Cravings

So this is a little fluffish piece(i'm still not sure exactly what is considered a fluff. I just finished The Golden Lily and am so ready for the Indigo curse! Eek, can't wait! Adrian and Sydney have to end up together! that have too! *fangirl scream* review and Enjoy!

Gelato.I wanted gelato. Pomegranate gelato to be exact. And I wanted it now. At twelve at night. I, Sydney Katherine Sage, was doing the unthinkable. I was craving sugar.

Rolling over in my slightly uncomfortable bed, I clutched the feather pillow closer to my cold body; forcing the thoughts of sugar away. Only problem was when I wasn't craving that sweet taste of pink pomegranate gelato, it saw green. Green was everywhere. Those eyes haunted me day and night, sneaking into my head when I will I tried to work. That and pomegranate gelato. I simply couldn't get away.

Telling myself it was just because I couldn't have it. That's why I couldn't have it. That's why I wanted it. Because Adrian had it.

Coffee didn't even taste good anymore. Just the thought of coffee, bitter next to the gelato, made me want to hurl. Food wasn't the same either. Nothing was appetizing. Salads, fruits, everything was lost to me. I didn't want any of it. No, only the pomegranate gelato.

Sighing, I rolled over again. Twelve thirty-four blinked brightly in my face, the alarm clock played classical music softly; it was supposedly supposed to help you fall asleep. Lies. All lies. I only needed to wait seven hours and twenty-six more minutes until I could lose myself in the large bland hallways of school. Only seven hours and twenty-six minutes. I could make it that long.

Fingers twitching, I tried to count sheep. Another tactic to falling asleep.

1, Adrian reached out and pulled me to him.

2, One hand on my waist the other behind my neck.

3, He tipped my head up.

4.He lowered his lips—NO!

No, couldn't allow myself to think of that beautiful, no—dreadful—, moment.

Shaking off the thoughts of those red lips, such red lips, I threw the pale brown duvet off and decided to be proactive while I was wasting the night hours. I had some essays due next week, writing would take my mind away from him.

Powering up my laptop, I waited impatiently while it slowly awoke from its deep slumber, bright pixels flashed in my face, too happy, too peppy. Pulling up, a blank document, I stared at it waiting for the essay to form in my mind. Nothing. I couldn't think of anything, except that pomegranate gelato and green eyes. Always green.

Metal met with metal with a loud snap as I slammed the laptop screen down in anger. Frustration spread like wildfire; anguish slithering through my veins. I couldn't work. I couldn't eat. I couldn't enjoy a cup of coffee. A simple spell I couldn't even accomplish. Even if I was against them, I. Did. Not. Fail. And I had. It had merely smoked and sparks few occasionally out of it. It wasn't supposed to do that.

"Damn you, Adrian" I cursed quietly, more angry at myself for allowing him to take up my thoughts; to slyly pass through my walls into my mind. Into my heart. Standing up and stretching my tired bones, I fought to ignore the craving burning a hole through my empty stomach. How many more days could I avoid him before I went crazy.

Two weeks, I'd done this. Fourteen days since that wonderful disastrous kiss. three hundred and thirty-six hours since I pushed him away. Twenty thousand one hundred sixty minutes since my heart broke. One million two hundred nine thousand six hundred seconds since I walked away.

I hadn't really seen the outside world since then. Telling my 'family' that I was catching up on alchemist work. Don't worry. Little did they know that I spent most of this time staring at the whitewashed walls thinking of those warm lips, and oh so green eyes.

Jill stopped by once, concern bright on her delicate face. How was I feeling, she had asked, the worry all consuming, Adrian wasn't mad, no, he was worried. Worried about my health. The gelato was still there, right where he left it. Just in case. Just. In. Case. She had left shortly after, telling me she was going with Eddie and Angeline to feed, worry ripping away to show hurt. Angeline and Eddie dating now weren't sitting well with her.

Groaning, I sat back onto my bed. I was confined. Four white walls closed in on me, towering over me. I needed out. I needed out now. I needed pomegranate gelato. I wanted him.

Pulling the first set of shoes out from my now disorganized closet, one black van the other beige, I shoved them onto my sock free feet. Clutching the keys to Latte in one hand, I slipped out the door swiftly. My desires weighing more heavily then my self-control.

