Catching Feelings

Memorandum 3

They say when a person goes through life changing events, they slowly adapt to their changed circumstances. Which is true, at least I'd like to say of course. It shifts your lifestyle and ruins your daily cycle where sleep and activities are rearranged.

The cold hand sitting on my shoulder shoved me. Confused, I slowly looked towards the corner of my eye to see who it was.

 I'm sure by now even you know who it was. It was you. 

I couldn't take my eyes off of you.  Your disheveled hair and restless red eyes glared at me with a firm cunning smile.

Feeling uneasy, I couldn't break the locked stare you gave me. The uncomfortable atmosphere under your gaze, made me stiffen. 

Hesitantly, I opened my mouth slightly but ended up looking like a fish without water gasping for air. My groggy voice slowly began to make its way out of my mouth. Stuttering, my voice barely audible, "Ar- ar- are you o- o- okay?"

Your dark eyes, almost evil, were trained on me. 

Discouraged, I averted my eyes away from you. Finally breaking eye contact, I awkwardly took a few steps behind me. Within seconds, you grasped my arm firmly. "Hey," I stammered.

Your sharp eyes stared into mine with such intensity, I knew I couldn't fight against you. Sighing in defeat, I let you drag me. 

I was afraid, not in the sense that you would do something, but rather in the sense of having contact with a stranger. You would have done something to me the day of our encounter, but you didn't so I wasn't afraid of what you would do.

"Where are we going?" I asked looking down timidly.

Silence. Ignoring me, you silently kept walking until we reached a park. The wet grass glistened in the morning sunlight, and the trees were drooping down slightly because of yesterday's rainfall. Keeping my head down, your Chuck Taylor high tops were in my main view along with your rolled up ankle jeans. Leading me to a dry park bench under the shaded area, you sat beside me in a huffing manner.

At this point, I really didn't have many options on how to approach the situation. You were dead silent. Of course, I could always run away or call the police but to be quite frank why would I? You weren't necessarily threatening, kidnapping, nor torturing me. I guess I didn't really see you as a threat to me. 

After a long silence between us, you spoke up, "Listen, I am doing you a favor." Your heavy accent clear and audible, yet I couldn't determine from what region you might have been from.

Bewildered with wide eyes, I asked harshly, "How?" You weren't necessarily kind nor cooperating before, yet you boldly declared it was for my benefit.

Aggravated, you rolled your blood shot eyes and continued, "I, well." You paused, "You touched me."

Squinting my eyes skeptically, "Not really, you grabbed my wrist."

In one swift movement, you hung your head down, making your dark circles prominent as your eyes pierced me. "We bumped into each other."

"So?" 

"You are cursed now."

"Listen," I didn't really want to seem rude but I had to continue grocery shopping aside from the cream cheese. "You aren't making much sense and I need to get going." I stood up with my hands gripping the strap of my beige purse on my hip. 

"You either fall in love with me or be unfortunate for the rest of your life."

Standing still, I spoke what was at the top of my mind. "I don't really know what you're doing or why you are doing this but this isn't very nice. You are limiting me to either two options, which are rather uncomfortable. 'Either fall in love with me or be unfortunate for the rest of your life,' this must be a joke."

I began to walk away and off in the distance I heard your soft voice just above a whisper, "Oh yeah? You'll regret this."

I couldn't resist but turn my head back towards your direction. Your eyes never leaving me, I managed to muster some courage, "Fine, we'll just see."