Before I Met You

"Are you okay?" he asked, eyes flooding with worry.

Simply staring at him in shock, it was no wonder why he thought I wasn't okay after bumping into me. He was even more handsome up close, his bright white-blue eyes, pale complexion, and dark hair only bringing out his slightly feminine features even more beautifully. The curve of his lips, the length of his hair, all of it was sort of a piece of how amazing he was. Not usually the one to judge by looks, but he was wonderful to look at.

"I-I'm fine," I stuttered, tripping over words as easily as I seemed to trip into his arms. "Are you?"

He leaned back a little, almost as if he was surprised that I had spoken. His eyes widened a little and hands hoisted his black leathery messenger bag higher onto his broad but thin shoulder, fumbling absently with the bracelet he had wrapped around his slim wrist as he assessed me.

"I'd like to say I am, but then I'd just be lying a bit," he laughed weakly, still looking at me.

Even as I suspected it was nothing but a dim example of his real smile, I half-smiled back, his beauty overtaking my senses almost effortlessly.

"I understand."

Tilting his head to the side, he spoke. "Do you?"

Thinking this question over, I turned slightly and considered his eyes once more. "I like to think I do."

"Doesn't everyone," he responded, his weak smile growing stronger as he spoke. "Would you like to take a walk with me?"

Now it was my turn to tilt my head as I looked at him, searching his eyes for any sort of trace that he was lying or just pitying me. I didn't want his pity. I don't want to be considered just another lost soul in the street that he'd take only take under his lovely wing for the night only to never see again in my life, as empty and void of emotion it may be.

However, I didn't see the harm it would do to just only break myself even more.

"If you don't mind, yes," I replied quietly, my voice filling the area between us like a film of smoke. "I'd like that."

Nodding once, he grabbed my hand in his soft but bigger one, he led me further away from the theater, away from the memories, the world, until everything that was him and him alone was the only thing I could focus on.

Leading me down the damp street, we swam through the soupy feel of the humid air. Leading me without hesitation, we eventually came to a small car. Keys appeared in his hand to open one of the doors, which he held open for me. Looking back from him to the door, I asked, "I thought you said we were going on a walk?"

He grinned as I stepped into the car and took my seat. Walking around the car and slipping into the driver's side, he glanced over at me and said, "I wanted to show you something that's a little too far to walk to."

Trusting him completely was something, I realized with a little shock, I was already doing. Although I didn't know him at all, I trusted him almost completely already and was now paying for it dearly. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see," he replied softly as we pulled out of the parking space and drove down the road, my eyes searching his focused form as I looked for the magic in this boy. Running my hands over the interior and smell of the car, I was reminded of how new this all was, this conversational, more accomplished me. I was never one to simply jump into a car with a stranger, no matter how simply amazing and enticing he and his charm were.

I observed him as he drove. He was a careful driver, taking turns slowly but not too slow. Relaxed was a good word to describe him, and that he was. All around him the air seemed to carry a more peaceful aura than any other person I had ever met, but along with it sort of a tortured secret. I looked at him, contemplating many ideas and theories on who he was and who I was right now, but all of that didn't seem to matter the instance he spoke once more.

"What's your name?" he asked, his eyes swirling with curiosity and thoughts. Lips moving slowly as they formed the words to speak to me, of all people.

"Leslie," I replied, cheeks turning a slight pink as I spoke. He still amazed me.

"Leslie... what a lovely name," he said, eyes lighting up as the secrets and memories rushed out of them. Once again, he was the hardest person to get to know and yet no doubt the most interesting I'd met so far in my life.

I was so distracted by his compliments and magic that I completely forgot to ask him for his name in return.