. The smell of alcohol, overwhleming. I slap his hand away, "Don't touch me."

I try to run back to the apartment but he grabs my arm, hand slipping down my back. I spit on his face, "Get off me!" I attempt to shake his tight grip off me.

"Now, you've done it!" He growls, covering my mouth as he yanks me with him.

Elbowing him, I kick and scream but it's no use.

"I'm going to have a lot fun with you." He whispers in my ear.

Fear climbs up my throat, tears welling up in my eyes.

All at once, I feel his grip being wrenched from me with such speed. Mortified, I escape the vile man and turn around.

"Didn't your father ever teach you not lay a hand on a woman?!" Silas bellows, a powerful fist greeting the man's face, sending him to the ground.

Another punch, "Clearly not. So, let me teach you." He grabs his shirt and picks him up from the ground.

"One, you see a woman alone on the street. You leave her alone."

The man attempts to hit him, to which Silas grabs his arm, twisting it behind him, dislocating it.

A cry of pain.

"Good. Now you feel a mite of the discomfort you caused her." He says, tripping him, face making impact with the ground.

The man aggresively jerks his head, hitting Silas. He shakes it off, grabbing his face and turning it toward him, striking another punch that knocks him out.

Blood dribbles from the unconscious man, soaking his shirt, pooling to the ground.

I stand there, stunned. He turns to me, strands of hair have fallen on his forehead, knuckles bloody and cut. "Let's go."

~~~

Silence. A deafening silence filled my dorm as we sat there.

"Your hands." I speak, voice low.

He looks at his hands as if just noticing them.

"Don't worry about it." He replies, face stern. Rising from my seat, I find the first aid kit and a bowl of water.

"Let me." I say softly.

"You don't need to." He dismisses me.

"Will you stop being so damn stubborn?" I assert.

He shoots a look at me before easing up. I move closer to him, between his legs and hold his hand, dabbing a wet cloth to the wound.

"Thank you." I say, gaze still focused on his hand.

"Don't thank me. Any man would have done the same thing." He says, also looking at his hand.

I rub an ointment on his knuckles, his jaw clenches as he looks at me, gaze intense and almost regretful.

"Did he touch you?" He implored.

I toss in my mind what to tell him and settle on nothing as I bandage his first hand.

"Answer me." He repeats.

"It doesn't matter." I brush him off.

"I'll decide that." He says, voice making me face him.

"He tried but you dealt with it. " I say.

"I should've torn his arm off." He says through gritted teeth, shaking his head.

I bandage his other hand before noticing a cut on his brow. I move closer to him, hesitantly I touch his face, he tilts his head toward me. Sanitising the cut, I ask, "Does it hurt?"

"No." He whispers, scanning my face intently.

"Did you doubt that I'd come?"

I look at him then, eyes searching my own. Some mix of anger, frustration or... fear swirled in them.

"Eleanor-" he forces out.

I saw him. I understood.

My hand still held his face. Cupping it, I place a soft, grateful kiss to his brow.

"You've never let me down, Silas. And know this, I will never let you down either." I say softly.

He holds my face against his, "I would kiss you. But if I do, I won't stop and you deserve better than at a moment like this."

"This is enough for me." I reply.

You're enough for me, Silas.