My Collection

5.

"Ok, question 15. Why do you always hide your true feelings?" Alex glanced at my eyes then back down at his hands as he asked the question. I sighed. Why did I agree to this game? The past five minutes had been torturous question after question. My friend had goaded me into playing 21 Questions. A game that, had I not been at his house, would never have begun. So here I was, stuck with Alex, playing this dumb game which required me to confess things I didn't want to tell and ask things I didn't want to know.
"What? Umm. I don't know. I guess because I don't like it when people always know what I'm feeling."
"Oh c'mon! That's not a real answer!"
"Yes it is! It's just not the answer you were looking for." He glared at me before grinning at me. People couldn't stay mad at me for very long. I have no idea why. "Kay, question 16. Why do we have to keep playing this dumb game?"
"It's not dumb. It's educational." He annunciated every syllable in the last word. "And we're playing it because I'm bored and even though you don't want to admit it, you're just as bored. Question 16. Have you ever had sex?" I jolted back in shock.
"What? No!"
"You make it sound like a bad thing. You're nineteen Audrey. Live a little." I shook my head resolutely and proceeded with my next question.
"Question 17. Who was your favourite parent?"
"My dad?" He scrunched his face up trying to think and I stifled a laugh.
"You don't sound very sure."
"Ya, well my mom was never around so..." His eyes flashed with sadness before he composed himself and went straight back to his usual peppy self. I blinked at him. He had never told me that about him. "... Want to pursue?"
"Huh?"
"I said, 'Question 17. What career do you want to pursue?' You need to stop zoning out." I flicked my wrist at him and answered him.
"That one's easy, I want to be a doctor. Question 18. Why did you want to study psychology?"
"So that I can learn which behaviors associate with certain emotions. And not just the common ones like anger or sadness. Question 18. When did you realize you wanted to be a doctor?"
"When I was 3." He blinked at my sure answer and studied me curiously. I turned away from his gaze, feeling uncomfortable under his perceptive brown eyes. He shrugged then sat back waiting for the next question. "Question 19.? Ummm... Who was your first crush?"
"You." I blinked. Then blinked again.
"M-me? Why?"
"Nuh uh. That's two questions. You have to wait your turn. Question 19." He paused looking at me with amusement. "Did you ever like me at one point?"
"Y-ya..."
"Hmmm... I see..." He leaned back in his chair and I could see him trying not to laugh.
"You see? Really? That's all you have to say?" I glared at his arrogant face and I could feel my neck heating up. "Question 20! Ummm." I stuttered to a stop once I realized I didn't have anything to say. "What time is it?"
"That's your question?"
"Uh huh..."
"Well..." He glanced at the clock on the wall beside us. "It is half past 11 my dear friend who is lacking time telling skills." I glared at him even more but couldn't be mad at him as I had set myself up for that one.
"Shut up..." I mumbled at him.
"Question 20. Do you still like me?" My breath caught. I had been waiting for the question but it still scared me when it was put into open air.
I paused before answering in a whisper, "Yes."
"Sorry? Didn't hear you."
"Yes! Yes I like you still!" My cheeks were now aflame and my neck was burning up. "Q-question 21. Why am I your crush?"
He pulled my chin up so that he could look me in the eye. "I like you because you're smart, you're not afraid to chase your dreams, you're attuned to what everyone is feeling, you know what you're striving for and already have a game plan to achieve it. You are stunningly beautiful. Your eyes are so deep and they tell thousands of stories. I can't even begin to tell you everything I like about you." He took his hands away and my heart started beating again. It jumped around wildly in my chest and I couldn't calm it down. "Question 21. Would you go out with me?" My heart stopped beating once again and I nodded slowly. "Say it?"
"Yes. I will." With that he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine.