The wind is growing cooler in the daytime now. It's not only limited to evenings. This doesn't surprise me. Meteli and Phoenix Drop were always ones to quickly decrease in temperature. The leaves aren't falling as quickly as the temperature does. We still have a bit of time to go before snow starts to fall.

I'm trying to clean the outside of my windows. Useless, but it keeps my mind off of everything. I feel a hand on my shoulder, and I let out a heavy sigh. "If you're asking me to clean your house, I decline. This is pointless."

There's a chuckle from behind me. I turn around to see Garroth staring down at me. I want to grow a few inches because of this man.

"I wasn't going to ask that. . . If you want to, I wouldn't be opposed to it," he says, forcing out an awkward chuckle. He looks towards my door before looking down at goosebump covered arms. "Let's go inside. I want to talk."

My heart begins to accelerate in its beating. I slowly nod my head and start for the door. Instead of allowing me to open it, Garroth opens it for me and insists I go in first.

It's a small house. It's an old, temporary, one that I ended up taking over. Laurance fixed it up for me after a good amount of cuss words and hurt fingers. It makes do for the time being, before everything is finished.

Garroth sits down and stares at me. We sit in silence for what feels like forever. I can't even hear the birds chirping outside. Instead, I can hear the sound of my heart beating out of my chest.

"I'm sorry I told you it was complicated." My eyes widen. Kandi couldn't have told Garroth. Did she? It's been two days since it happened. That's more than enough time for Kandi to tell him. "It's just. . . It's just that I'm confused. I don't know who I can go to. Talks with Laurance never went well. I can't go to Aphmau anymore. It just feels awkward."

I shift in my seat, uncomfortable. Am I being used as the last resort? This is rather awkward for me regarding my feelings for him. I push my feelings to the side and twiddle my fingers around anxiously. I hesitate, "Do you want to talk about it?"

He quickly stands. He's panicked, and I can see it clear within his eyes. He looks down at me before sitting down. "I-Can I have some tea?"

I look at him for a moment. His words are puzzling to me before I eventually stand up and walk into the kitchen. Garroth follows behind me and stands near the counter. "You may as well sit and start to think over things. The water will take a bit to boil."

Almost like an obedient dog, Garroth sits down in a chair. He doesn't utter a world the entire time I make his tea. I place it on the table, putting a teacup in front of him. A tea cup goes in front of the chair across from him.

I sit down, placing sugar into my cup and stirring it around. I glance up at Garroth to see him mindlessly stirring. I giggle, "Garroth, you'll break my teacup if you continue doing that."

It takes a few seconds before he stops. He lets go of the spoon before dropping his head. "I feel like a coward," he scolds himself, shaking his head. "It's just so complicated. Aphmau's pregnant, and I know that. She's turned me down so many times that it becomes discouraging to even be reminded of those feelings."

"I couldn't tell you the amount of times I've felt that," I say, bringing the teacup slowly to my lips and sipping on it. I hear it clink as it goes back onto the saucer. "No matter how much I tried, or how in love I was with Vylad, he always turned me down. It's hard. I'll admit that. There's always the fear of rejection, even if you know it's coming, if you're turned down. Though, of course, you always wish that the answer would be different. That'd they'd love you back."

"How did you get over him?"

I look into Garroth's eyes, letting out a heavy sigh. "Well, it took time. A lot of pain. But, in the end, it was worth it. I listened to Vylad, and I had to teach myself how to accept the fact that he couldn't love me. That he wouldn't love me. Because of that. . . I was able to get over him in order to gain eyes for others. Even if that situation seems to be challenging on its own." I had already begun to mumble to myself towards the end of my solution. I'm unsure if Garroth heard it. And if he did, he's not commenting on it. I prefer it that way.

"Did it really work?" He asks, his eyes soon looking hopeful. I nod my head in response, telling him that letting out my emotions helped. . . Even if it was sometimes to Vylad, if not, Laurance. He finishes off his tea, placing the empty cup on the saucer before standing up. "Thank you, Alex. Thank you so much," he says.

The two of us freeze when I stand up. We lock eyes, unsure what to do. After an awkward arm movement, he offers a smile before beginning to walk towards the living room to leave.

I stay in my position, trying my best to interpret what on Earth just happened between us. What those fidgety movements were. I overanalyze to the point where my head begins to hurt slightly. My hand goes to my forehead, holding onto it.

"This man," I groan, going to the clothes line to grab the dry bedding to be put away. "He'll be the death of me."