Theo and I talked for a while. He ended up driving around the long way to get to the train tracks, and then when we parked just across from it, we decided it’s better to stay in the car. It was fucking freezing outside.

Theo and I… it was fun being idiots together.

“Truth or dare?” I asked him again, since it was his turn.

Theo had opened his window, the cold air filling the car. He had his elbow out, and was closing his eyes as the wind brushed across his face. He looked like a golden retriever.

I smiled to myself. “Earth to Theo?”

He blinked and slowly turned around to look at me.

“Sorry. I just realized how much I’m going to miss it here. With you. I love the air here. Love it…” he said, voice trailing off.

“Don’t make me cry again.” I warned him. “We’re here to have fun. So, truth or dare?”

“Truth. It’s too cold for dare.” He said, rolling the window up.

“Truth…” I paused to think.

“What kind of things are you going to teach?”

He smiled. “No idea, something good. I’ll be one of the cool teachers you know, like Mr. Gail.”

I nodded. “Agreed.”

Mr. Gail was everyone’s favorite science teacher. He once brought a plastic skeleton to class and we spent a week voting on what her name would be. He called it democracy meets osteology.

Theo and I kept playing… we went on like that for a while. And it was the most natural conversation we’d ever had. It was just, so nice.

Theo found my next question funny…

“When was the last time you looked in the mirror and thought, wow I’m attractive?”

He giggled, tossing his head into my lap and shaking.

I laughed too, running my fingers through his hair-

Holy guacamole he’s cute. Theo was only a year younger than me, but he really did have a childish side, I realised.

He seemed so comfortable with me. It was wonderful.

“Um, never?” He coughed as he tried to catch his breath.

Theo sat up in his seat and I frowned at him.

Stolen novel; please report.

“It’s truth or dare Theo, not lie or dare.”

He faked being offended. “I’m not lying!”

“Yeah right. Look at you.”

“You’re too much Ravina,” he sighed.

“Fine. But I know you’re lying to seem humble. Ignorance doesn’t suit you Theodore Kim,” I raised my finger at him.

He smiled. “What am I ignorant about?”

I glared at him. “You’re hot.”

“Well thank you, I try.”

I scoffed and smacked him in the arm-

Theo grabbed my wrist in his hand and somehow pulled me onto his lap. I blushed.

We’d taken our seatbelts off earlier and I’d wondered if maybe he had an ulterior motive for doing that…

My hands instinctively went to his chest and when I looked up into his eyes, I realized he seemed amused with me.

“Ravina Ravina Ravina…” he sighed.

Why did I feel like he was sizing me up?

“I love you, you crazy girl.”

I frowned. “You don’t see yourself like I do.”

“Guess not,”

“It’s a shame. You’re special.”

“I don’t want to risk asking but, special?”

I nodded, staring into his eyes.

“Very special.”

He smiled. “You make me sound like a fairytale Ravina, I’m just a guy.”

“You’re my guy…”

It’s 3 am. My brain was on autopilot.

“How romantic of you.” Theo smirked.

I knew we were laughing, but I was also serious and I think he could tell. I hoped he could tell. It might also have to be factored in, that I was on top of him and his hands were slowly sliding down my back…

“Woah there cowboy,” I blurted.

“What?”

My face reddened, “We can’t.”

Theo scoffed. “Can’t what? I’m just holding you.”

“Very tightly.” I reminded him.

“You don’t like it?”

I shook my head. “I didn’t say that-”

“Good.”

And there it was, like an electric force between us. Magnetizing our bodies. Closer, together. Both of us felt it.

“Theo,”

I didn't know what I was trying to say, but my heart raced as I watched his eyes go dark.

“Ravina, I need you.”

“You always say that…”

“It’s always true.”

Theo’s eyes traveled down my neck and I shivered under his gaze. Then they went back to mine and he smiled.

“I think about your drawings of me all the time.” He told me suddenly.

He took my hand and placed it above his heart… it was pounding.

“To answer your question; that’s the last time I felt beautiful. In your art, Ravina.”

Theo…

“To be honest,” I bit my lip. “I’m running a little low on reference material.”

Theo grinned, clearly getting the joke.

“Well, I’m here solely to inspire.”

My heart raced. Huh?

“What do you mean?”

I watched his eyes move again to my lips.

“Use your imagination,” he whispered.

“That’s a dangerous thing to say to a girl.”

Theo just laughed.

“Fine,” I smiled, my joy radiating through me. “You’re on.”