Gloomy blackness rested all around me, faint shadows of other doors mere blobs in the dark hallway. I couldn't get out fast enough. Nearly stampeding down the stairs, I forgot to remember the hall monitor; our own personal security guard. Slowing quickly, I slowly walked the rest of the way.

There. Sitting in a rolling desktop chair, graying head slumped forward in sleep. Drool a snail trail down her wrinkled wrist. Gross. Was the only security guard, asleep.

Rapidly and silently, I ran by; breath held tight in my lungs. Breathing seemed unsafe; one breath could wake her up. One breath could send me into expulsion. I couldn't risk that. Well maybe I could. Braydon had called me irresponsible. And heck, I was doing just that. Being irresponsible.

Slowly opening the door and closing it on the way out, I wondered out into the parking lot. Latte sat sleeping in silence; shiny metal in the moonlight. Discretely opening the door, I hopped in and started it.

Sliding free of school, my car wondered the streets of Palm Spring. Not sure where to go. No coffee shop in its right mind would be open at this time. Not even an ice cream parlor would be open. The only open places were dinky convenient stores and a few homeless shelters.

I thought about wondering the streets, but everything still felt unsafe since the warriors had come by. No shadow in any ally or corner looked safe anymore. Filth covered people wondered the streets, as well, carrying carts of useless items. Their treasures. Definitely not safe. For me or Latte.

Taking another turn, I continued to drive through slumbering town not quite sure where I was going. At another stop sign, I took another left. Then a right. Another left. I didn't know I was unconsciously driving to Adrian's apartment until I had stopped out front. All his lights were off. Save one. The main room light. His studio light. He wasn't asleep.

Contain yourself, Sydney, I snapped at myself; bottling the sudden want, no, need, to race up the concrete steps to his apartment and pound on the door until he opened up. Hugging him would come next, throwing my arms around his strong neck; I wouldn't stop myself from nuzzling into his neck; smelling his cologne. And maybe, just maybe, I would kiss him. I wanted to. That warmth. That fiery sensation that ran through my body like electricity, I wanted to feel that again. Once more.

Banging my head on the steering wheel, I tried to force the sudden images of Adrian kissing me out of my mind. I couldn't have them. We couldn't be together, it was wrong. We didn't belong together. I could get in trouble for even thinking of vampire in that kind of way. It was impossible.

An abrupt tapping pulled me out of my mental scolding, I jumped and screamed. I blushed at the figure peering into my window, one knuckle raised to tap on the glass again. Adrian.

I opened Latte's driver's door and slide out, watching the ground as I went. I didn't want to meet those sad eyes, those concerned stares. Wrapping my arms around my stomach, I peered at Adrian from the corner of my eyes. We stood there in silence, a tense mood filling the space between us.

"Sage," he started, a sudden smile pulling at his lips, "did you just break curfew?"

"It's not what you think," I cried loudly, lying through my teeth, it probably was exactly what he thought, "I wanted gelato."

That infuriating smile grew wider, fuller, "Oh, don't let me stop you," he gestured up the stairs his smile growing more dazzling by the seconds.

Without fully looking him in the face, I turned and swiftly bound up the stairs. The door was closed, when I tried it, it was locked as well. Adrian hadn't even been home.

"So," Adrian continued conversationally, "do you always wear clothes in dark shades of red plaid and yellow and shoes that don't match to bed?"

Red heated my face, I couldn't believe I had forgotten to change out of my pajamas or that I had put to different colored shoes on. Bright red plaid fleece pants, ones I wore out of respect, I had received it from my sister several Christmases ago and the yellow tank top had been Angeline's but her bust no longer made it fit for weekends, yes they didn't match but they were certainly the most comfortable, "Shut up," I muttered, just for the sake of saying something. Breaking the silence that seemed to fill in after every spoken word.

"You know what," Adrian teased softly, acting as if nothing had ever come between us, as if we weren't standing at his doorstep in the middle of the night, "I think that's the most skin I've seen showing on you yet."

"Just unlock the door, Adrian," I ordered sternly, suddenly feeling naked even when I knew everything was covered, still not meeting his green eyes. Those gorgeous emerald eyes.

