I never thought I’d feel this way about anyone in my life. I wasn’t looking for ‘Theone’, because I was happy with the way things were in my life.
Until Zaira, I didn’t even think about happily ever afters, about the adrenaline that comes with wanting to see, to touch, and to hold someone you were crazy about.
Until her, I didn’t know what true attraction felt like, but with her, everything felt amazing; everything felt achievable.
“So, what were you like as a kid?” she asked, and placed her back on the couch’s armrest before looking at me.
I blew air through my lips and shrugged. “Usual, but not so much.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I don’t do riddles, Underwood. Be clear.”
I chuckled. “Well, for the most part, I was invisible. I went to all my classes, kept to myself, played basketball for the school’s team, and went home to my music and studies. I had no friends, and honestly, I didn’t care much for it anyway.
When I started taking drama classes later on, I began meeting people. I had to socialize a lot during that period. At first, I hated it, but when people showed interest in my ideas and my way of performing, I grew more and more confident each day.” I hid a yawn behind a fist. “School changed me, and I think it does that for everyone. Good or bad, you learn things from your experiences during those long years. School life sculpts you. I wouldn’t wanna change my time as a kid, because then I wouldn’t be the man I am today, and to be honest, I like the kinda man I am right now.”
She grinned. “I like the man you are, too. A lot.”
“Yeah?” I placed a hand over her left thigh, and felt her stiffen, and then relax under my touch.
“Yeah.”
I got on my knees and hovered over her. It was a brave move on my part, that’s for sure, but when Zaira didn’t push me away, it relieved me. It told me that I wasn’t crossing the line or being too forward, and that’s great because the last thing I wanted to do was make her feel uncomfortable in my presence.
I grinned down at her when she smiled up at me. I grabbed one end of her glasses and slowly pulled them off, and my heart almost leaped out of my chest because…God, that girl was unbelievably gorgeous.
“Can you still see me?” I asked.
She placed a hand on my chest. “Yeah. My numbers aren’t major, but my optician says if I wear glasses regularly, I won’t have to wear them at all after a while.”
“That so?”
“Yup,” she said.
“You know–” I stopped when loud squeaks sounded from my right.
I groaned and looked in the direction of the noise, and cursed before getting off the couch when that asshole rat looked at me from atop my destroyed bed.
“Finally,” Zaira mused. “It’s so good to meet you, Mr. Rat.” She got off the couch and stood next to me.
“Please don’t tell me you’reactuallyhappy to see this fucker,” I said, then handed her glasses to her, which she immediately put back on.
She chuckled at my comment. “He’s harmless, Gall.”
I looked around at my ruin of a trailer. “Yeah, don’t mind if I say that I don’t believe you.”
“It wasn’t the rat who did all this,” she countered.
“I’m sorry, are you siding with the rodent?” I asked.
She smirked. “It can’t defend itself, so I’m doing that for it.”
“You should’ve pursued law,” I mumbled, and huffed when the rat squeaked again.
Zaira laughed. “Aww, it wants to hang out with us.”
I gave her an exasperated look. “You’re evil.”
She flashed her teeth at me, and then whipped her head forward when a crash sounded from the vanity table.
