Uplifted by you

17

Then

There he was, seated gracefully on the couch with his hands clasped together and his elbows resting on his knees. His head slowly moved to our direction when he heard the door clicked. His lips stretched into a bright smile as soon as his eyes found mine. I gave a nervous one back.

"You're here" Typical. Out of every form of pleasantries, I had to come up with that one. I mentally chastised myself.

He chuckled and stood up from where he was once seated, hands shoved into his pockets "I sure am" His voice brought back that foreign feeling, one I haven't felt all my life. He was dressed more casually today unlike the last time I saw him. He had jeans, a plain white T-shirt and a jacket. He looked good.

Stella who still had her place beside me voiced out close to my ears "I'll be in my room if you need me, though I will be heading out soon to meet up with Bryan. And will you move your ass or you plan on talking with him from over here"

"Huh?" She raised her eyebrow at me "Oh right. Of course"

"Make yourself at home Christian" She said loudly.

"Thanks Stella" She entered her room leaving the two of us in the living room. The reality of that sank in and I was further drawn into my raging thoughts.

Say something. Do something.

"You okay?" Christian was standing close to me now and that startled me. Was I that lost in thoughts?

"What?"

"I just asked how you've been but I didn't get a reply" His face contorted into a small frown.

"Y...yeah" I cleared my throat "yes I'm great, thanks. You?" I made my way further into the living room, needed to move away from such proximity. His presence made me feel things, made my heart flutter.

"I'm fine" He replied, following closely behind.

"Please have your sit" I gestured to the 1- seater couch while I sat on the other 2-seater couch, where he was seated initially. I tried to relax but failed miserably. Something felt different. I managed myself quite well when it came to guys because I was never really around them in the first place, was tagged a loner. Guys that wanted to be friends with me or asked me out just gave up eventually. I never gave them audience. I needed it to be that way. However, with Christian everything felt different.

"So..uhmm...would you like anything to drink?"

"Water would be fine, thanks." I nodded, made my way to the kitchen and poured him a glass of cold water. As I handed it to him, I prayed he didn't notice how my hand shook slightly. I clasped them together and resumed my position on the couch. I didn't mean to but I subtly watched as he took a sip. I averted my eyes as he placed the glass of water on the stool beside the couch.

"Lovely space you've got here" His eyes slowly took in the apartment.

"Thanks" I rubbed my palm on my shorts. Why was it so hard to talk to him in person? What was with this knot that tightens in my stomach each time I saw him?

I felt a dip beside me only to find Christian seated there, leaving a reasonable distance between us. That didn't suppress the fact that I didn't realize he had moved, again.

"Here" He stretched forth his hand in front of me. I looked at him, confused. "You could pinch or hit me. I wouldn't want you zoning out on me again. I'm begining to worry" He said with an amused face.

My mouth opened and closed, opened again. "Why do I need to hit you though?" Eventually I said something.

He retracted his hand "Cause Dora, you've been looking at me like you're finding it hard to believe that I am actually here or could be something else. It's like you're here but aren't exactly. Is there something bothering you?" His eyebrows furrowed.