Rose Red

Meet me halfway

The next few weeks go fairly normal. The usual things. Or, they would except I can't help but feel like there's a tension in the air. It's nothing bad per say but it's certainly not normal. It's almost as if there's something unspoken going, well....unspoken.

"Auggie," He looks over at me from his place on my bed and I have to say the all black outfit he has on really clashes with my yellow and pink decor. "What do you talk about in therapy?" His face remains blank but he sets his book down open face and sits up.

"Um, everything?" I nod my head before turning back to the window. "Were you wondering about something specific?" I shake my head. "Not really. Simply curious." He nods before sitting up some more.

"I don't believe you." I turn back to him. "What do you mean?" He wiggles two of his fingers in a way that says come here so I walk over and sit in front of him. "There are a million topics if you simply wanted to start a conversation but you ask me about therapy. Why?"

I shrug. "I was just curious. We never talk about it and I know you're not obligated to tell me anything but I've always been curious about your therapy. I guess now is the time I thought to ask." He nods while squinting.

"If you were curious you could've just asked. It might take me a minute but I'll eventually tell you." I shake my head. "I don't want that though. I don't want you to have to take a minute because that means you aren't ready to tell me and if you aren't ready to tell me or you don't want me to know then it's none of my business."

His squint gets squintier. "I see what you're saying but I simply don't care. There's pretty much nothing I wouldn't tell you." Pretty much. Two words that could mean anything depending on the context and this context is everything.

"Exactly. Pretty much and if ever I did ask about a topic that you wouldn't want me to know then I don't want you to feel like you have to tell me." His face doesn't change and I can tell that he still doesn't see a problem.

"Alright. It's like this. I get that you're obsessed with me. Well....I don't but I do. I hear you when you say that and I'm assuming that being obsessed with me comes with feeling the need to do things that you don't like doing?" He slowly nods his head and I softly hit his shoulder.

"Don't! Don't do that." He holds his shoulder in mock pain. "I feel that was unnecessary." I roll my eyes. "You aren't paying attention!" He nods his head. "I am."

"Okay so?" He just stares at me and my shoulders slump in defeat. "Okay, yes. I love being outside and I love when you come sit with me but I don't want you to do that if you don't feel like doing it!" He's still just staring and I can't tell if I'm getting through to him.

"Auggie! You have to give me some kind of hint that you understand what I'm trying to say." He shakes his head. "Okay, no what?"

"No, I don't agree." My face falls. "Why not?" He takes a deep breath. "Because you just said you love it. If I can make you just a little bit happier than I'm going to do it." I shake my head.

"No, just listen. You love being outside. You love swimming. You love waking up in the morning, cleaning, feeding the fish, watering your plants and all the other things you have to do before ten, right?" I nod my head.

"I hate all of that." My eyebrows come together and I pout. I knew he didn't like doing it but I didn't know he hated it.

"I hate being outside. I think outside is gross. I don't enjoy swimming. I don't like being up in the morning and I especially hate cleaning but that stuff makes you happy and anyone can see it makes you even more happy when I do those things with you." I can't argue there. It does make me happy to have him close by at all times.

"So if I can make you even just a tiny bit happier then I'm going to. Even if it means doing things I don't like doing."

And that ladies and gentlemen is a true man.

However there's still a problem. "Okay but you understand I don't want you to do that ,correct?" Still with the staring. "Cmon auggie! If I...." I drag out the i while thinking.

"Asked you to wake up every morning at seven with me, you would do it?" His face still blank but he nods his head. "I do that anyways." I toss my head back.

I should know by now that there is no changing his mind. August Evans doesn't change his mind. "Okay fine. What do you like to do auggie?" His head tilts.

"I like being with you." I roll my eyes and let out a short breath. "Work with me for a second?" He shrugs. "I like to sleep. I like to read. I like to go places with you. Watching tv with you is nice. I like simply being in your company."

He named off five things and three of them had me in it and don't get me wrong, I'm super flattered and I'm sure my cheeks show it but, "What did you do before I came along?"

And if it's possible his face goes even more blank. "I was in the military before you. I did military things." I slowly nod my head. Not a fun subject for him.

"But if you must know-" I quickly cut him off. "See?! That's what I'm talking about. Don't tell me!" His eyebrows knit together. "But you asked."

"And you don't have to tell me! I know that you don't like to talk about that time in your life. I don't want you to because I can see with my own two eyes that it makes you upset!" His previously knitted brows shoot up.

"You seem very passionate about this." I give him an incredulous look while throwing my hands up. "I am! I don't ever want you to feel uncomfy around me and if telling me certain things is going to do that then don't!"

"I don't want to get to a point where you start resenting me or become upset with me because of all the things you felt obligated to tell me or do with me. If you want to tell me then tell me, if you don't then tell me that." He goes to speak but I cut him off.

"No. I understand. You feel like I have a right to know or something but I don't. You probably were going to tell me that you could never resent me but you will. You'll start to and it'll kill both of us." He sighs before nodding his head.

"I understand." I close my eyes and take a couple deep breaths. "You can go back to reading now." He cocks his head.

"You seem like you need something." I shake my head. "Yes. You need something. Shopping? Me to leave you alone? A hug? A kiss?" If I was a dog my ears would've perked up.

"I don't need you to leave me alone but a hug would be nice." He smirks. "Now ask for what you really want." I bite my cheek while looking away from him. I softly mumble out.

"I'm not even trying to tease you this time but I did not hear a word you just said." I pout and look back at him. "I want a kiss." His smirk turns to a smile before he's leaning forward and grabbing my face with both hands.

He slowly leans forward just an inch more before whispering with that same blinding smile on his face. "You gotta meet me halfway baby." I look into his eyes and I can't help the smile that slowly graces my face as I lean towards him.

As our lips meet it's almost a feeling I can't describe. It's as if our souls connected as one. As if the earth opened up and all the love in the world poured down on us and us alone. It's like a soft spring breeze as you walk in a field covered end to end in the most gorgeous flowers that the sun hits just right.

As his soft, but slightly wet from him running his tongue along the corner lips met my watermelon chapstick covered lips and his soft but tantalizing smell entered my nose I knew what I felt for him.

I just had to hope he felt the same way.

This chapter was kinda hard for me to write because I realized that after sixty something chapters I hadn't actually given august a personality :|