How could I have been so blind? He had been trying to tell me all along.

Hearing the others snickering around her she could feel a blush overtake her cheeks. Everything. He had heard her every private thought from the moment he laid eyes on her. Not just mundane things, but fiercely private things. And horrible things. She wasn’t sure which feel was pulling her under into a sea of panic. Pain? Embarrassment? Shame.

Glancing over his shoulder to sneak a peek at at her reaction to all this was more to comfort her, and provide a false sense of autonomy. Tears were welling in her eyes, her heart raced, and the thoughts that struck her now were dark and clawing. I tried to will her to breathe, knowing damn well I would never have that kind of power over her.

“That’s enough,” I sneered at the crowd. Scanning their thoughts, I quickly confirmed all were going to back off without much more force. Sickening as it was, this was all about public humiliation, and there were a lot of thoughts about taking us both down a few pegs. “Move along. Don’t you have somewhere else to be?”

When they had all left us in a tense silence, I turned to where she lingered, protected between me and the wall. She let the tears flow gently. I reached for her arm.

“It’s really ok.”

“I have treated you so terribly, and you could hear it all planned out.”

“I kept trying to tell you, but,” I rubbed the back of my neck and turned my eyes to the ground. I tried to stay out of he thoughts in this moment, even though it took so much energy to back away. I knew from the start I would be fighting a loosing battle in this cramped hallway, standing so close to her, smelling her intoxicating scent.

He has to know how I really feel….

My eyes dart up. I do know. I can’t break away now. What do I say?

She blushed. Don’t think. Act. Act. Act.

Her hand envelopes mind and she tugs me with a desperate force. It’s like finally locking into orbit. I bend to her will and allow her to pummel my lips with the warmest kisses. Her small palm on my cheek. It feels like it’s sending ripples through me.

Does he like this? Does he understand me? Panic. He grip on my hand begins to loosen and falter.

I raise my hand to pull her closer. Her thoughts race by and I let them go. Using only the signals her body sends me through our touch, I know what I need to do. I back her into the wall. In one motion, I lift her and, breathing heavily, the kisses come faster and deeper now. She’s wrapped around me as I march us to my quarters. On the outer edge of my consciousness, I know others are watching and whispering, some out loud and some into the voids of their unconscious.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers into my ear. “You have to understand. I’m fucked up. I just. I’m not right.” Her memories, some more like nightmares, creep up into her mind and start to pull her under.

“Never be sorry again.”

The door whooshes open and I thrust us inside. Then the chatter and noise beyond us fades to black as the door closes and shuts out the outside world.