Claire & Theo

27.

"Where do you want to eat?" Theo asked.

"You know what?"

"What?" He was confused.

"I'm craving Burger King."

He smiled at her cutely, "Sure, fuck the model diet."

She laughed nodding her head, "Control your language mister."

"Ah, my bad. I'll work on it better." he chuckled.

Theo drove them to the nearest Burger King in the city. They kept making jokes during the ride which was something new for both. It was interesting and it was probably the first time that they felt carefree within each other's presence.

After they ordered their food, they sat down by the clear glass windows of the fast-food restaurant. Theo finally broke the silence, "Are you feeling better?"

She thought of how genuine he sounded, "I am well now. I was just riled up in the moment for sure. I am working to differentiate the types of anger I have when I lash out on someone."

"Is that why you were scared at first... of loving?"

She paused to ponder, "Yes, I believe so. I just didn't think I would muster the courage to be with someone when I'm not sane enough. There was no trusting bond that I made within myself."

"Then, what changed?" he asked quietly.

"It was you. You changed my perspective."

"Me?"

"Yeah... You reassured me of safety and how protecting one another was a great amount of satisfaction. There was always a pull from me to you, Theo. You are the thread of my hope."

"I plan to stay that way forever. I will always be your hope, Claire. Whenever you need me, I'll be there." He enveloped her hand that was on the table.

"Do you remember the first time we met, Theo?" she asked him suddenly.

"I believe it was a mutual friend who introduced us during our senior year in undergrad. Why the question?"

"We met before then, try remembering deeply." she chuckled softly.

He squinted his eyes in confusion, "We did?" he thought for a few seconds, "Give me a hint."

"Sophomore year of college during the spring festival..." she coughed, "kissing booth event."

His eyes widened in shock at the memory...

"What the hell, Lucas. This is a stupid game, who would want to kiss someone that you can't even see." Theo grunted at his friend.

"Just live in the moment, dumbass." his stupid friend encouraged him again.

Theo did not want to be here. He would rather be cooped up in his room studying for his finals but here he was due to Lucas being a crackhead.

Without any words, Lucas pushed Theo onto the stage where another girl came up to him putting a blindfold on him directing him to the middle where he was going to be kissed.

It was quite embarrassing for him but the person that he was about to kiss was going to be his first kiss. He always thought his first would be special, but he guessed wrong. At this point, he gave up and imagined that a horrible monster kissed him.

He waited until he heard the small footsteps come near him, "Hi."

She sounded very timid, but her voice was... oddly pretty.

He gulped, "Hi."

"Um... I'll just get straight to it, I guess."

People were yelling in the crowd with words of encouragement to kiss faster.

She was taking a bit longer to do that, so Theo shocked himself when he said to her, "Just trust me."

He found her neck and brought her lips closer to his. They were the softest lips ever and it was just so... sweet. She kissed him back slowly.

They went on for a few seconds, but it felt like heaven for Theo. He had to know who this girl was, so he snatched the blindfold from his eyes, but by the time he did that, she disappeared.

Never mind, his first kiss was indeed special.