CASCADING

HIDE AND SEEK CHAPTER 10

The words lingered in Steffen's ears and he stood still watching, wanting, longing to hear her say them again. Nothing warned him of her confession, he imagine maybe he would be the one to confess his feeling first. How did he manage to keep himself from holding her right now? It felt as though they where the only two people in the world that existed in this moment, at this time. 'I like you too!' He shouted in is head. 'In fact I think I more than just like you.' The words seemed trapped in his mind and held by his tongue. 'Why can't I say it? Why are they held back? Why do I suddenly feel scared?'

"Steffen, did you hear me?" June looked at him and was so sure of what she was feeling for him. 'Why isn't he saying anything?' May be he didn't understand me.' She tried to read him, but it was difficult to.

"Why?" He looked at her more serious than he ever looked the whole night.

"Wh...What do you mean why?" She asked feeling a little embarrassed. This isn't the response that she was expecting.

"Why do you like me?" He tilted his head and waited.

"Because,...I don't know, I just like you." She stepped back from him and smiled. "Do you want a validation?" He stepped back also and waited for her response.  "Well, if I must here goes. You get me Steffen, it's like you sense me or something and you pay attention, like close attention in a way that can be a bit intimidating. I spent all this time not trying to get close to anyone, but..."

"But there was Scott." He added.

"Scott? Pugh," She swore softly under her breath. "Scott and I weren't in anything serious." He raised an eyebrow at her. "I mean it. We hung out a few times, but we couldn't seem to get it right, it's as though something was missing. It made no sense continuing something like that." She tried to explain.

"But he kept in contact with you as though you were in a relationship more than you're saying. And at the office he's always hovering around." Steffen confronted her.

"Wait, what are you talking about?" She shook her confused at his sudden change of attitude. "Are you accusing me of something?"

"No, just trying to understand you and why Scott believes he has a claim on you. Like that night by your family and you walked me out, he called and you ran off to answer your phone, you seemed excited."

"Who Me? Excited? Ha!" June started to heat up and fanned her face with her hands. "Scott Sheffield is an idiot that only thinks of himself. He is a self absorbed narcissistic jerk with an ego bigger than, bigger than," she spread arms open searching for words to explain, "bigger than this world and all that is in it. He thinks he can get any woman he wants. Yeah at first it seemed exciting and we hung out a couple of times, but trust me, it was nothing that we committed to_well at least I didn't. And that night that you mentioned, was the same night I told him I can't continue seeing him. I honestly thought he respected my decision, but it turns out he didn't." By this time June was loud and insisting. "I never felt moved by anyone the way that you move me Steffen. Maybe because I spent so much time pushing people away so that I don't get hurt. I hung onto Scott for a while because at times it got lonely but being with him still felt empty and I didn't want to lead him on further." She paused and looked up at the sky and wrapped her arms around herself. "He didn't love me, he loved the idea of being with me, but, he didn't love me."

Steffen stepped closer to her. She shook though she was wearing his jacket. "I know that we've only met recently but I can tell you have a good heart. I sense your warmth and genuineness, you see that people around you are ok. I saw that when you were in my office, and when coincidentally you ran into my dad after leaving my office that day, and you saw that he was ok by making sure he got home to his family, someone else wouldn't have gone that far, but you did. And even tonight, when you held me I felt assured that everything was going to be ok. You may find it hard to believe that I like you, but it is true. I guess what I'm trying to say is that there is a connection between us, you know? This is a first for me and I am a bit scared that you may not feel the same way, that's a given, but at least you know how I feel." She walked off closer to the shore and allow the water to cover her feet. She took a deep breath then let it out forcefully. "Well that's off my chest." She turned around and he was standing right behind her.