THEODORE CORBYN [Book1]

♡ | Theo | ♡

       There are days when you love the life you were given. Today wasn't as great as I had hoped it would be. Today... my uncle was diagnosed with cancer. They say he won't have much time left to live.

  The day after I had gotten news of this, I went on a walk to clear my head at five in the morning. I needed it. When I came back home, I saw a single rose on the hook of my door. It was suspicious, of course. But, I didn't pay much mind to it since I had other things I needed to do today. As an independent 20-year-old, this was fine. If something were to happen, like a break-in, I would probably be able to defend myself. Probably. I have a bat in my closet for a reason.

  College is a pain. It's even worse if your ex is there every day, too. I have a couple of projects that I haven't had time to do due to stress. But, I manage or try to.

  Later that day, as I was on my way to the bus stop, I had a faint feeling I was being watched. My every move. Calculated. My eyes wandered around for a moment... There he was. Theo. Theodore Corbyn. Brown curly hair, chiseled jaw, at least around 5'9, features of an athlete even though he wasn't one, dark brown eyes, a smile as warm as the moon.. but always quiet... yes, I am that type of girl. In high school, during lunch, I'd always catch him staring.. it was those types of stares that were long and unknowingly deep. I've had a crush on him since the eighth grade, and apparently, we go to the same college now. I tried to stop liking him when I met Landon in eleventh grade, and we were inseparable. Until he cheated on me two years later. It was nice while it had lasted, though. 

  I cringed when I heard the loud screech of the bus approaching the curb. I looked away from him, but he didn't. I got up to board the bus, and so did he. Several minutes and a couple of stares outside later, I looked out the window as the bus approached the college, pulling at the pully to request a stop. 

  A few hours later after classes, at around 5 pm. I went to the library as usual. I volunteered there last year, during my second year through. It was a good way to find some peace and quiet. When I went inside, I felt that hint of being watched again, not as intense as earlier, but it was there. I had sat at my regular spot at the back with a few books, romance, thriller, sci-fi, fantasy, etc. Some were mixed genres, but whatever. It gave me comfort. Reading was a way for me to cope with the pain of being in this world. 

  I had gotten through some pages of my book when I felt a shadow above me. I glanced up, and there he was. Theodore Corbyn.. again. 'Why is he here!? Is he stalking me?' I thought to myself a bit nervously as I stared at him in curiosity. He stared back. It seemed as though he wanted to say something, but he didn't and kept staring. He looked at me and then my book swiftly, then back at me. I caught him doing so, and I paused before asking, "You gonna keep staring or?" He answered quietly with a question to my question, "I've met you before, right?" I narrowed my eyes in disbelief that he actually asked that. "No," I said in denial, trying to erase every year we've been in classes together and the fact that I still liked him. He suddenly holds out his hand for me to shake. 

  "Well, I'm Theodore Corbyn. But you.. can call me Theo." He says that with a slight smirk as he slyly eyes my fit, as though he's interested; but I doubt that. I reached out to shake his hand briefly as I closed my book after scouring for the page number, 65. Though, as I was taking my hand away, he gently pulled it back into his. "What's your name?" He asked as he continued to hold my hand for a few more seconds like he wanted to feel it through his skin. A bit creepy, honestly. "Y/n." I said. "Hmm.. That's a lovely name... Y/n." His 'warm yet velvety deep' voice said it slowly, as though it was something charishable to place into his vocabulary, forever. He smiled and finally let go of my hand. It was warm but.. a bit sweaty, most probably because of me. 'God, I hate it when I do that.. stupid hands. Stupid, sweaty hands.' I thought. We started to stare at each other again. It felt a bit awkward, but weirdly enough, I actually liked being the only person in his gaze right now... I gestured to a seat across from me. He sat and looked at the other books beside me on the table. "Mind if I read one of those?" He pointed to the stack. I nodded before opening my book to the page I was on, 65, and I started reading silently again. The book he picked up was a romance novel, one of my favorites.