Kiera laid her hand up against the cool glass, wishing for the warmth of the sun. She missed the sparkling shafts of light through the clouds outside her window. Living so high above the clouds, dusk was the only time she could sit in her window seat and daydream into the clouds below, wishing to feel the breeze again. It wasn’t as difficult for her as it had been for her outgoing brother. He was going a little crazy being cooped up. He was an outdoors kind of guy. However, neither Kiera or Mason had been consulted about moving up to the new module in the sky. Supposedly it was a place where you wouldn’t get sick because there wouldn’t be any pollutants in the air.
The module she was in was odd compared to her old house. There was no yard, no visible neighbors, no open windows, no breeze or flowers. It was sterile and clean. Her parents loved it, lost in the academia they could access through their computers. All the walls were essentially glass. You could look out any direction but down and stare out into the open air.
She would have been curled in a window seat similar to the one she was in no matter where she was. Not much had changed in her sheltered, private world; just a different view out the window. She snuggled deeper into the pillows of her secluded window seat.
Through the darkening sky a light flicked and drew her attention away from the book in her lap. The other houses attached to their central module were supposed to be screened to give a guise of privacy. Truthfully they weren’t more than a dozen feet or so away. No further than a normal neighbor but completely hidden.
As she was about to return to reading the light flickered again.
Looking out, she was stunned to see a guy waving his hand at her, as if it was completely normal to be seeing the person in the next module. Still a little shocked, Kiera only stared. He continued to wave. Eventually she raised her hand in his direction. She hadn’t seen anyone other than her family for months. They were still ‘acclimating’. They weren’t allowed to go out and see the central module or the other people connected to them. She had a few months left of quarantine to be sure that none of her family were sick.
As soon as she lifted her hand he stopped and grabbed what looked to be a large pad of paper. Slamming it up against the window she read, PAX.
He began pointing at himself. When she nodded and waved again he dropped the paper down and wrote again.
YOU?
Glancing around to see what was near for her to write on, she had to stand up and move away from the window. In seconds she was back.
Kiera. How can I see you?
With what looked like a chuckle he went back to his pad. Smarts and curiosity.
She stared. That wasn’t the answer she was expecting or looking for. So she waited.
His warm happy smile was addicting and he wasn’t sparing in his use of it. He flashed her another cheeky grin as he bent back over his paper to write. Putting it up against the window he watched her read.
I programmed the screen to have a glitch for 5 minutes, now I’m wishing I’d programmed it for longer. Even as she finished reading it, he put up another. Are you a hugger?
Kiera had to stop and think. She didn’t know. She never had been much of a hugger but that was more because no one had ever really offered. I’m not against hugging…
With a look of empathy he gave, Kiera felt as though he knew exactly what she meant. She thought she had been subtle, but obviously not. Her family was more cerebral than physical in their affection.
Pax put his hand up against the glass and held it there. Kiera felt a tug to do the same, almost wishing she could truly reach out and touch his hand. She forced her hand to remain in her lap.
How long till you’re out? I have another month.
3 months. For the first time since walking into her new home she was resentful of being locked in.
That’s a long time to wait for a hug or a date. He pulled the paper down and she watched with rapt attention, aching to know what he would write next. She wasn’t disappointed. Or several of both.
Kiera had to reread that last one several times. Was he implying that he wanted to date her? Or that he was missing them in general. No one had ever paid her even the slightest attention before and now she had this gorgeous guy outside her window talking about dating…well, writing about it.
With me?
He smirked.
Desperate? She goaded, wanting to see how serious he was or if he was flirting with her while there was nothing better to do and she was his only visible neighbor.
I’d say smart. He smirked again and held up another paper. You are gorgeous and from what I’ve seen so far, smart and funny. Intriguing. If I ask you now, I’ll be the first to take you on a date when you get out, thus upping my chances with you.
If? She questioned.
Pax nodded. You won’t reject me right? Instantly Pax’s smile changed to a pleading look and it was Kiera’s turn to laugh.
You haven’t asked yet.
Kiera watched as he glanced back to the clock on the wall behind him. Will you be here tomorrow?
Confused at the unexpected question she nodded before jotting down. I always come to this window to read, every night.
As he lifted his next message the screen began to flicker and she was unable to read what he had put up. Staring out her window she looked out at where, only seconds ago, she had been talking to the cutest guy to ever pay her such interested attention and now she would have to wait until tomorrow night to see or talk to him again.
Where she had been indifferent about the medical quarantine before, she was definitely not liking it now. Kiera was stuck being patient.
