Telepatía

29 | relish

"I wanted some fresh air and a new environment to tap into my creativity," I stated firmly.

Theo simply stared back at me, seemingly emotionless. "Fresh environment or not, you can't force creativity. If it's not there, it's not there," he stated matter-of-factly. My mouth fell in disbelief and before I could respond, the server with two pigtails arrived, carrying our orders.

She placed them on the round table and swiftly returned with our glasses of water. "Enjoy your meal," she said cheerfully before leaving us alone.

Theo and I both mumbled our thanks, but the silence between us persisted as we began eating our burgers, not exchanging a single word.

My annoyance lingered, but hunger took precedence. I realized I had skipped breakfast and hadn't had time for a snack at school, and now I was starving.

I continued devouring my burger, becoming lost in the flavors and the satisfying sensation of fullness.

Suddenly, I noticed Theo elegantly wiping the side of his mouth, his eyes softened when he looked at me. "You need something?"

"Are you eating that?" he asked, pointing to the other burger on the side. His grey irises ignited with a glimmer.

Truthfully, that burger was meant for me, but something about the look in his eyes made me reconsider.

I swallowed my food slowly, savoring the moment, and replied, "I forgot to tell them it was for takeout, so you can eat it after practice."

"Oh," Theo responded, his mood shifting ever so slightly. "Thank you. You didn't have to do that."

I took a sip of my water and leaned back in my seat, feeling a mix of contentment and apprehension. The air between us felt charged, as if something significant was about to happen. And as Theo finished the burger I had given him, I couldn't help but giggle at the sight.

"I hope I didn't starve you that much," I teased playfully, feeling a warmth spreading through my chest. "Are you sure you don't want anything else? The milkshake looks tempting."

"No, you didn't. I'm not supposed to eat heavy meals before any extreme exercises, but thank you for this," he replied, his words laced with genuine gratitude.

Reluctantly, I straightened up in my seat, even though I yearned to linger and soak up this moment with him. It was nearing five o'clock, and we would have to deal with rush hour traffic if we didn't leave soon.

"Maybe next time," I thought to myself, picturing a different setting— a beach, frozen yogurt, a late-night drive. The location didn't matter as long as Theo was by my side.

Lost in my thoughts, I failed to hear Theo calling my name until he caught my wrist gently. Startled, I turned around, snapping out of my daydream.

"Hey, Ola?" he said, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

"S-sorry," I stammered, quickly forcing a smile. "Were you saying something?"

He hesitated for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "I, uh, I was just going to ask you something, but it's stupid. N-nevermind."

"No, tell me," I insisted, instantly feeling guilty for not giving him my full attention earlier.

"Oh, uh . . . It's Thea's birthday tomorrow, and there's this thing at my house. She asked me if you wanted to come, and I was wondering if you want to," he finally blurted out, his voice laced with nervousness.

"I would love to," I replied, a surge of excitement coursing through me. His eyes, those captivating grey eyes, locked onto mine, and I felt a flutter in my heart.