Leap of Faith

23:46

“When did it start?” Theo’s voice is barely above a whisper as he asks the question. “You don’t have to answer me. I was just wondering, that’s all.”

Questions, no matter how much I didn’t want to answer them, were better than utter silence. Maybe I hadn’t lost him yet. Maybe there was hope.

“A decade ago,” I sigh. “It hasn’t been this bad since the first time. Usually I’ve had somewhere to run to when I feel anxious, but tonight was different. I couldn’t escape which meant that I freaked out a little more.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” He asks wishfully.

“No, this is all on me,” I laugh. “It’s ok. I’m ok now so there’s no need to worry about me.”

“But I do,” Theo inches closer to me. I’ve noticed that whenever Theo gets close to me, my body reacts instantly and warmth envelops me.

He’s mesmerized by me.

He worries about me.

He doesn’t think I’m a freak.

How is it possible that someone like Theo exists?

“Blue,” comes the next word to pass his lips. “My favorite color is blue.”

I love how he changes the subject without making a big deal out of what happened. I can sense that his body is on high alert from the way he hulks over me, ready to step in should something happen, but at the same time he doesn’t want to make the next quarter of an hour awkward.

“I like blue,” I agree. “But I prefer black. There’s something strangely comforting about black.”

He laughs. “You continue to surprise me, Catherine.”

I groan at the sound of my name passing his lips. “Can you stop calling me Catherine, please?”

“Huh?” Obvious confusion tinges the sound.

“My name…” I let my words trail off as I smile to myself. “It’s kind of sexy the way you say it.”

“Catherine?” He teases me. “Well, if I can’t call you Catherine, what can I call you?”

“Anything else,” I grant him.

“But I like Catherine,” he inches closer to me. “Catherine is sexy. Catherine is sophisticated. Catherine is unlike anyone else I know. I like Catherine.”

“Yeah, well, Catherine doesn’t much like you right now.”