Put A Bell On Her

He also found some bread and sliced it to make the meal more filling. He put the pot on the burner and set the table for Anna.

The absurdity of the situation wasn't lost on him and his sole focus was the woman in his bathroom who looked like she was on the verge of death.

Anna stood at the bathroom door and got more and more agitated as the minutes passed. What if Ladislas didn't let her leave? She tiptoed into the hallway and listened intently for movement.

She heard him move around and the sound of utensils.

It was okay. She would just eat the food and leave, forgetting this ever happened. She would chalk it up to being too human and wanting a warm place to stay. She could use that to dupe herself. She was temporarily insane or something.

She sucked in a deep breath and walked into the kitchen. Ladislas decided to get something to drink from the fridge. He turned around and almost bumped into Anna, who was hovering right behind him, her eyes fixed on the pot on the stove.

But he knew, she was keeping a tab on him from the corner of her eyes.

"Someone should put a bell on you," Ladislas commented in a low voice.

Anna started to calm down when she finally got a good look at him. The man in the long black coat who had somehow entered her room was now wearing a bright yellow apron, cooking for her, she didn't feel so apprehensive.

Ladislas was also scrutinizing her. Washed up and clothed in rather luxurious materials, she looked different. The red hair at her roots shattered into a multitude of beautiful colors when the light fell on it. He knew this was her original hair color. Why had she dyed it? He didn't know. Her face was almost hollow, nothing like the somewhat sluggish college student he was used to. And she was pale.

She had dark circles marring her under-eyes. He found her oddly attractive and he couldn't tear his eyes away from her face.

She was wearing his sweater and Penelope's pants that she claimed had shrunk in the dryer. Penelope was actually in denial that she had put on some weight. The clothes were too big on Anna but she looked good in them.

He also saw that she had calmed down. But she was still breathing heavily and measuring his movements. Ladislas cleared his throat and motioned to the table.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

Anna nodded carefully and approached him with extreme caution as if she was expecting him to lunge at her. Ladislas fixed her a plate and walked over to her slowly. He was almost scared that she would run for the hills if he walked too fast or made too much sound.

He placed the plate in front of him. Anna sat completely rigid until Ladislas walked back to the stove. The second he was out of her direct proximity, Anna started to eat her food at lightning speed.

She was making a dent at the food in her plate and her left arm was placed in a position that almost looked protective.

"Hey, slow down," he said as he took a step in her direction. "You're going to make yourself sick."

Anna flinched and crouched even more over the plate, effectively shielding it.

Ladislas' eyes widened. Anna really thought he would take away her food. And he realized that this intriguing girl had a dark past. This was not behavior people had in a matter of a few months. This was a primal fear of going hungry. People who have gone hungry for prolonged periods of time did that. He had seen it with his own two eyes.

Ladislas took a step back instinctively.

Anna stood up straighter and raised her head.

"I'm just saying you will get sick if you eat too fast," he whispered.

Anna nodded once and went back to her plate, eating slower not that her stomach was a little full. Her knife and fork danced over the plate with finesse. Ladislas could recognize that she was graceful and used to high-quality meals. She had the table manners for it when she wasn't scared and cold.

"Do you want more?" Ladislas asked.

For the first time, Anna's lips curved up in a beautiful smile. It only lasted a second or two but it made his heart pound even faster than before. He approached her carefully and took her plate. He put the last of the pot roast on it and set it back in front of her.

Anna looked embarrassed and refused to accept it. She held it up to him even though she obviously wasn't full.

He gulped when he understood what she meant. "I already had my meal," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Anna eyed him carefully for a second before she started to eat in a graceful pose. Ladislas returned to his spot by the stove and watched her finish the plate. She leaned back and sighed happily.

Ladislas suddenly remembered that he hadn't given her anything to drink. He had promised her hot chocolate, so she would get it. He simply blasted it in the microwave and placed the mug in front of her.

Anna cupped the mug in her palms, soaking in the radiating heat. She took a careful sip before placing the mug back on the table.

She frowned all of a sudden and looked down at her hand. For the first time, Ladislas followed her gaze to her left hand. That's when he saw that her knuckles were chafed as if she had been in a fight. The other hand was likewise afflicted.

'Who has she been fighting?'

"What happened?" he asked, pointing to her knuckles.

Anna shrugged and held up her backpack.

"Someone tried to steal your bag?" He was confused.

She nodded, looking sad again. But this… this was faked. Ladislas ground his teeth together. He didn't like her constant lies.