Leap of Faith

23:39

Silence.

Awkward.

Must fill the awkward silence. But with what?

“You’re on a deserted island, right?” My mouth runs with the first idea that pops into my head. “You can take three things with you, but only three things, ok? What would you take and why?”

More silence.

More stillness.

Epic awkwardness.

“See, I would take a book,” I answer my own question. “Angels and Demons. I liked the book but I hated the movie. Tom Hanks was miscast, if you ask me. Then I would take my iPod, because I would need noise. I can’t stand it when it gets too quiet,” I pause at those words, then fill the gap with more rushed words. “And then I would take Mr. Pilkington.”

“Mr. Pilkington?” I should have known the mere mention of my childhood teddy bear would rouse him from his thoughts. People always look at me dumbfounded when I mention the tatty teddy, but he’s the love of my life. “Who in the hell is Mr. Pilkington?”

“The bear,” I mumble, the heat rising to my cheeks. I feel the burning and pull up both of my hands to cool my cheeks, but I forgot that Theo’s hand was in mine. The back of his hand rests against my cheek, fully aware of how embarrassed I am in this moment. “So, ‘fess up. Your three items would be…?”

I start the sentence off for him in a way that would make him answer. And it works.

“Uh, ok,” he murmurs, the index finger of his hand brushing a strand of hair from my face. “I would take my iPod. I would take a ball to kick around. And… Not sure about the last thing, but having some company would be good. Would you come to the deserted island with me?”

Would I? I hardly know him, so being on a deserted island with him would be strange, not that it would be much different from being locked in a closet with him. Then that question pops into my head- would I choose to be locked in a closet with him? If I had a do-over, would I have come in here, knowing full well that he was in here too?

My stomach does a flip and I’m not sure what it means. Granted, I hadn’t eaten much today, and it could just be hunger pangs, but this was deeper. It was a whirling sensation that built up in my core, coming from somewhere so hidden inside me that I hadn’t known it existed.

“I freaked you out.” Suddenly his hand is gone. I miss it.

“No, you didn’t,” I promise him. “I was thinking, that’s all. You… You’re… You make me nervous.”

“I do?” His voice is barely a whisper. “In a good way or a bad way?”