Under the Stars

10. Lion

Chapter 10: Lion

Mia's POV

*****

After that first question, my conversation with Theo took a much deeper turn. It was like something changed within the both of us, making us both comfortable enough with each other to be completely open. 

"What's the thing that makes you the happiest?" I asked him, hoping that my question would lead him to think about something good, whilst helping me get to know him better. 

"Right now, that would probably be talking to you," he said, making me roll my eyes at his answer. There was no way I was going to believe that the thing that made him happiest was talking to me. 

"I'm serious," I said, truly wanting to find out his answer to my question. There was actually a hidden agenda behind it. I knew that his and Layla's birthday was coming up in a couple of days, and I hadn't yet thought of what I could possibly give him. 

That was why I hoped that with that question I would at least get one of the twins' gift settled. No matter how many things Theo confided in me, he was still a big mystery. Being around him felt like no matter how many things I get to know, there will always be a million others. 

"So am I," he said, the tone of his voice making my cheeks heat up. 

"Okay," I said, giving in. I didn't know if I believed him. No one ever considered me as what makes them happiest, and I doubted that someone I had only been talking to for a couple of weeks would truly feel that way about me. 

But the tiny voice inside my head told me that it could be possible, and the reason for that was that talking to him and his sister was also what made me happiest, both of them giving me a different kinds of happiness, both of which were unique and amazing. 

"My turn," he said, the sound of him clicking his tongue to the top of his mouth filling my ears. "Did you ever get drunk?"

My eyes widened for the second time that evening, feeling ashamed for the fact that I was, once again, admitting to him that I haven't done something. I was not a very interesting person. There were a lot of things which I had never done before.

My anxiety always made it hard for me to try something new, and my overthinking never made it any easier. Comparing myself to him, I felt like a complete buzz kill, and I couldn't help but wonder why he even bothered wasting his time with me. 

"I never drank before," I admitted. I was not ashamed of my answer. I did not feel the need to lie, or to start drinking just so I could impress him, or anybody else. Nor would I ever. 

There was a full story to explain the reason why I didn't drink, but I felt as if it was too delicate for me to tell him the entirety of it. What I did do instead was explain parts of it. 

"I know what drinking can do to people. It can ruin someone completely, turning them into an unrecognisable person. I've seen that happen to so many people, and I've also seen how it could ruin friendships and relationships. I never found the need to drink, I always allowed myself to get lost in books instead of alcohol. Drinking scares me, and even being surrounded by people who do it does, to a certain extent."

I was shocked with myself at how much I actually ended up telling him. I had never said any of that to anybody before, except to Layla on the first night I met her when she asked me why I wasn't drinking like everybody else. Even when telling her I was skeptical with telling her that piece of information, and made sure to omit certain things.