Chapter 37Where Folk Music Welcomes

We walked, the three of us next to each other like common friends. Valerie talking to Hitori and me staying a little bit quiet. I didn't feel completely at ease, with my guilt and all, but felt a lot better with Hitori nearby. He led us straight to a nice Irish pub.

It was much nicer then I had expected. Celtic music welcomed us, but not the slow kind. It was the happy, quick-paced melodic folk music that makes you want to dance and share your joy. The pub was quite dark, with simple lighting, some candles and mostly wooden tables. The music wasn't even that loud. Fragments of conversations flowed out into the streets for those able to hear. I liked it, we went in.

I kept looking around, trying to take it all in while Hitori and Valerie looked for a table. I just let myself be dragged along. We took a table in the back, which was very welcome. A bit of shadow and not that many people who could see us was good in any case.

"Amy!" Hitoris voice over the music called me back to existence. I sat down and had Hitori next to me. Valerie sat next to me on the other side, on the corner of the table. The light was really nice here, because it was rather soft it meant her skin looked even prettier. I looked at my hands and realized my skin looked just as nice. I blushed a little as I realized I was looking pretty.

Hitori smiled. "Did I do something to make you blush?"

I blushed harder. "No! No... eh... just realized something."

Damn him for making me blush more!

I felt relief as the waiter came by asking what we wanted to drink.

Valerie giggled. "I'd like a red wine. Hitori, beer?"

Hitori nodded.

"Hot chocolate for me." I said, wondering for a moment if they'd make a problem of me being here. I mean, I probably looked like I was sixteen or something. Valerie looked older then she was and Hitori was definitely an adult. I shrugged, I guess if they didn't ask I didn't make a fuss.

The waiter left and I turned to Hitori. "So, did anything important happen today?"

He shrugged. "Just a normal Monday, bore users with my techno-babble, solve their problems and go home making stuff and playing music."

I smiled. "Did you make anything interesting?"

"Not really, just working on some old photo's I took for a friend of mine. It's just a hobby really."

"You're an amateur photographer as well?" I was intrigued. In everything he said he seemed to make dreams into the real world. Like taking shards of a dream and respectfully displaying them in the real world. Sharing them. I only read through dreams but rarely had the will to make something out of the adventures in my mind. If only...

Hitori nodded. "Yeah, I just bought myself a new camera too. I love to take pictures of some people. Like you for example." He blushed a little.

"Me?" I looked surprised. "I'm not photogenic. Why would you want to take pictures of me?"

Valerie laughed. Even Hitori laughed. I just looked around feeling smaller and blushing profoundly.

"Wh-What did I do?" I stuttered a little.

"Amy, you're beautiful and just let him show you that or something. Just have some belief in yourself." Valerie winked and smiled.

"I guess... I know I'm not ugly or anything..." My voice trailing away.

Hitori smiled again, it was such a nice smile. Just honest, open. "So, you'll let me take pictures of you?"

I nodded. "But I don't know when... or anything. And I only have time after sunset." I kind of hated myself at the moment. Even though it was late summer, the days were still quite long and sunset meant late in the evening. Very late.

Hitori seemed to think. "Hmm... perhaps I'll be able to get time for that tomorrow or Wednesday or something. You'd have to come as early as you could though. Although... I might be able to get some lighting from a friend of mine."

I swallowed and nodded. "Wednesday would be nice. I'll try and get there as early as possible."

In the back of my mind the thirst still rang my senses. I had to do something about it... But what... I couldn't do anything with Valerie sitting next to me. I mean, it felt a bit intimate to have her sitting there, watching me feeding.

Valerie looked at her watch and smiled. "You know Amy, you probably could make about the same time or slightly earlier if you hurry. Depending on where he lives of course."

I smiled. "That's a good point. Where do you live?"

"Not that far from here actually. It's just a big apartment in the blocks right behind here. I got lucky." He winked.

"I'm sure you did." Valerie's teasing voice.

Our drinks arrived and I happily took the hot chocolate in my hands. Both the warmth and giving me composure was calming me down. Valerie took the glass and just acted as if she was taking a very subtle sip from it. I wondered if she enjoyed the smell of wine or if she liked the posh-ish girl look a little.

Hitori was taking a small gulp of his beer, a little bit of foam left on his upper lip. It was kind of cute, but it didn't make me feel any more relaxed. My mind was racing with everything I wanted to ask, say, feel and do. I wanted to feel his lips again, the memory of last night fresh in my mind despite the terror afterwards. It just felt so... Lovely.

I sighed, this promised to be quite the night.