With her direction, I copied the recipe and before I knew it, I was placing the cookies on the cooling rack on the counter.
As my hand placed the last cookie down, two arms came on either side of me and grabbed two cookies off the rack. I turned and found myself staring into Tom's eyes. I realized quickly that I was locked in between his arms.
"Tom, please stop," I gritted. I had never felt so uncomfortable before.
He quickly backed up, shaking his head as if he had been dazing off.
"I – I'm sorry." He left to a table to eat his cookies.
After cleaning up the cookie mess, Sarah and I went to her room where we played card games. It was my first time playing. And as evening neared, I had learned a lot of new things and they played in my mind as I climbed into the back seat of the truck beside Sarah. I thanked God for the day. Afterall, he had made this new life possible for me.
But at church, I was finding it harder to focus. My mind leapt back to making cookies and how Tom had stared into my eyes. Why does he act like that?
I didn't have answers to a lot of things but there was one thing I was sure of; I missed Felix a whole lot.
The service ended with me still drifting and I was relieved when I stood from the pew seat that made me feel even more restless.
I watched all the young people hurrying outside instead of lingering to fellowship. I spotted Sarah's purple shirt as she trailed them.
I called to her and she swung around, waving.
"We're going outside to play freeze tag, want to join?"
"What's freeze tag?" I asked, feeling embarrassed for asking because the game seemed like second nature to everyone going outside to play.
Tina came out from behind a corner, smirking.
"LeAnna, I'm surprised. Everyone knows what freeze tag is." She couldn't have sounded any ruder.
I lost any words to say, stammering on a sentence I wanted to say but it wouldn't come out.
Thankfully, Sarah rushed in with her cheery voice. "Come on and I'll show you." She grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the exit where everyone was still trying to make their way through.
"Don't bother with Tina. She has jealously issues."
I was dumbfounded. "But there's no reason for her to be jealous of me?"
"Sure, there is. For one, you're beautiful and you have blonde hair. You're skinny. And you have been stealing a lot of attention but don't worry. These are all good things and she should know better instead of trying to hurt you. She should just try to be your friend."
We entered the darkening evening where kids were running around in a circle, dodging the person who was chasing everybody. Sarah quickly briefed me on how to play and I realized how easy it was.
A small but fast boy was "it" and I ran with the rest of them, trying to get away. Our game lasted as the sun dwindled behind the trees and distant hills. With it getting darker, I didn't see the player coming my way until she was right in front of me and I had to dodge to miss hitting her. When I did, I landed next to someone standing by the corner of the building.
Unfortunately, it was Tom and before I could leave, he tugged me around the corner with him.
"LeAnna, I have to talk to you." His face was anxious. Which made me worried that something had happened.
Sobering, I asked, "Is there something wrong?"
"Yes, I love you."
I stepped away.
He blinked his thick lashes and swallowed. "I'm sorry but it's true."
"I – "
"I feel like I can't live without you."
I kept stepping back feeling my heart pumping and the blood rushing to my head. It made me feel sick.
But he continued, "I know when I look into your eyes that we belong together."
I finally spoke up. "I do not!"
His face was shadowed but I could tell he felt what he was saying, the passion was written on his face. In his eyes. In his desperate tone of voice. And apparently what I said didn't matter to him because he stepped forward causing me to step back again only this time my back hit the brick building.
"You're crazy," I said.
"I feel crazy." He placed his hand on the wall and secluded me between them. I shoved him, but it didn't work.
"Tom, please stop," I hissed.
He leaned forward to kiss me. But I pushed him back and escaped under his arm. I ran until I made it to Ella who was watching Jason play freeze tag.
"Are you having fun?" She asked.
"I was. But I – I'm tired now."
"You're ready to go then?"
"Yes please." I knew my voice sounded suspiciously eager because Ella gave me a puzzled look.
"You're in a hurry, why?"
"Oh no, I'm not in a hurry. Nothing like that. It's just been a busy day, you know?"
She smiled and patted my arm as she gave up her suspicion for amusement. She called for Jason and he hurried in from the game.
Once we were home, I brushed my teeth and combed my hair. And while I did this, I mumbled about Tom.
"How could he be so forward?" I asked, landing on my bed and hugging a big pillow. "I mean, I barely even know him. Sides," I smiled as warmth touched my belly and tickled my lips. "I love Felix." I allowed thoughts of him to engulf me and erase the tension I had been feeling. It was easy when thinking about his blue eyes with the depth of an ocean. His eyes reminded me of magical water deep inside a forgotten forest.
"I wonder what he's doing right now. I wonder if he's thinking of me?"
I decided I needed sleep. So, I closed my eyes, cleared my thoughts, and prayed.
Chapter 13
Feeling Sick
Golden hue from the morning sun poured from behind the trees and
