Walk

Eddus walked along the sidewalk. It was nearing midnight when he’d finally left the pub, having said goodbye to his housemates, and leaving them in the bar. The moon shone directly overhead and would have brightened the sky, had there been no clouds.

He was not alone. He’d offered to walk with Abbi. He didn’t feel it was right to let her walk alone, although it occurred to him shortly after leaving that he had no idea where they might end up.

“Your friends are nice.”

“Thanks. They really seem to like you.”

Abbi turned her head for a moment. Her eyes studied Eddus, a pondering look on her features.

“And you?”

Shaking his head, Eddus looked at the pavement to his side. The girl did have a way of saying things that made him uneasy and put him on the back foot. She’d been doing it since the moment they’d met. He wondered if it were her nature, or some sort of game she delighted in playing.

“Me? Abbi, I don’t...” Eddus didn’t know how to finish the answer.

In truth, he did find her very attractive, and despite his discomfort at the thought of their difference in age, he had rather enjoyed her company at the pub with his friends. It was, in fact, the first time he’d ever had someone who was there with him while he was out with his friends. He couldn’t think of her as a plus one, as he hadn’t asked her to come with him, but he did, in a somewhat uncomfortable way, enjoy her company.

And there may have been nothing odd in her actions. It could have just been himself. He didn’t have many friends, and the few he did have in no way acted as she did. Being older, and having a set way of behavior he’d accustomed himself to, it may have been nothing more than his interaction with someone younger, as well as an unfamiliarity with the actions of the younger generation.

“You’re very shy, Eddie.”

Eddus began to step away from her, but Abbi slipped her arm through his firmly and gave him a wry smile. She looked to be enjoying herself. She gazed at the ground in front of them as they walked, with a contented expression on her face.

“May I ask you a question?” she said, after a moment.

“Sure.” Halting their pace beside a small appliance repair shop with a brick facade wall with no window, Eddus turned to regard his companion. Holding his breath, he waited for her to speak. He’d agreed to answer her question without thinking about it.

“How did you know that the shoes belonged to me?” Eyes sparkling with amusement, Abbi tilted her head as Eddus took a step back and away from her.

It was not a topic he relished the idea of talking about. How had he known? How would the young lady react?

It should have been enough that she’d gotten the shoes back. He didn’t feel comfortable telling her that he had been observing her. He’d only wanted to be helpful and do something nice.

“I was in a box seat.” Eddus took a deep breath and then just spoke. “I saw you when you came into the theatre, and I couldn’t take my eyes off of you.”

Taking another step away, there was nothing for him to do but watch her reaction to what he’d said, which was more than he’d meant to say. The moment of silence that passed felt like an eternity. A thoughtful and suspicious look crossed Abbi’s face as she stepped toward him.

“You were watching me at the theatre?”

Eddus’s heel met a hard surface, the wall of the building they’d stopped beside, and he realized that he could not move back any further. His heartbeat quickened as he began to feel that the offer to walk Abbi home should have perhaps been foregone. He could have gotten her a cab. Whether just in his own mind or not, he was again beginning to feel the inappropriateness of the situation.

“How long were you watching me, Eddus Brandt?”

There it was again. Still feeling trapped and wanting nothing more than to be somewhere else, something within urged him to answer her question, as though he wanted to give her an answer.

“Throughout most of the show,” he stammered. He almost could not form the words. His back against the wall, he watched her stern expression.

“You were watching me the whole time?” Abbi folded her arms in front of her and shook her head, brows furrowed. She moved away from Eddus slightly, glancing around uncertainly.

“Abbi, I- I didn’t... I’m not...”

Barely able to take a breath, Eddus could hear his heart pounding in his head. He could feel cool brick-face against his back. His temples pulsed, and he felt sweat break out on the back of his neck. Quickly, he looked down and away. A silent moment passed.

“Hey, Ed.”

Not wanting to look up, Eddus inhaled slowly, shutting his eyes for a moment. Exhaling, he opened them, looking at the young woman in front of him.

“Eddie.”

Abbi’s whole demeanor had changed. She’d closed some of the space between them, smiling playfully at him with a look of concern.

“I’m only fucking with you.” She extended her hand toward him. Numbly, and without thinking, Eddus slowly raised his arm.