He did so slowly, opening the door and motioning me in. I wrinkled my nose confusion. For once the apartment didn't smell like smoke or alcohol, only paint. Lots and lots of paint. I turned to ask why only to find Adrian setting his paints back out on wooden end table. Several new bottles sitting next to him. One a brilliant purple, the other a pale shade of gold, and the last the color of wet sand. Brown, yet gold. That explains why he was gone.

"I didn't know paint stores were open at midnight?" I said quietly, watching Adrian mix several of the gold together; a deep concentration twisting his features. A concentration I only saw when he was painting or doing something he particularly liked.

"Yeah, one downtown is," Adrian said absently, looking up and frowning when he noticed I was still standing there, "Well, Sage, don't you have gelato to eat? I did stop smoking to see you eat it."

"Right," I muttered my reason for being here. My purpose for sneaking out of my school, for possibly ruining my school career, "Gelato."

"Don't sound so pained," Adrian smiled without looking at me, still intent on mixing his gold's.

Picking my away through his mess of paint and half painted canvases, I made my way to the freezer. The door swung open easily, there sat the little carton. Crying out in bold letters to be opened and eat. Suddenly, not as appetizing as it was before. I felt like I was committing a crime by eating all the sugars, fats, and calories inside the little container. And I was doing it in the middle of the night. Another no, no on my part. But I had come here for this. So, now, I had to follow through.

Taking a slightly bent backward silver spoon that Adrian must have gotten at a garage sale or something, and then grabbing the carton from the fridge, I made my way back to the plaid couch were Adrian sat mixing his paints. Taking a seat, I debated opening the container or setting it on the table and lying that about eating it. What was wrong with me? One moment I craved the creamy taste of the pomegranate gelato and the next I felt guilty by just looking at it. Why?

Adrian turned suddenly, leaning over with his paint covered hands and removing the small paper covering, voice serious, "we made a bet, you have to eat at least a whole serving."

Placing the lid onto the oak table he watching me in anticipation, waiting for me to take a bite. I still felt hurt about what he had said about my aversion to food, and even though he promised to never mention it ever again, he was watching me; paying more attention than I have ever seen Adrian apply to anything. And despite the awkward air, Adrian seemed to not notice it; instead acting as if nothing had transpired two weeks ago.

Scooping a tiny blob of pomegranate gelato into my mouth. Flavor exploded in my mouth, the fruit tasted wonderful in frozen dessert form. Despite the sugary taste left in my mouth afterword, I wanted to eat more. Just a little more.

"Don't watch me," I muttered, noticing Adrian was still watching me, though a smile had lightened his previous serious mood. He was sated, for now.

No sarcasm, or Adrian logic left his mouth, instead he did something unlike him. He kept his lips closed and went back to his paints, allowing me to eat my gelato in peace.

Taking another small, but larger, bite, I felt my tongue go into frozen heaven. Who knew gelato in the middle of the night could taste so good. So deliciously unhealthy.

Hours passed by, Adrian working on a painting, while I slowly worked away at the gelato. I knew I should stop eating, but I couldn't stop myself. My spoon kept taking small pieces of that amazing pomegranate flavor and pushing them into my mouth.

Finally, at one point, I placed both the spoon and carton as far away from me as possible. There was no way I was going to eat anymore. No, not a morsel more. That was too much sugar and calories. More than one can of carbonated sugar syrup people called soda.

Maneuvering myself on the old lumpy couch, I watched Adrian work. His tongue pushed out, touching the left corner of his mouth in concentration. Those green, green, eyes occasionally looked up from the easel to look at me, before dipping back down in deep concentration. He had paint splattered all over his wrinkled shirt, new ones streaking across the loose blue jeans as he worked away. And yet he still looked good, so unfairly good.

There was something so intriguing, and comforting about being here. Maybe it was the yellow walls or Adrian; in all his good looking supermodel glory. Whatever it was pushed me toward the world of sleep. A place I'd rarely visited as of late. A place that the last two weeks I'd been deprived from.

"Can we stay friends?" I found myself yawning, curling up closer into the plaid couch. Closing my eyes, a new world already starting to take my cares away.

Just before I drifted away, I got my answer. Soft words barely even a whisper.

"Of course, Sage, of course." I fell asleep with a clear conscious and an even lighter heart.