On The Run

Chapter Thirty - "Knock, Knock"

RECAP:

Chloe

And then, I surprised myself by saying, “Got room in there for one more?” referring to the chair, which was clearly large enough for two. Benjamin was on the larger side, so he needed a bigger chair than normal.

Fitch’s face broke into a slow smile as he shifted. I climbed in, leaning back next to him. I really don’t know what it was; maybe it was the confidence of talking to a total stranger without freaking out, or maybe it was my growing comfort around Fitch. Either way, I liked the fact that I was less worrisome and less obsessive.

I turned to look at him and became aware of just how close our faces were, when I could see the flecks of blue in his green eyes.

“So, what now?” I croaked.

I saw his eyes flick to my lips and then back to my eyes. I felt my heart ricochet around in my chest and I swallowed. I found myself kind of longing for him to lean in, but another part of me kind of hoped that we might be interrupted again. Only problem was, I really wasn’t sure which part I was hoping would win.

Fitch

Oh, I wanted to do it so bad.

But two things stopped me: One, I knew that if I started, I probably wouldn’t be able to stop and that would probably lead me to do something completely stupid. Two, the slight fear behind her eyes.

So, I turned away and looked up at the ceiling, as my mind went crazy with longing.

I looked back at her, and I must have imagined it, but I thought she looked a little disappointed. She gave me a small smile, and I turned on my side, “Tell me something about you that no one else knows,” I said. I didn’t necessarily want to know her deepest darkest secrets, but I was curious about her. She didn’t really give a lot away, and I could understand that, as I was the same, but I was falling harder and harder for her and couldn’t help wanting to know more.

She hesitated as she stared at me for a second, and then she turned on her side facing me. I really should simply have been appreciative that she was being more forthcoming with me than she was with anyone else. I was prepared for dead silence, and was about to bring up something random as she started, “I won a beauty pageant when I was twelve,” she said.

I smiled, a little taken aback, “You don’t seem like the type to enter a beauty pageant; I’d have thought you’d find it shallow and demeaning, even at age twelve.”

“Oh trust me, I did. But, my foster mom at the time thought I needed to build my self-esteem or self-confidence or something; they practically had to drag me kicking and screaming. And then . . . I won, and I didn’t even try. I remember, I kept thinking she’d bribed the judges or something,” she said, with a light chuckle.

I took in her beautifully soft light brown eyes and her falling curls, with the little smile playing on her lips and shook my head; I could barely believe she was real, “I seriously doubt that,” I said, enthralled.

She gave me a shy smile and looked away. She was quiet for a while, and then turned back to me, “Are we playing twenty questions?”

I gave a little shrug, “I don’t know, you tell me.”

“If we were though, social convention dictates that I ask you one as well, right?” she asked eagerly.

I grinned, amused, “Yes it does.”

“Okay. If you could be anything, what would it be?” she asked, with a questioning look.

The one thing I’d always loved was putting everything in my mind to paper, in a drawing, but it was simply a hobby. “Engineer or something,” I replied, “I like cars, and I kind of get a thrill out of fixing engines, so it’s only fitting.”