Abbi took his hand, and it was all he could do to just stare at her, trying to catch his breath. This had been some sort of game. Eddus’s knees felt as though they could fall out from underneath him. He felt unable to move.

“Abbi, I - I owe you an-”

“No!” With her free hand, Abbi quickly reached up, pressing a fingertip firmly to Eddus’s lips. Her smile was gone, and she again looked serious, almost angry. She lowered her hand; her eyes locked on his, and she shook her head. Perhaps it was the shadow of the building in which they stood, but her eyes appeared to have become darkened in colour. They looked black, and despite her short stature and small frame, she appeared almost threatening.

She must have noticed the way in which Eddus watched her reaction. Her features immediately softened, and there was a pleading look in her eye.

“Please,” she said softly, shaking her head again, “don’t.”

Eddus’s only response was to nod slowly, still not fully knowing just what had transpired. He studied the girl’s face for a moment and found no sign of what he’d just seen. Her eyes glistened, and again seemed to be the same amber he’d noticed shortly after they’d met. He could now see nothing about the petite young lady that was in the least bit threatening.

“You don’t owe me anything, Eddus Brandt.” Abbi squeezed his hand as she gently pulled him away from the building’s wall. She tilted her head slightly to one side, indicating they resume walking.

Legs weak, Eddus managed to move forward, trying not to stumble. He walked slowly next to the girl, her hand clasping his, trying to understand what she’d just said. He’d only wanted her to know that he hadn’t meant to make her feel uncomfortable. He hadn’t meant to tell her that he had been watching her throughout the show, and had actually felt a bit of panic as he was speaking the words.

Glancing at his companion, Eddus tried to make sense of either of her reactions to what had just happened. She kept her head down just a little as they walked in silence, and he could not see her face, only her hair tied neatly into a bun at the top of her neck.

Conflicted, a part of him wanted to continue their quiet walk and be done with it as soon as possible, while something else in him wanted to see her face again, and he hoped that she’d turn to look at him.

It was not long before the silence was broken between them. After a few minutes, they approached the street corner across from City Park, where Eddus had called out to her earlier.

Squeezing his hand once more, Abbi depressed the button for the crosswalk as they stopped walking, and waited for the signal to change on the other side of the street. They could have walked, as there was no traffic at this hour, but they waited.

“May I ask you something, Eddie?” Abbi spoke softly, looking across the street and into the shadows of the park. She had still not turned her head to look at him.

“Yes, and please, don’t call me Eddie.” Eddus inhaled deeply, wondering why he’d said yes. He really didn’t want to answer any more questions.

“Why were you watching me in the theatre?”

Edus felt his chest tighten. He looked up into the overcast night sky, then down at the pavement and sighed.

“Is this... Are you fucking with me again?”

A light began flashing on the other side of the road, indicating for them to cross.

“I’m not,” Abbi shook her head. She looked up at Eddus. “I was before, but now I’m curious. Why were you watching me?”

They crossed the empty street, stopping after stepping onto the pavement, which became a narrow path lined with lampposts that led into the park. The path disappeared into the trees some distance past the park entrance.

“Well, two things really.” Eddus held her gaze as he spoke. “I noticed a beautiful girl, who was rather overdressed for a Wednesday night rehearsal show, and-”

“You think I’m beautiful?”

“I do.” Eddus forced himself not to look away from her. He had again said something he’d not intended to.

Abbi lowered her eyes and looked down at the dress she wore, then back up at him.

“And the other reason?” she asked.

“It was the way you looked during the show.”

Abbi smiled, her head to one side, a questioning look on her face. Eddus continued.

“I don’t know. You looked like... like you’d never been to the show before.”

“I hadn’t.”

“I don’t mean tonight’s show in particular.” This gave him a chuckle. “I mean any show. One might have thought that you’d never been to a theatre.”

Abbi shook her head, looking slightly embarrassed.

“Really?” Searching her eyes for any sign of jest or mischief, Eddus realized that she was not joking.

Abbi pursed her lips.

“Well,” Eddus chuckled, “you chose a rather poor show to attend for your first time.”

Slowly, a smile crept onto Abbi’s face. She bit her bottom lip. Her eyes flashed, and for a moment Eddus wondered if she’d been fooling with him after all.

“Well, I thought it was wonderful,” she said. “And how would you know anyway? You were busy watching me.”

