Chapter 47

The walk to the dock at Ruston Way Park was short. Makenna was glad to see there weren't many people, just one family on the left side of the dock. Atlas walked beside Makenna and gladly let her take the lead as he took in the beauty of Tacoma yet again.

"I don't think I'd ever get used to this," Atlas admired the waterfront view,

"I don't think I have, myself,"

He wasn't surprised when she turned right, heading away from the family who'd taken over the left side of the dock. He smiled to himself but said nothing.

"Here," Makenna stopped at the last seat with a shed,

Atlas sat beside her and breathed in the cool evening air as Makenna opened the brown paper bag she had situated between them.

"Eat and admire," Makenna handed him one of the burgers,

Atlas smiled and took the food. They ate in silence for a while.

"Don't think I haven't noticed your tactic to avoid talking about your life in London," Makenna looked at him, "It's almost like it didn't exist. Why is that?"

Atlas swallowed taking that moment to give an answer that didn't give away too much,

"It's a life I want to forget for many reasons."

"C'mon, you have to give me more than that," Makenna pushed, "You know more about me and my family than I know about you."

"Alright," Atlas smiled, but Makenna noticed that it didn't reach his eyes, "I was born in Greece and moved to Chelsea, London when I was one. Thea was born about two years later and life somehow got away from us, like it tends to do, and we both ended up here."

"Hmm," Makenna bit the inside of her lips and tried to stop the question that lingered on the tip of her tongue, "What about your parents?"

Makenna wasn't sure why she was scared of asking him that question. But she'd noticed he nor Thea never spoke about them and she always wondered.

Atlas looked at his food and back at the horizon,

"They're living their lives, somewhere. I wouldn't know, we don't talk much."

Makenna nodded,

"I figured out that much. You and Thea barely talk about them."

Atlas glanced at her with a smile that reached his eyes,

"You've been paying more attention than I've given you credit for,"

Makenna looked away, embarrassed. She heard him chuckle and smiled to herself.

"You don't have to sound so surprised,"

"I'm sorry," Atlas said, "I've always had an idea of you, now I'm learning about you and realising just how different you are from the girl I thought you were."

"Wow, it's nice to know how highly you thought of me."

Atlas smiled,

"You thought I was dirt underneath your shoe,"

Makenna burst out laughing,

"Ouch, point taken. But that's far from what I thought about you."

Atlas leaned back in the wooden seat with a smile, trying to get comfortable,

"Please, tell me." He curiously turned to her, "I'd love what you thought about me."

"Nothing at first." Makenna looked away from him and took a moment to choose her words carefully, "But your eyes,"

"What about them?"

Makenna looked back at him and was immediately met by those same piercing blue eyes,

"I find them captivating. The way it always feels like you can see into my soul. It's both thrilling and scary."

"Why scary?"

"'Cause having someone see into your soul is." Makenna looked away again, "But after I knew who you were and what you were up to, you quickly made it on my hate list."

Makenna took a bite of her burger and Atlas watched her with a smile.

"You have the prettiest eyes,"

Makenna stopped chewing for a second but continued like she hadn't heard him.

"It can be very distracting at times,"

Makenna hid her smile.

"With the hatred you have for colours, it's the first thing I noticed about you,"

"I don't hate colours, I just love black."

"Is that why you changed your hair colour, Merida?"

Makenna didn't think he'd actually bring it up,

"You know, I googled that."

"You didn't know who she was?" Atlas looked surprised,

Makenna shook her head,

"But I'm curious as to how you found out,"

"No, I'm still stuck on you not knowing who she is."

"And I'd like to know how you found out."

Atlas said nothing, he just slowly reached for a lock of her hair and smiled. He met her green eyes with his blue,

"You look beautiful with red hair," He said, "But, I'm having a hard time picturing you in anything other than black."

Makenna looked away and tried to catch her breath after the moment they just had.

"I have a hard time picturing myself before my black hair,"

Atlas studied her side profile.

"It suits you perfectly."

Makenna looked at him and smiled,

"You realize we've hung out almost the entire day."

"Your point?"

"It's crazy."

"I don't think so." Atlas shook his head, "I did say I enjoy your company and I'm glad for every moment I get to spend with you."

"Stop it."

"What?"

"That." Makenna avoided his gaze, "You say things like that so naturally, I just find it hard to believe that you mean it."

"Well, I'll keep saying it until you do, and after,"

Makenna looked away.

"Why do you keep avoiding my gaze?"

"I just need to process without you staring into my soul."

"Well," Atlas took her left hand with his right hand, "You've got a lot of getting-used-to to do,"

Makenna stared at their hands and wasn't sure how she'd gotten to this point in her life. The entire day had felt like something out of one of those romance books she used to read. It all felt completely surreal and she was trying to wrap her head around it.

How did I get here?

She asked herself but finally decided to stop trying to find answers to her current situation. Rather, she was going to shut her mind and just go with the flow, see where things take her.

I think that's what I'm supposed to do.

She pushed that finally thought away and enjoyed the moment with Atlas.