twenty-two

                                    

                                          
I COMMENCED coughing loudly as I covered my mouth with both my hands. Before the food could get out of my mouth I took a few pieces of tissue paper and spit them into it. The burn of spice disseminated throughout my nostrils  and throat, causing my eyes to stung so hard that tears immediately appeared. 
I kept coughing and It wasn’t taking name to stop. I couldn’t even drink water because I know I'm going to spite them too. Alex rushed beside me when he realised I couldn’t take a break. My ribs commenced hurting as well as my head. 
"Take some water." Alex softly said and rubbed my back.
He brought the glass near my lips, making me take a concise sip. I hardly took a sip, while endeavouring to hold my cough. The cold water rushed down to my throat, slowly flowing down to my organs.
"I am fine." I said, still coughing slightly.
"Are you sure?" He asked, sounding concerned.
"Yeah." I breathed out but inside my heart was pounding like a hammer.
The way he said, 'don’t moan', it had another level of sensitivity with sensuality. That was raw and sexy and that almost made me drool and eager, just to hear him say that once more. I know, I am being shameless but I can't deny the burning effect of Alex towards me.
"Eat slowly." He commanded, sitting on his seat. But that command was clasped with an odd tender concern that gave birth to butterflies in my stomach.
I nodded looking down at my food, flushed face. Through ears hot air was emitting, the way the dragon breathes and releases fire. 
Silence prevailed on us like some spell of magic.
"Do you visit your father?" Abruptly Alex spoke, taking me back. It's like someone splashed a cold bucket of water on me when he mentioned my father. I don’t know why he was asking me about my father. But it wasn’t any skeptic shit vibe that his words gave away. It was just a formal and plain question. 
It might be for him but for me, my father is like a slow poison. Who consumed my happiness and my peace while replacing all of my colourful dreams into nightmares.
"My father and I don’t have a very good relationship." I said, not matching his eyes.
I am not gonna spill a shit about my past to Alex. There is no need to teach him about my past. Alex isn’t someone who is close to my heart. Only Becky is the only human who is aware of my past.
The more you unveil yourself, the more you become vulnerable.
That's what I believe.
Keeping your secret as mysterious as the treasure in the deep ocean is the weapon that will help you to stand on your feet like a conquer, crown of pride on your head. It's true we should share our throne-like memories with someone to lighten up our wounds but that doesn’t narrate the meaning that you have to pour out your heart. When you speak of one thing over and over again, it loses the profound meaning, portraying it as nothing but a trivial topic.
"Can I ask you something?" Alex said after a while he scrutinised me with his silence and ginger gaze.
I again locked my eyes with his green one as my heart commenced flapping its chimerical wings, rushing my hormones through my veins like a racing car.
"Hmm."
"It’s your father, isn’t it?" He said with a pensive look. The blue flames ignite in his eyes and that represent nothing but hate and fury. I contemplate his posture, not getting rewarded by the reason for him being angry.
"What?" I confusedly said, knitting my eyebrows together.
"You flinch a lot. You shield yourself with your hands." The vague illustration of Alex was annoying me but it took a few more seconds to understand his assumption on my physical demeanour. He knew,