Fatal Attraction

Chapter Seven

"Did you have a good time last night?" Theodore asked as we pulled into an empty parking space at the shelter. Violet got out of the truck immediately heading towards the shelter.

"I did, thank you." I smiled as I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Did you?"

"Yes I did and if I am being honest probably one of the best nights I've had in awhile, even if it was with a bunch of tiny adult teenagers." Theodore laughed as he unbuckled his seatbelt then turned the truck off. We got out of the truck and started on the path heading towards the shelter entrance hand in hand.

"We are not teenagers. I am twenty years old, Lenny is almost twenty two and Liam--"

"Wait how old are you?" Theodore asked tightly, his eyes widened in shock.

"I'm twenty years old?" I replied though it sounded like more of a question rather than a statement. "Is that a problem?"

"Kind of. Do you even know how old I am?" He asked, turning to face me. I stopped in my tracks turning towards him.

"Not really but why should that matter?" I crossed my arms over my chest feeling a little irritated. "Shouldn't our personalities and looks be enough?"

Theodore couldn't answer his face reflecting the exact same emotion I was feeling... shocked, confused, almost angry, so I continued on my verbal rampage releasing my thoughts like a volcano that had just exploded.

"I like you Theodore and I know you like me because if you didn't you wouldn't have made me a batch of brownies right after you woke up this morning. I know that if you didn't like me you wouldn't have kissed me last night. I do not understand why my age has to be the determining factor of what comes next."

"I am almost thirty years old, Sophia. I'm just over a decade older than you! That is a big reason to defy the feelings I have for you. I'm not some fucking pedophile. I beat them up for fun when I'm locked up and I'm not about to turn into one!"

"You're not a pedophile and I am over the legal age limit in case you haven't thought about that." I huffed angrily. I wanted to walk away before I said anything I would regret becaus e knowing myself I would. "Look I don't want to argue with you but I am just saying that you must have had some guesstimate about my age and just because of that small little detail, that shouldn't determine whether or not we continue whatever the hell is going on between us."

"It does though! It affects everything." He spoke loudly and angrily. "I like you, Sophia but not enough to be looked at differently because I'm sleeping with a woman nearly half my age."

"Alright Theodore, you win." I sighed throwing my hands in the air in surrender. "We can still be friends if you want but since my age is a big deal to you, I will make it easy for both of us and just pretend that last night didn't happen."

"That's not what I-" Theo's eyes widened.

"It's fine, Theodore. It's really okay, we're still friends." I said calmly though my insides felt as if they'd been ripped apart. "I need to go take a shower but I'll see you later, right?"

I didn't wait for a reply as I walked to the shelter leaving Theodore in the dust. I signed in quickly trying to avoid conversation as much as I could. I asked Samantha if I was able to lay down for a while blaming it on a long and draining night. She reluctantly agreed after handing me my mail and letting me know that Jennifer had requested to speak with me after lunch.

As I settled into the bed I noticed a bunch of unread emails, voicemails and text messages. A few of them were from potential employers wanting an interview, some were from my brother and sisters and the rest from either Violet, Theodore or Samantha. I turned my phone on 'do not disturb' and set an alarm for twelve thirty, long enough to fall into a deep sleep and hopefully recover from the night before.