Looks Good

Marisela sat up and stretched as her eyes slowly opened.  Her arms fell back to her sides with a heaviness they didn’t normally have.  Why did she feel so tired?  All at once, the events of the day before came flooding back to her and she leapt out of bed.  Pulling on her robe, she wrenched the door open and was about to race out when she was stopped by a quiet thumping sound.  At her feet lay Todd, fast asleep.  Marisela crouched and studied his face to see that he was really asleep.  “Why are you over here?”  Gently, she slid her arms under his shoulders and tried to lift him, but fell back onto her bottom.  “Heavier than I thought.”  She looked down at his slim body and remembered the look of his abs and other muscles when he’d taken his shirt off the night before.  Blushing a little, she got to her feet and grabbed a pillow to place under his head before stepping over him to get to the kitchen.  As she pulled out a couple pans to use to make breakfast, she leaned and looked down the hall at Todd who was still sleeping.  Her brow furrowed as she wondered again why he had traveled to just outside her door, but not knocked or anything.  Did he need something?  Had he done it in his sleep?  Unable to come to any kind of conclusion, Marisela shook her head and began to make French toast.

She was laying the fourth piece of toast on the plate she was keeping in the microwave when Todd shuffled into the kitchen behind her.  Following the sweet smell, he came up behind Marisela and rested his head on her shoulder as her took in a deep breath through his nose to smell the sweet scent of breakfast.  Somewhat startled, she jumped a little and tensed up, but relaxed when she realized it was only Todd.  “Go sit down and I’ll bring you a plate once I’ve finished with the eggs, ok?”  Although Todd hadn’t entirely understood what she’d said, he got the gist of it from her tone and went to sit at the table.  Marisela went back to the stovetop and glance up a minute later to see Todd sitting at the table, slouched forward.  After scooping a serving of scrambled eggs onto a plate with two slices of French toast on it, she brought it over to him.  “Todd, sit up straight.  Sitting like that is bad for your back.”  He blinked at her, obviously not understanding her instruction.  With a look that said “It can’t be helped,” she stood behind him and placed one hand on his back, the other on his shoulder.  A gentle push had Todd sitting upright.  “There.  Sit like that from now on, ok?”  Todd understood this time and nodded with a bright smile.  Marisela laughed and ruffled his hair before going to get herself some breakfast, too.

Half of Marisela’s first piece of toast was gone before she realized that Todd wasn’t eating.  She put down her knife and fork and looked at him curiously.  Finally, she realized that he didn’t know how to use a knife and guessed that the only time he’d ever even held one was when… “Here.”  She held her hands out for him.  “Pass me the plate, I’ll do it for you.”  Todd stared at her and her hands.  She motioned for the plate once more.  “Here.”  With a quick nod, Todd picked up his plate and handed it to her.  Marisela quickly cut his pieces of toast up and handed the plate back to him.  “Go ahead.  You know how to use a fork, right?” she asked with a small giggle as she took his knife into the kitchen and returned it to its spot in her cutlery drawer.  When she got back to her seat she noticed Todd still hadn’t begun eating.  “What’s wrong?  Don’t want it?” she asked, tilting her head to see the face he still had hidden behind his long hair.  Frustrated from not being able to see his expression clearly, she leaned forward and pushed his hair out of the way.  His blushing face was revealed.  It clicked.  “Todd, do you not know how to use a fork or spoon either?”  He looked away and nodded a little.  Marisela let go of his hair, went into the kitchen, and returned with a tortilla.  “Now, it’s not healthy to have a tortilla and toast, but for now it’s ok.  With this, you can eat with your hands.”  She offered the tortilla, but Todd still didn’t look up.  Feeling bad for having embarrassed him, she tore off a small piece and used it to pick up some egg.  “Todd, here.”  He looked up to see Marisela’s hand stretched toward him, egg held in the piece of tortilla she had.  Right at first he was confused, but then he figured out what she meant and leaned forward to eat the food she was offering him.  Marisela was shocked.  She had assumed he’d just take it from her hand and eat it, not eat it from her hand.  Her face turned bright red and burned when he licked her forefinger where a piece of egg had fallen.  Surprised by it, she jerked her hand back and stammered, “D-D-Don’t do that, ok?”  Not understanding what he had done wrong, Todd nodded slowly.  Marisela took a moment for her heart to slow back to normal before sitting back down and finishing her breakfast.  Todd watched her with a smile on his face.  Her expression amused him.  He thought she was cute the way her face turned a different color like that.  When she went back to eating he lifted the tortilla, tore it, and used it to finish his plate as well.

