Self Known

"Hey, um, do you mind getting that bag down for us?" I mumble, looking down at my hands, not daring to meet his eyes. He nods, smiling a little and moves to position himself in the right place. I glance over my shoulder at my dear friend, who watches. So I turn back to watch too. He reaches up for the bag, his fingers grazing the side, trying to coax it out of its place on the high shelf. But his fingers catch on the item inside the bag, and it falls, flopping down onto his face in a blur of green fuzziness. I hear laughter, and watch as he laughs along nervously, pulling the leg warmer off his face. The bag is finally retrieved and plopped onto the table. He's still laughing, along with others. I study his tomato red face for a moment, debating on whether to say something or not. But no words come to mind. I don't even have a smile to share. I pick up the bag and walk away, my friend trailing behind quietly. *** Have you ever looked back at those moments in ti...

"Let's have a staring contest." He pipes up, glancing toward me. I raise an eyebrow, wondering what this means. "Okay." I say, hesitantly. I look around at the few others gathered around us. My eyes rest on him. Then her. Then on the our siblings nearby. They are engaged in their own conversation. It is just us three. I steal another glance at him, noticing his eyes are still on me. What is he thinking? "Hey, have you ever heard about the time I--" She starts, but her voice is cut off. "Well?" I blink. It is so unlike him to ignore her. I nod silently, signaling I'm ready and trying not to show my surprise. I think she huffs, but the only thing I can focus on are his deep brown eyes that grow wide as they stare back at me. My heart beats fast. Faster than it should. We stare, unblinking, at each other. I feel as if I've entered my own world. I open my mouth to say something, when our eye contact is broken. By a pillow. I put...