The Transference

C44

"Why, thank you. You don't look bad yourself." I reply and pretend to check him out. I saw what he was wearing from afar but just to give him some clarity that I actually want to be here with him. Caleb is wear a white dress shirt tuck in a suit pants. He isn't wearing a coat to complete the look but he looks fine like this. His long dreads are braided in six, covering the side of his face.

He smirks and offers me his hand. "Shall we?"

I nod. "Of course." I reach forward and take his hand.

Leading me to our destination. I frown when we walk away from the dorms. "Are we having the date in your room?" I ask curiously because I thought we were going to his room.

He looks back to smile at me and answers, "no. It's our first date and I want it to be special."

Right.

We walk past the school building and with the path he's leading, I think I know where we're going. The lake. And the lighting ahead confirms it. The wooden bridge by the lake is set up and everything gets clearer as I move closer. There's a mat on the floor with each edge of the mat decorated with candles. A big woven basket is in the middle of the mat and the pathway that leads to the set up is sparkling with glitters.

"This is fancy," I comment with a genuine smile. If he wasn't a psychotic maniac, I could have easily falling in love with the date but I can't. I need to stay focus and not let–is that pasta nerana I smell?

Caleb throws his hand around my shoulder, which catches me by surprise as I stagger and rest my weight on him to prevent me from falling. He doesn't notice as the next words that comes out of his mouth isn't be careful. "Best things for my girl."

I recoil in disgust.

Anything but those last two words.

"Not your girl." I make it clear.

He pulls me closer and presses an open mouth kiss on my cheek. Fuck! Who the hell is this guy?

"Not my girl...yet. Come on, we don't want Mr. Snickle breaking up our date before time," he says and pulls me towards the lake.

I take off my shoes and step on the mat before kneeling and move my body to the side and sit. Caleb takes more time undoing his shoe laces before sitting.

"Hope you're hungry because I've got all your favorite," he tells me before pulling the basket towards himself, he opens it and unloads it.

"I don't have favorites food or snacks," I respond.

He stops and looks at me in surprise. "Really? But I thought–" the confusion spreads on his face, "you always get chicken sandwich, so I thought it's your favorite."

I shake my head. "No, no, no, no chicken sandwich. I've had enough to last me a lifetime," I tell him as I remember the amount of sandwich I ate today while researching him.

"Hmm... I–" the disappointment and hurt is obvious on his face.

Shit. If I didn't know better, I'd believe he's actually sad about me wasting his efforts.

"I don't mind, I'll eat it, I could, I will."

His face lights up. "Good because I went through a lot to get this just for you." He lets me know.

"Right."

Fuck. I think I'll spend the rest of the night with my head glued to the toilet because I know I'll puke if I eat anything else.

He doesn't say anything else until after he's set everything down. He begins, "I don't know much about you, Cami and I'd love to get to know you better."

"Only if you plan to do the same," I reply and bring my clutch forward. I open it and stare at the crystal. Without taking my eyes off him, so he won't suspect anything, I dip my fingers inside the clutch and touch the  chain holding the crystals. I push it out and hold it. This way I can listen to Caleb and see the crystal clearly without his knowledge.

"I plan to," he answers and shifts forward. "Listen, Cami, I want to be with you, regardless of what others think of you and I'm happy you're giving me a chance. Honestly, I thought you weren't interested."

"What others think of me?" I repeat what he said and ask, "what do you think others thinks of me?"

"They think you're dangerous. They think you're a killer."

That gets to me. I mean it's not as if I didn't know but hearing it is... It hurts but I won't let it distract me from what I'm here to do.

"What about you?" I ask, raising my chin towards.

"What about me?"

"What do think of me?"

He smirks and tells me what he thinks. "I think they're right," I open my mouth to ask why he thinks that but he continues. "But you shouldn't let that get to you. Infact you should take that as a compliment."

I raise my eyebrows in question. "What?"

"Why do you think I was drawn to you the first time we met?" I don't know but I'm sure he'll tell me. "You remind me of someone, my sister."

"Your sister?" I repeat like it's some kind compliment. "What's she like?"

Let the Q and A start with a truth crystal to guide us.