“I’ve already seen the performance three times this month. Wednesday nights are a rehearsal for drama students at the university.”

“Oh...”

“It was the fact that you thought it was wonderful that I watched you. It was written all over your face.”

Abbi nodded.

“But why did that make you want to look at me?”

“I watch people. It’s what I do. I mean, I’m an artist,” Eddus told her. “Truthfully, if I’d had anything to draw on there with me, I’d have loved to- I would have drawn you.”

Abbi watched him as he responded, then was quiet for a few moments.

“Do you do that often?”

“Do what?”

“Draw people without their consent, without them even knowing that you’re watching them?” Her eyebrows knitted as she asked him the question.

Eddus suddenly felt numb, like he’d been doused with cold water. Blinking at her in surprise, he caught his breath.

“My- no! God, no! Did that sound creepy?” Instinctively, he tried again to step away, but Abbi didn’t let go of his hand.

She closed her eyes, biting back a laugh.

“Eddie,” she sighed, opening her eyes and giving him a look.

“You’re messing with me again.”

“Yes,” she laughed, shaking her head, and glanced up the path into the park. “Well, this is me.”

“You live in City Park?” Eddus looked around. Behind them was the street they’d walked up, lined with shops that were closed until the next day’s business hours. In front of them lay the six hundred and fifty acres of trees that were the park in the center of the city.

“Of course not,” Abbi shook her head, “but I can cut through part of the park and be home in a few minutes.”

“Ok, so not far.” Eddus looked up the path, then back at the girl in front of him.

“Why do I make you nervous, Eddus Brandt?”

“Well, no, not nervous. It’s just that I don’t talk to many people.”

“I kind of picked up on that.”

“And I’m not someone who meets a lot of new people. I don’t remember the last time I was with, or even spoke to, someone so good-looking.”

The feeling of unease was again returning, and Eddus began to wonder why he couldn’t seem to stop himself.

“Now I’m only good-looking?” Abbi pouted. “I liked it better when you thought I was beautiful.”

Eddus quickly looked away from her. They stood in silence for a moment before Abbi took a step back from him, letting go of his hand.

“I’d better go,” she said.

“Is it safe?” Eddus looked into the park. “Should I not walk you home?”

“I don’t usually show a guy I just met where I live, Eddus.”

“Oh, right. Well, yeah. Of course not.” Eddus’s face warmed.

“I love fucking with you,” Abbi laughed, wrinkling her nose. “You make it so easy.”

“Well, I’m glad I could be entertaining, at least.” Smiling at her, Eddus realized that this would most likely be the last they would see of one another. As much as it had been a rollercoaster ride, fielding her questions and not knowing when she was being serious or not, he would probably miss the time they had shared that night. Though very unfamiliar with it, oddly, he had enjoyed the interaction.

To his surprise, Abbi took two steps forward, stood on her toes, and kissed him, just below the bottom lip. She paused and then stepped back with a little smile.

“You are the sweetest human being I’ve ever met, Eddus Brandt,” she said, taking another step away from him.

“Abbi.” Stunned for a moment, Eddus took a deep breath, summoning all of his courage. “I’ve really never asked anyone this before. May I- and please, tell me if I’m being inappropriate- can I maybe see you again sometime?”

“I would like that.”

“Should I give you my number?” Eddus’s hand touched the pocket he kept his phone in.

“No.” Abbi shook her head.

“Oh, right.”

“I don’t have a phone,” Abbi tilted her head slightly, her gaze meeting his, “but you’ll see me again, Eddie. I promise.”

She turned and began walking along the path into the park. Realizing something, Eddus called out to her.

“Abbi...”

The young woman stopped walking and turned to face him.

“Where are your shoes?”

Looking down at her bare feet, she wiggled her toes. Looking back to him, Abbi shrugged.

“I must have left them in the pub,” she said, “but it’s all right.”

“It is?”

“I’m sure you’ll get them back to me.” Abbi giggled, and Eddus could have sworn he saw her eyes glow for just a moment as she turned away.

Watching her walk slowly through the park gate, then in the direction of the tree line, Eddus was suddenly sorry that their encounter was over. Turning toward the street behind him, he sighed and began walking. He glanced over his shoulder at the park path. Perhaps he hoped to catch one more glimpse of what was most definitely the most peculiar person he’d ever met, but she was nowhere to be seen.