"I like you," he said, "because of your hair, because of your clothes, because of who you are. I haven't seen anything like your hair before, it's copper like a penny, but orange like the edge of a fire. I know you designed your clothes. You're wearing your creations and you have great taste and style. And you're not in a gang, you see yourselves as people who don't fit in, so you ostracize yourself from other people and join other ostracized people and together you strive to perfect your flaws. I like you because you don't have some elaborate story that you try and mold yourself to. You don't act like a clone that doesn't think for itself. You are the real deal," A pained look swept across his face and he turned his back to me.
"What about the other girls? You could still have anybody you wanted," I said, slightly dazed at what he had said.
"The people I hang out with look to me for guidance, at least the guys do. The girls look at Emily for what to do. I'm sick of trying to act 'cool'. I don't like it. I can't express myself without having to think of what others might think. I want to be me," he said, his back still to her, "and I thought maybe if I found someone who did act like themselves, I could be me around them. They wouldn't like me for what I pretend to be; they would like me for me," he turned around to face me.
He took two steps and I was suddenly in his arms. He hugged me gently, like I was fragile. Testing the waters, I thought. I slipped my arms around him and hugged him back. He cupped my face and his lips were on mine. They were soft and I felt like I could get lost in them forever. Mila's warning flashed in my mind. 'Crash and burn'. Reluctantly, I broke the kiss and stepped back. He looked scared, like he had made a horrible decision.
"I-I, um," I stuttered, "I don't want to rush anything," my cheeks were on fire.
"She said you wouldn't want to rush," he said, "I just wanted to see what the boundaries were right now,"
"She?" I said, outraged.
"Mila," he explained, "she warned me that if I hurt you, I would be in twice as much pain. She really cares about you and doesn't want to see you get hurt," I was slightly hurt; I didn't want him to be super cautious around me and I didn't want Mila to interfere.
"Ben," I said, "I want you to be you, but if you're going to be super cautious, I don't think I can do this,"
"I just wanted to see what you would deem as acceptable," he said, looking into my eyes. I slipped my arms around his neck and we stood there for a while. Unfortunately, a cold breeze enveloped us and he stepped back.
"It's freezing," he said, "Let's go back to my place?" I nodded and we walked hand in hand all the way back to hi place. When we arrived, warm air rushed out the door to greet us.
"What about the other girls? You could still have anybody you wanted," I said, slightly dazed at what he had said.
"The people I hang out with look to me for guidance, at least the guys do. The girls look at Emily for what to do. I'm sick of trying to act 'cool'. I don't like it. I can't express myself without having to think of what others might think. I want to be me," he said, his back still to her, "and I thought maybe if I found someone who did act like themselves, I could be me around them. They wouldn't like me for what I pretend to be; they would like me for me," he turned around to face me.
He took two steps and I was suddenly in his arms. He hugged me gently, like I was fragile. Testing the waters, I thought. I slipped my arms around him and hugged him back. He cupped my face and his lips were on mine. They were soft and I felt like I could get lost in them forever. Mila's warning flashed in my mind. 'Crash and burn'. Reluctantly, I broke the kiss and stepped back. He looked scared, like he had made a horrible decision.
"I-I, um," I stuttered, "I don't want to rush anything," my cheeks were on fire.
"She said you wouldn't want to rush," he said, "I just wanted to see what the boundaries were right now,"
"She?" I said, outraged.
"Mila," he explained, "she warned me that if I hurt you, I would be in twice as much pain. She really cares about you and doesn't want to see you get hurt," I was slightly hurt; I didn't want him to be super cautious around me and I didn't want Mila to interfere.
"Ben," I said, "I want you to be you, but if you're going to be super cautious, I don't think I can do this,"
"I just wanted to see what you would deem as acceptable," he said, looking into my eyes. I slipped my arms around his neck and we stood there for a while. Unfortunately, a cold breeze enveloped us and he stepped back.
"It's freezing," he said, "Let's go back to my place?" I nodded and we walked hand in hand all the way back to hi place. When we arrived, warm air rushed out the door to greet us.
