Page 45 of Catch Me
“Or the smooth bricks in the hallways in high school. A really fuzzy blanket, sand in the sea, hair when it flows underwater, flower petals. I like the feeling of wet stone; it’s smooth and colder than the water.”
“That’s weird.”
With a laugh, I turned around and pushed off of the rock with my feet. “We’re tactile creatures. The feel of something helps us figure it out, decide if it’s safe, and solidifies our memory of it.”
“You were the kid who touchedeverything, huh?”
“We don’t have to talk about it.”
When he came up beside me, he was smiling.
“Are you making fun of me?” I asked, putting a hand on my chest in mock offense.
“It’s easy.”
“Oh, fuck off.” It seemed like he was trying to scowl, but his lips were still turned upward. “How is it easy?”
“You’re like a crazy cat lady, but with a dog.”
“I think Tessa takes offense to that. She’s nothing like a cat.”
“Exactly my point. You’re a little cuckoo.”
I splashed him, and he darted to the side. “Okay, to be fair, I talk to animals like they’re people too.”
“They’re better than people and smarter than most give them credit for.”
“Agreed. People suck.”
I headed for the edge of the water and he followed.
“Not all people suck,” I replied. “I spend a lot of time at home, but it’s not because I dislike socializing.”
He didn’t respond as we pulled ourselves out of the water. Tessa shook out her fur, then started going in circles.
“The not so fun part is running back in wet shoes,” I noted. “Usually, I bring a backpack, but I suggested this on a whim and forgot. My bad.”
“Next time.”
I was going to take that as a positive statement, even though he was grumpy the entire way back to the house. Granted, I wasn’t enjoying the two-mile trek either, but following an impulse was a sort of thrill that couldn’t be matched. Some turned out badly, but making Roman unwittingly jump into a pool of cold water was worth it. He’d been angry about something, then he was smiling for a minute. If I ever had the opportunity to make someone’s day better, I liked to think that I would take it.
Under normal circumstances, I’d say that Roman and I could be friends someday. Even if he became comfortable with me, despite my sexuality, that wouldn’t happen. He held views that were misaligned with something I felt deeply about. Views that stood staunchly against my very existence.
Working with him was one thing. Attaching myself emotionally, like with Sen and his friends, wasn’t in the cards.
Not that he’d be interested in friendship anyway. A few smiles did not an agreeable pal make.
Chapter 15
Roman
“Can you turn your body this way a little?” I instructed.
“Like this?” Vince asked.
“Yeah, that’s cool.”
“What was wrong with what we did yesterday?”
