The Man Who Never Speaks

7. Dancing Is A Dangerous Game

"Salt air, and the rust on your door
I never needed anything more
Whispers of 'Are you sure?'
Never have I ever before."

————

It had been some time since Mary had stopped by to see how her friend was doing. Every once in a while the two had dinner together at FP's place to catch up and make sure that, under the current circumstances, the other was doing fine.

FP knew that this was also a way for Mary to make sure he wasn't falling further into the rabbit hole that had taken him eighteen years ago. It had seemed impossible to get him out of there, but all she could do was hold his hand to make sure she got him as soon as he found the strength within to free himself.

However, to her surprise she didn't see the permanent frown on his face that she saw every single time. She noticed something else— a smile.

"What has gotten into you? I haven't seen you so smiley in a long time." Mary eyed him playfully after swallowing a bite of her dinner. FP's cheeks flushed immediately, feeling like he had spilled a secret.

"It's Alice, isn't it?" She brought in carefully.

After the accident she had stopped by in the hospital and couldn't have helped but to see the hopeful spark in his eyes when he had noticed Alice's notes.

She could read him like a book and from that moment on she knew that it hadn't been an innocent look. There was something different about their bond. It brought him to life in a way nothing else had the past two decades. She had tried, but maybe Alice was the key.

"I'm afraid it is." FP sighed in defeat as he put his fork down.

Ever since they had kissed, FP had felt an awful lot of guilt towards her. But most of all, he felt so deeply embarrassed of what she had to witness that particular night.

"Why are you afraid? Don't you think that's a good thing?" Mary grew confused, as she had expected for him to be happy about his growing bond with Alice. How could that in any way be something bad?

"I'm not so sure, Mary. It's hard to understand what I am feeling." FP shook his head confused.

After the night she spent at his home he thought things would become clear, but the closer she came the less he could put into words what he felt around her. It should be easy, shouldn't it? Then why was it so hard to comprehend what his heart was telling him?

"You're afraid because someone is getting close to the part you've tried to keep hidden for so long." Mary said softly, as she placed her hand on his arm to give him a little comfort.

FP swallowed. She was right. Maybe that was the scary part. He wasn't even sure he was able to feel something for someone this way and yet Alice was the living proof that the part of him that he thought was dead, was still very much alive.

"It was fine that way. Less.... confusing." He said quietly, as he pricked with his fork into his food, but not eating it anymore. His appetite was gone.

"FP, did you consider that you might be falling for her?" Mary tried to catch his eyes and when he snapped his head up to look at her, she could see a spark of fear. He really was scared to be in love with Alice.

"What if I am? What do I do then?" He breathed out deeply and averted his gaze from hers again, growing afraid that even Mary would think that he was completely insane for being so afraid.

"Open your heart. You might be surprised of what you find." She advised him with a sweet smile.

Even when she didn't know Alice that well, FP had been her friend ever since she could remember. Every slight change on his face, every twitch of his eye, she could somehow understand. She knew how much this relationship could do for FP, but before that could happen he needed to be open to the possibilities.