Owen

A Game of Balls

But then I felt her press against my side, leaning over my shoulder slightly as she readjusted the end of the stick in my right hand. My heart started pounding as I registered how close she was. Sure, we'd been physically close before during therapy, but this was different. This had been voluntarily on her part, not part of her job. She reached her left hand out, placing it on the ledge of the pool table. I couldn't focus on a damn thing except her. How her blond hair was falling out from her pony tail, the diamond studs twinkling in her ears, the spread of freckles I could see splattered across her cheek. She smelled like clean laundry and springtime like the world outside was bursting with freshly budding flowers.

I had a massive urge to tell her I liked her.

But I clamped my mouth shut, holding it in, knowing it wouldn't be received well, if at all.

"Count of three." She said looking back at me unexpectedly.

I panicked, feeling as though she could read my thoughts. That I'd been caught.

"1..2..3." She said softly, exhaling as she guided my right hand forward.

I followed her line sight, down the pool stick to where the tip of the stick thwacked against the white ball sending it hurtling into the perfectly set triangle of balls. They scattered across the table, bouncing off the walls before slowly coming to a stop.

"Good job." She said, standing up.

Was it sad to say I wish she hadn't? That she had stayed close. It didn't really matter though,  I knew Mina not hating me was a long shot. I smiled at her anyway.

"That was all you."

"You'll catch on." She encouraged.

I wasn't sure I ever would. But if this was something Mina would do with me again, I'd sure as hell fucking try. I liked being around her, I knew that before tonight, but I really liked being around her when we weren't at therapy. She was a little more relaxed, a little softer even.

She grabbed her stick, stalking the edge of the of table as she studied the balls.

Her eyes were lazer focused as she said, "Solids, red, that pocket."

I watched her point to a pocket on the opposite side of the table, seconds later the ball dropped in with a definitive thunk.

She moved down to where I was and as hard as I tried not to I checked her out as she leaned over the table. Okay maybe I didn't try that hard.

"Green, corner right." She said moments before the ball dropped into the pocket she had called. .

"Jesus." She was insane.

She glanced back at me, a smug look on her face as she said, "Yellow, top left corner, purple bottom right."

Her elbow drew back for a brief moment before she thrust it forward at the same time a boisterous voice yelled her name.

My attention shifted to a man around my dad's age, short, with a little beer belly and a grizzly beard. But what caught my attention the most was the heart stopping smile that spread across Mina's face as she turned to face him.