All I See
By Nell Iris
“There you are.”
The unexpected words make me jerk, and I square my slumping shoulders as I turn my head away. I don’t want him to see my downturned mouth and the sadness in my eyes. I don’t have it in me to smile right now, but I don’t want to ruin his day.
“I’ve looked everywhere.” He stands next to me, at a respectable distance as usual when we’re in public.
I grimace. I usually handle it better, but today the bitterness creeps in.
“Theo? Is something wrong?” he asks when I don’t say anything.
“Of course not.” My denial is quick, but the crack in my voice tells a different story and even I wouldn’t believe me.
A few seconds pass, then he tugs the sleeve of my tux. “Will you look at me, please?”
His soft, pleading tone almost breaks my resolve and I resist
