Salomé slipped away from the dinner party, seeking a moment of solitude. She stepped out onto the deck, the warm night air enveloping her.
She walked over to the swimming pool, the soft glow of the underwater lights illuminating the water. She settled in one of the chairs arranged around the pool, letting out a soft sigh.
She closed her eyes briefly, letting the peacefulness of the moment wash over her. Just a few minutes had passed when she felt a shadow manifest in front of her.
Her eyes opened to find Giovanni standing before her, looking down at her with an unreadable expression.
For a moment, they just locked eyes, the only sound the gentle lapping of the water against the sides of the pool.
"May I?" He asked, calmly.
Salomé was slightly startled by the question. She hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say.
"Sure..." She replied, a bit skeptical.
Giovanni sat down beside her, his expression still unreadable. His turquoise blue eyes stared at the pool, mirroring its colour.
For a moment, they just sat there, the silence between them palpable.
Salomé couldn't help but steal glances at Giovanni, trying to read his expression. But his face was a mask, giving away nothing.
Finally, Giovanni spoke, his voice breaking the silence.
"Like what you see?" He shifted his focus from the pool and turned to face the girl with a tiny smile on his lips.
Salomé felt a flush rise to her cheeks as she met Giovanni's gaze. She hadn't expected him to catch her staring, and she certainly hadn't expected him to smile about it.
"Sorry," she muttered, looking away, trying to play it cool.
Giovanni chuckled, a low, smooth sound that seemed to rumble from deep within his chest. This little act drew Salomé's focus back to the young man sitting beside her, and she stared at him in wonder.
"You...laughed," she said in disbelief, her eyes wide with surprise.
Giovanni's smile grew a little bit, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I believe so," he said, his voice dripping with amusement. "Was more of a chuckle, really."
Salomé's gaze was fixed on his face, her expression incredulous. "Still...sound left your throat," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Giovanni's smile faltered for a moment, and he looked away, his eyes gazing out at the pool again. Salomé sensed a flicker of emotion behind his eyes, something that looked almost like vulnerability. And soon enough, his mask was firmly back in place.
"It's really beautiful," she blurted out all of a sudden. "The pool, I mean."
Giovanni said nothing. The silence that followed was awkward and stiffening than before.
Salomé tried again, determined to get some kind of conversation going. "I love the way the lights reflect off the water."
Giovanni's expression remained unchanged. "It's...nice," he said, flatly.
Salomé tried to think of something else to say. But before she could come up with anything, Giovanni spoke up again.
"Miss Rutledge?"
"Yes?" she replied almost immediately, turning to look at him.
Giovanni's eyes met hers, and for a moment, Salomé thought she saw something flicker in their depths. But then, his expression closed off again, and he looked away.
"Laughter...is a rare thing for me," he said, his voice barely audible.
Salomé's curiosity was piqued.
She leaned in closer, her eyes never leaving his side profile. "Why?" she asked, softly.
Giovanni's gaze remained on the pool, but Salomé sensed a flicker of tension in his body. "Some things...are just not funny," he said, his voice dripping with an air of mystery.