Are You Scared Yet?

My breath caught in my throat as I stared at him, completely in shock. My mind was anywhere and everywhere, my mouth slacked slightly. I stammered a few words before sputtering out “T-The one? What… what do you… you mean, ‘the one’, B-Brendan?”

I don’t know if I was just overreacting or maybe not taking things how he had meant them, I don’t know, all I know is that it terrified me to death. If I could back up farther into the wall than I already was, I would.

Brendan nodded his head, smiling softly, moving the hand that kept me from picking up the book on the floor to my cheek, where he traced random designs with his fingertips, which were always cold to the touch, making me shiver slightly.

“I-I,” I stammered, not really knowing what I could possibly say. My arms dropped, the books falling to the ground, but I made no move to pick them up.

"I'm not trying to make things strange, Marie,” He spoke softly, seeming to try and be careful choosing his words. If I didn’t know him better, I’d say he was afraid of saying the wrong thing. “I just want to let you know that, well, I have feelings for you. If those feelings are mutual, let's just say we have a lot to talk about, but I need to know now. How do you feel?"

I lower my gaze, thinking for a moment. There was no denying on how I felt about him – the same way – but how, how could someone like Brendan – whom seemed to live in luxury and lush money – feel the same way about me that I feel with him. I mean, look at me, I’m short, pale, antisocial, and can be rude, I’m far from what people look in for significant others.

“Marie?” he asked after a moment, as if taking my silence for an answer he didn’t want. Brendan dropped both his arms, taking a step back. He hung his head.

“B-Brendan, I… I don’t understand…” I blurted out, looking up at him. I missed his touch already.

Slowly, he looked at me. “What do you not understand, Marie?”

I inhaled, then exhaled, inhaled yet again before meeting his gaze. “How can you… How can you possibly think that way of me? Simple, boring, antisocial, rude, cold me?” I asked, blurting it out before I could reword it, or even completely change what I said. I mentally slapped myself for being so ignorant.

He grinned softly, stepping back, his hand back cupping my cheek, this time his thumb was rubbing circles against my chin. “Marie, Princess,” he smiled down at me, times like these I regret being as short as I am. “What is there to understand? I do, I know you’re the one.”

I exhaled slowly. “I don’t know how to stay this, how to make it sound so perfect like you make everything sound. I feel like I can’t live up to how you are, perfection covers you and it doesn’t even touch me.”

Brendan looked at me slightly confused, as if he didn’t understand what I was saying or getting at, which would be a first, normally I was practically an open book to the boy, right now, it seems as if I’m closed, and bound shut, no way opened.

“Jesus Christ, Brendan,” I sighed softly. “I feel the same way, I think I always have, but I’m not good at letting people in, it’s weird, I’m weird…” I stammered, rambling off.

“Shh, Marie.” He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into him. I closed my eyes a small smile on my face, and I knew he had a stupid grin on his face, like usual.