The Arabella Conundrum

Part Fifteen- The Friendship Clarification

"You know, you're not getting any cookies now." Theo declared a few minutes after I had poured water on him and I had then finally got him an actual drink.

"You don't have any cookies." I said deadpan but wished he did because I faintly felt my stomach rumble.

"Yeah." He nodded his head but his hair still remained flat against his head. "Yeah I do."

"Where?" I asked as my stomach started to grumble again.

"I'm not telling you."

"Oh please." I whined and batted my eyelashes as him.

"Nope."

"I'll water you again!" I threatened.

"I'll just get security to remove you from the hospital."

"You wouldn't do that to your BFF!" I stated, even though I hated using the word.

"I totally would. But I guess you can have them since I'm an amazing BFF. There in my bag." He paused and frowned thinking. "Which is back at school, so yeah no cookies."

"Your bag is here. I brought it with me."

"Thanks." He gave me a tiny smile. "There in the plastic box."

I rummaged around his bag and found the cookies in the said plastic box.

"This was the same box you had in your hands this morning." I said stating the obvious as I recognised the box.

"Mhmm, open them."

I opened the lid and saw loads of tiny cookies. I noticed how each cookie had a letter and that those letters spelt out – I'm sorry-.

"I made you –I'm Sorry- cookies." Theo explained the obvious and then dived into the plastic box to grab a cookie himself.

I was a little taken aback at the gesture. I wasn't sure how I was meant to respond. Theo had cookies? Theo had cookies for me to apologise? I mean who does that? Who does something that sweet and innocent? Heck I would even to as far as to say it was a cute gesture. Yeah, that's right cute. After overthinking over some bloody cookies I finally managed to look up at him.

"You made these?" I asked sceptically.

Not to stereotype but most teenage boys don't know how to cook cookies and none of the friends I had who were boys knew how to. I also doubted that he could cook since his mother brought back prepared food the other night. I inspected them carefully and they actually looked really good. They were pretty cute as well. Again with the cute Arabella.

"They won't poison you!" He reassured me.

"How can I be sure?"

"Awhh, you got me. My aim is to poison you so I can learn all your dark secrets that you never reveal. Notice how I revealed my epilepsy when I was asked."

I looked away and didn't know quite what to say. There were reasons why I had dark secrets, there were reasons why I didn't reveal them. I could already feel myself getting way too close to him and I couldn't allow that. I really couldn't. My mood suddenly soured and I actually wanted to get out of there. My grip tightened on the side of the chair and prepared to stand up.

"Stupid Theo." I heard him whisper lowly to himself. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I won't ask stuff like that again, not until you're ready." His arm reached out to touch me but I moved my arm so he couldn't.

"I... It's not what I do okay? I don't open up. I just don't know how to. It's been so hard to even start to talk to you. Do you notice that aside from Lily, Ollie and Charlie, I talk to nobody at that school? If me not opening up to you is a big deal then just stop talking to me. Stop being nice to me and leave me alone. I honestly don't get why you are being so persistent with me. And I am so bloody confused as to why I'm going along with it."