Page 131 of Cerulean Truth
We headed towards the river, reaching it in less than ten minutes. Remarkably, we managed not to bicker the entire way. I was very proud of us.
I also couldn't help but admire how surprisingly 'normal' he looked that day—his usual black attire replaced by washed-out jeans and casual shirt, which made him look like he had just stepped out of a clothing commercial.
Gathering my courage, I started walking a bit closer to James, my hand innocently brushing against his. An electric current ran through me as it did, and I became very aware of the fact we were alone.
James grabbed the water bottles he’d brought and handed me one. We’d be very human today, choosing not to translate to avoid setting off any unnecessary alarms back in Cyclos.
As it was a first date—or at least what I considered to be a first date—I thought I might ask some typical first-date questions. But I was struggling with the topic. His parents were off-limits; Enzo's comment still lingered in my mind (though I planned on asking about them another time). How he got his job was probably a sore subject as well, given Jackson’s cagey attitude about it.
Which is why, as James took his first sip of water, I asked, “So, do you have many ex-girlfriends?”
He spat out his water, looking at me completely shocked. After a moment of silence, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and chuckled nervously.
"Wow, going straight for the awkward questions, huh?" He said, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
I nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed by my bluntness. "Sorry, that was a bit forward, wasn't it? I’m just... I guess I'm curious about you."
James shrugged, his expression softening. "No need to apologize. It's kind of refreshing, actually. Most people dance around stuff like that."
I smiled widely. “So…do you?”
The twinkle faded as quickly as it had appeared. “I don’t do relationships,” he muttered.
Ouch.
“In the past or in general?” I couldn’t help but ask.
He caught my gaze and held it for a second before answering. “I have trouble…connecting.”
Dang it. This was becoming way too serious for a leisurely stroll.
“Physically?” I teased with a grin.
“What the fuck? Of course not!” he nearly shouted, his face displaying all shades of shocked.
I burst out in laughter. Men and their frail ego’s. “There’s nothing funnier nor easier than riling you up,” I grinned.
Expecting a heavy eyeroll, I was pleased to see I’d provoked that slow elusive smile of his instead.
He sighed deeply. “It’s more like, I don’t want to expect anyone else to match my ‘lifestyle’, so I keep my guard up high and my expectations low.
I nodded pensively. “I get that. It’s easier to focus on your goals when you have no one else to check in with. No one else depending on you. No distractions.”
He glanced at me sideways. “Sounds to me like you’ve imposed a relationship-embargo on yourself as well.”
I snorted, then decided to be honest. "I actually find it really hard to connect with someone, you know? On a personal level, I mean. People often tend to decide who you are before you’ve had a chance of telling them or even figuring it out yourself."
He looked at me intently, his gaze unwavering. "Yeah, I know what you mean."
For a moment, we just stood there, the sound of the river around us, the sun filtering through the trees, which is when I realized this was probably one of the most human conversations we'd ever had, if any. No training, no translation, just two people getting to know each other.
"So," he furthered, "what else do you want to know about me?"
I smiled, feeling more at ease. "How about something simple? What's your favorite place you've ever been?"
James's face lit up. "That's easy. Antwerp."
My jaw dropped. "Antwerp, Belgium?"
