Remind Me

Chapter Seven

Owen drives me over to his apartment room up at his university. We're mostly quiet, besides the quiet music playing in the background. I'm thinking about how I'm going to bring up the topic of us dating before the accident and why he won't bring it up to me. I'm not really sure what he's thinking, but he isn't really talking either.

As soon as we enter his room, Joey stands to greet us. I can hear Owen's groan as Joey pulls me into a bear hug. I stay pretty stiff, not quite comfortable in his grasp.

"Let the girl go," Owen says, taking off his jacket and folding it over the chair.

"I'm just greeting her, man," Joey smiles down at me as he releases his grip.

"She's not used to mountain man hugs as a normal greeting," Owen explains, sitting down on his couch.

"Yes she is- Wait, right, I almost forgot," he corrects himself. Then he takes a small step away from me. I give him a half hearted smile. "Sorry, Brinley. I just... My mistake."

"It's okay," I say with a sigh.

"I feel pretty crappy now."

"You should," Owen says.

"Thanks," Joey looks over at him.

"Hey, you brought it up. I only acknowledged it."

"Yeah, yeah."

"You mind getting some sandwiches from the little shop downstairs, Joe?" Owen calls over to him, turning on the TV.

"What? No, Brinley knows where they are, she can-" he stops. Closes his mouth. Frowns. "Crap. Did it again. Sure, I'll grab some sandwiches."

"Thanks," Owen replies.

Joey leaves the room, looking frustrated with himself.

Owen waves me over. I sit on the couch beside him, putting my hands under my legs to keep them warm. My toes, well there's not much I can do about those so I may as well say goodbye now because they'll have to be amputated by morning.

"You cold?" Owen asks me, watching me with an amused expression.

"Um... Just a little." Yes, I'm turning into an ice sculpture on your couch.

Owen moves closer and holds out an arm as if he's inviting me to come snuggle up right next to him. But then his eyes get wide and his arm retracts, and he brushes his fingers nervously through his hair. He stands up, looking frustrated, and walks across the room, takes a blanket from a basket at the door and throws it across the room at me before sitting down with a deep breath.

"Whoa there," I say, pulling the blanket around me.

He turns to me slowly, confused at first. Then he shakes his head. "Oh... I... I'm sorry. Yeah, the blanket... Um... Yeah."

"It's alright. Hard day?" I ask him.

"Well it wasn't," he mutters under his breath.

"What do you mean?" I ask. Did I interrupt something? Am I not wanted here or something?

He looks at me again. "Sorry," he shakes his head. "It's nothing personal... You know what, why don't we start the movie?"

"Sure," I nod my head.

He takes the remote and is about to turn on the TV, but I realize I can't procrastinate this anymore. If I don't say it now, I never will.

"Wait-" I say, holding out a hand to touch his shoulder gently.

I can see his breathing physically stop. His focus turns slowly to my hand on his shoulder. His eyes look deeper when he turns back to me than I've seen them before. Then he blinks a few times, looking away.