When she had finished cleaning the dishes, Marisela walked out into the living room to see Todd sitting on the couch, his head over the back to look at her.  She scratched her head.  “We’re gonna need to get you some clothes.  You can’t wear the same things everyday, can you?”  Todd had no idea what she was talking about, but he loved her voice so he smiled and nodded.  Marisela nodded back and headed to her bedroom.  “I’m gonna get dressed, then we can go to the mall or something.”  She reached the end of the hall when she turned around and said, “You need to change back into the clothes you got from the police, ok?”  She could tell he wasn’t really listening so she went and picked up the jeans he’d left laying on the floor.  “These, Todd.  Put these on.”  Todd nodded quickly, happy he knew what she was saying, and just as quickly pulled the sleep pants down around his ankles.  Marisela spun around and shouted, “I didn’t mean right this second!”  She tossed the jeans behind her at him and hurried into her bedroom to get dressed.  Todd laughed.  Marisela was funny how she was always shouting, turning away, and turning red.  There was definitely no one as fun in the world.  No one as fun as Marisela.  No one.

Todd had started to wonder off on their way to the mall a few times, drawn by the smells of different kinds of foods, so Marisela had finally taken hold of his hand to be sure he wouldn’t get away and get lost when she wasn’t looking.  At first, she didn’t take notice, but after the twentieth time Marisela found that dozens of groups of women and girls were pointing at Todd and whispering.  This annoyed Marisela because she didn’t know what they were saying.  Were they impressed by his looks or making fun of him?  “First, let’s get you a haircut, ok?  It’s hard talking to you when I can’t see your face.”  She quickly stepped into the small shop at the entrance of the indoor mall and asked if they took walk-ins.  The woman who owned the place gracious said yes and asked Todd to come sit at the free chair closest to him.  Marisela turned to sit at the waiting area and started to release Todd’s hand, but he held onto hers firmly.  “What?  Nothing bad’s gonna happen.”  Through his hair she could see the distress he felt and sighed.  “Alright.  Ma’am, is it ok if I stay here while you cut his hair?”  The woman was confused, but she agreed nonetheless.  Feeling better, Todd let go of Marisela’s hand so she could sit in the chair beside his.  Bored after the first minute, Marisela closed her eyes and dozed off until the woman tapped her shoulder to tell her she was done and how much Marisela owed her.  Without looking at Todd yet, Marisela reached for her purse and paid the woman.  Once the woman stepped away, Marisela hopped off the chair and took a look at Todd.  The way his hair now framed his face was perfect.  The length was a couple inches shorter and it was combed in such a way that it fell around his face with a few strands in front.  He grinned at her, eagerly awaiting her approval.  She reached up and patted his head, feeling how soft his hair now was.  “Looks good!”

After an hour Todd had seventeen new shirts and pants.  Most of the shirts were button-down.  “Because I think they’re the best.  When a guy wears a button-down shirt with the first few buttons unbuttoned, what’s better?  Nothing.  They’re definitely the best,” Marisela had said while picking out a few.  Todd had no idea what she was rambling on about, but she looked enthusiastic so he smiled the whole time.

On their way back to Marisela’s she got a text message.  The contents made her giggled and she replied quickly.  When she looked up, Todd was looking at her with a look of intrigue.  “This?  It’s my cell phone.  Have you not seen one?”  Todd shook his head so she handed hers to him.  “Be careful with it, ok?  It was expensive.”  Todd turned it around in his hand, awed by its size.  “It’s for getting in contact with people who aren’t close by, like family.”  Not noticing the sad look on Todd’s face, she went on.  “Or other loved ones like a significant other.  Do you know what that i-” she was cut-off by her phone ringing.  She stood on her toes to see who it was because Todd had it up close to his face.  “David!” she chimed cheerfully before taking the phone back and answering it quickly.  There were many things Todd did not understand, but he understood that David was a man’s name and he understood how happy Marisela looked talking into the small device.  One thing he didn’t understand was the pain in his chest when he looked at her smile.  Normally her smile made him smile, but not this time.  He tugged on her sleeve to get her attention, but she waved his hand away and continued talking.  The pain he felt grew until he could no longer bear to look at her and began to walk more hurriedly toward the apartment.  A minute later, Marisela finished the call and ran to catch up with Todd.  “I thought I’d lost you for a second.  Didn’t think you’d remember the way back already,” she commented as they neared the door to her apartment.

Once inside, Todd sat on the couch with the shopping bags while Marisela went to make lunch.  During lunch, Todd stared at his food without taking a bite.  “What’s wrong now?  It’s a sandwich so you can go ahead and use your hands.”  Todd looked up at her, then pointed to her cell phone.  “My phone?  What about it?”  He pointed again and Marisela cocked her head to the side in confusion.  Finally she ventured a guess.  “David?”  Todd nodded.  Proud of herself for having figured it out, Marisela grinned.  “David’s my boyfriend.  We met in high school, but we’re going to different schools now so we keep in touch with our cell phones and email.  He’s a really great guy.  You’d like him.”  Not everything she said made sense to Todd, but from her expressions he could tell that David meant a lot to her.  It bugged him.  He didn’t like it when she said his name.  But at the same time, she looked so happy.  He wanted her to be happy.  Why did her happiness cause him pain.  It didn’t make sense.  He didn’t like it.  Todd got to his feet and went to lie on the couch.  “Todd?” Marisela asked with concern as she followed him.  “You feeling ok?  You don’t look so good.”  He turned away from her.  “Ok.  Well, come get me if you need something, ok?”  She finished her lunch and went to her room to start on some work she’d been assigned over the break.