Head In The Clouds

"Your head is always in the clouds" Sister Gretel had said. Her cane was still pointed at the object, she had a disapproving look on her face as she awaited my answer.

A gun…it was a gun, I knew that of course just not what it was for at the time.

"Caramel!" Her high-pitched voice pierced my ears bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Gun,"

I replied staring straight into her eyes, she seemed uncomfortable at the eye contact and looked away.

It made me feel smug, I remember how all the sisters were frustrated at how they could never control me like they did the others….which was why I was chosen because I am as they say, detached and apathetic, they even went as far as saying I was emotionless, a monster.

To think I was still chosen despite all of that made me question the sanity of everyone at the orphanage.

"….his books bring out the truths of the other side you know…"

Timothy was speaking and I just noticed that words were coming out of his moving lips.

"Which is your favorite?" He looked eager to know, I wondered why, why a person would take so much interest in a stranger you've only known a few hours…Timothy seemed eager about everything from what I've observed and now he is about to find out more about me than my assigned therapist.

"All of them," I replied and went back to reading my book.

He seemed a bit disappointed at my reply but his smile didn't waver.

"Me too!" He replied after a few seconds of silence, I raised my head to look at him…just really look at him. He was itching for a conversation, he has been itching all day…should I give it to him?

On the other hand, he would ask for more. I've only known him a few hours but he seems like the kind of person that takes a mile when given an inch.

I know…I know… it's wrong to judge people before really getting to know them but I don't give a fuck. I know people, I'm like a human analyzer…that sounds stupid.

"What other Author do you like?" I noticed how some of his hair had covered his right eye. He was grinning, his leg still propped up and his head rested on his palm.

"No other author…none of their novels interests me as much,"

I said so many words I thought my mouth was going to fall off, Timothy hummed in reply like I had just said something important. His eyes narrowed like he was thinking about the weight of the world and his lips thinned. I wondered if this was what he looks like when he was deep in thought.

"How about romance poems…do you read those?" my brows shot up at the question…no really, I was fucking surprised.

What the fuck…..

"I don't read romance" I leveled my voice, I wanted him to know just how much I hated the genre…it grosses me out because right from time I have been taught that love is but a chemical reaction in the brain that isn't even necessary for living! I tried reading romance novels when my therapist suggested it….it grossed me out.

They made it seem like without love in our lives we can't live…

Bullshit!

"I figured…" Timothy chuckles, he seemed to have found my current expression funny. He sighs and runs his hand through his hair, messing it up, much worse than it had been a few seconds ago.

"I wanted to give you a book that I think would suit you but…." As his words trailed off I noticed him reaching into his backpack and pulling out a dark purple colored book.

"….now that you say you don't read romance I'm beginning to rethink my decision" He laughs after he finishes speaking then he raises the book to his eye level and waves it around for me to see.

The book was pocket-sized but a bit thicker than normal ones. It had to have at least 300 to 400 pages.

The color stood out, I liked the shade of purple that was used to make the cover…

Dark Romance Poems

It read the word 'dark' had me interested already. Finally, I feel something and it felt good.

Interest.

"Would you like to give it a try?" Timothy asks and I can't help but feel that he's secretly teasing me because of how openly I'm staring at the book after saying I did not read romance.

"Yeah, I want to"

He does not waste any time, he walked to where I'm seated and hands the book over to me. His fingers brushed against mine as I reached for the book. He was now standing in my personal space, he was closer and I could smell the light masculine perfume off him, he smelled like apples…weird.

"Have you read it before?" I asked as I observed the little book in my hands.

"Yeah, a few times over actually"

I nodded, as I flipped through the brown pages I noticed how most of them were dog-eared.

"How long have you had it?" I was surprising myself by speaking and asking so many questions in one day. He didn't seem fazed by it instead he made himself comfortable next to me and widened his smile.

"Funny story actually…" he laughs "…it was given to me by my ex as a break-up present two years ago"

Really….

That sounds strange as hell.

"As much as I wanted to hate the book…." He sighs and weaves his fingers through his hair. The emotion in his eyes shift and I began to feel very uncomfortable.

"…I just couldn't, the book…she said it was written for people like me"

Ok….

So now this is weird. I've only known this man a day and yet here he is sharing such a sensitive part of his life with me. He still had a smile on his face but I could tell he was struggling to keep it on with the way the edges of his lips were twitching every two seconds.

"Anyways!" He exclaimed so suddenly that I almost fell off the seat. When I turned to glare at him, he was laughing…it bubbled up from his chest and then he let go.

When was the last time I heard someone's laughter this up close?

The weirdest part about the whole thing was that it was gone. I called myself a human emotion detector yet I could not find it in his eyes.

The pain and hurt I saw…it was hidden and perfectly at that.

It seems like Timothy isn't what he has been showing me and now…I was intrigued…interested…excited?

I wanted to know more…wanted to learn more. My encounter with this man is the first thing that has gotten me excited in years.