The Gentle Giant and the Melancholy Monster

Chapter 11

"You're no monster. Tarah, I don't know why anyone would call you that." Sebastian angrily tosses his fresh cookies onto a plate, splitting a few in half. He touches one of his knuckles to the hot baking sheet but doesn't even flinch.

"Because I'm not like them. Simple as that."

"We're all different somehow. Fuck what they say! I used to get made fun of for my height. It just shows that all high schoolers are that insecure."

"You did? But that's such a... normal thing." I take one of the cookies that didn't crumble from the force and take a bite. "Wow," I say with my mouth full. "So good!"

"I got called a giant nearly every day in elementary school. I've been this height since the fifth grade. Kids will look for just about anything to make fun of."

He tries making me feel better, but I can't get him to understand my situation if I don't come clean. The only thing was, I would need a push, and since Jesse isn't here anymore, there's no use even trying. Sebastian is a lot of handsome, sexy, brilliant things, but pushy isn't one of them. "You may be tall, or, compared to me, even a giant. But you know what I think? You're a gentle giant. What you see isn't what you get."

"Exactly. You get so much more. And, whatever it is that earned you that nickname is just a part of you that is unique. You're so much more than what people may criticize you for. Your name means 'crown,' right? You're like a princess."

"It's more like this: if you're a gentle giant, then I'm a melancholy monster," I reply, giving him a half smile, trying to show him I'd rather keep this conversation lighthearted.

"Whatever you want to be called," he shrugs. "I personally think of you as a tiger. You know that people spend their lives hunting those like you, who are different? But you're going to be one of the few that make it out alive. And I'll gladly protect you, always."

"I would say that's just about the cheesiest thing I've ever heard," I laugh. "But tigers are one of my favorite animals."

"I know," he replies, getting us each a glass of milk.

"You do? How?"

"Remember when all the schools in our area went to the zoo in middle school?"

"Oh, right! You were there too." Now I remembered. We pretty much spent all day together. Of course, that was before I got to know him better.

"And since you were only eleven and I was thirteen, I got assigned as your 'buddy' so you would behave."

I let out a laugh, and he quickly joined in, knowing exactly where I was going with this. "Didn't you end up trying to jump in one of the ponds that same afternoon?"

"Okay, I suppose I wasn't the best buddy, and you barely even talked to me. But I watched you, and saw how much you loved the tigers."

"And then you cut our time there short so we could go see the aquarium," I replied unenthusiastically.

"Listen though! I'm actually going somewhere with this. When I hear your name, I think of tigers, and not just because they're your favorite. But maybe you see the appeal in them because you can relate. Or, I don't know. Let me know if this even makes sense. You stay up late at night, and you love playing and swimming in the water during the summer-"

"Seb, no offense. But you sound like your drunk self right now," I interrupt.

"Hey!" He playfully nudges me, bumping into my side. "How would you even know that?"
"New Year's Eve! When we all had some beers, remember?"

"Oh. I actually didn't drink. I think I was the only one who didn't," Sebastian admits before taking a sip of milk.

"Well, now you're making me feel like a bad person! I hope you know I don't usually drink."