Fall Into Me

8 | Ten outta ten, sweetheart

Theodore Elias Woods

I. Have. A. Date. With. Theia.

It's been a long while since I've been on a date. These past few months have been exclusively about me recovering and the work I put in paid off. My injuries have healed better than they were expected to.

Yes, I still feel a numb pain on bad days but, it's nothing I can't handle.

Yes, I still have a long way to go if I want to play hockey again but hey, it's a start.

Yes, it still feels a little weird when I walk past a mirror and catch a glimpse of my pale left eye. Even though I'm used to the vision by now, my face still throws me off sometimes.

And yes, I've been telling myself I look hot as fuck with my discoloured eye. I mean, Theia doesn't seem bothered by it so why should I?

The only thing on my mind right now is that the girl I've been pining for the last few weeks agreed to go on a date with me tomorrow and it has to be perfect. When I come up with absolutely no ideas whatsoever, I stride down to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

"You're in a good mood," my dad states a I gulp down the last bit of my water. I hum in response.

"Care to share why you're grinning like an idiot right now?" I take a seat next to my father at the kitchen island as he types away at his laptop.

"I have a date," I beamed at him. I am really happy.

"Really?" My father looked surprised. "Well, good for you, kid." He pats my back and angles his body towards mine. "Well, who is it? Do we know her? What do you have planned? Wait, is it that girl you go to the park with in the mornings? See, I told your mom there was something going on there—"

"Woah, chill out, dad. Jeez, you're worse than mom." I shake my head in mock disappointment. "Yes, it's the girl from the park, her name's Theia. And, no I don't have anything planned and it's stressing me out because I really want this to go well."

My dad practically glows with joy. "You should've come to me sooner, son." He closes his laptop and looks at me. "Well, what is she like? What does she like?"

"Let's see, the first time I met her, she was talking to the fishes in the pond," I smile at the memory, she looked gorgeous with her ponytail and the sun illuminating her features. "She's taking a gap year just like me, she doesn't talk about that much. Oh, she has these stickers on her car, like ponies and rainbows and stuff."

I remember that day, she was giving me a ride home and, I kid you not, she was as red as a tomato when I saw her stickers.

"My sister put these up here," she says covering her face with her hands.

"Sure." I'm equal parts amused and intrigued by the pink pony with the head off.

"Look, they give the car character, okay? So stop judging."

"I'm not judging, sweetheart. I think they're cute."

She looks at me for a moment. I give her a small smile and she huffs, "okay."

"Okay."

"What else... oh, she likes books and she makes these videos and puts them online." I watched the latest one of her in her grandparents farm a couple days ago as soon as she posted it. "I don't know, dad, she's just a happy person, you know? She's fun."

"Hm." My dad thinks thoughtfully.

"What 'hm'?" I look at him as he scans my face.

"Nothing, your mom owes me a hundred bucks."