I See You (complete)

Chapter Seven

He took a step closer to me. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"You didn't seem fine when you left tonight."

I shook my head. I didn't know what to say. I turned away from him for a minute to give myself more time to think. But I still didn't come up with anything. I swung back around and looked at him.

"What's going on with us? What is this?" I asked desperately, waving my hands between us.

He shook his head and let out the breath he was holding. "I don't know.  I really don't. I saw you that morning on the first day back to school and something inside of me just went off. And then when I saw you in French class...I don't know. All I could see was you. And from that point on, I've just wanted to be with you more and more." He shook his head again, as if there was nothing else to say. "You kinda took me over," he admitted.

We stood there in silence, not sure what to do. This couldn't possibly work, could it? What would our friends think? They'd think we're both crazy out of our minds, that's what they'd think!

He looked over at me. "What do you feel?"

I softened, looking at him carefully watching me with his heart in his eyes. He'd been courageously honest with me. How could I not be the same back? I took a deep breath and faced him.

"I feel the same as you. I think I have for a long time. Longer than I've admitted to myself. I've always noticed you, ever since Kindergarten. You were always...different than all the other boys. In a good way. In a quiet, gentle way, even though you have such a bad reputation." We both laughed at that. I was quiet for a moment. "But how can this work? How can this possibly work? We are so different. We live different lives. Our friends— "

"Forget our friends!" he said in a harsh whisper. "Rachel, I've seen you for a long time too. I've wanted this—" he waved his hands between us just like I had moments earlier — "for such a long time with someone. With you. These aren't new feelings for me. They just grew...bigger and stronger fast. I don't know how or why, but I like it. I like how you make me feel inside." He sighed deeply and ran his hands through his hair before linking his fingers behind his head. "I feel alive for the first time in a long time. I feel excited just to catch a glimpse of you in the hallway. To get to sit with you for an hour in French class. And that kiss tonight..." His voice trailed off as he looked at me longingly.

I nodded. I understood everything that he was saying. I felt it too.

We stood there in the dark eyeing each other, neither of us saying a word. We didn't know what else to say.

"So what do we do?" I asked finally.

He came closer and took my hands in his, looking down at our fingers as they linked together. "Maybe we spend some time together. Get to know one another better. See if this thing is really a thing?" He looked at me and I nodded.

"Okay, but it has to be in secret for a while. Or it won't work."

He nodded. "I know."

"Maybe we can use the French tutoring as our excuse to be together? People will have to be accepting of that, right?" I suggested.

He nodded again. "That'll work."

"Okay."

"Okay."

We stared at each other again. So much staring. I think I could stare at him forever.

"I should let you get back inside before someone notices you're gone," he said softly, stepping closer to me.