Page 20 of Talk to Me

He looked at my hand for a moment, then met my eyes. Finally, he reached up and took my hand with a cautious smile.

“Theo Hendrix. But—”

“—I kinda already knew that.”

We both laughed. I shook his hand and let it slide from mine.

“I’m walking back to the dorms,” I said. “Do you want to walk with?”

As if gauging whether or not any choice would lead to his certain death, Theo seemed to mull over the question.

“I promise I won’t call you standoffish the entire walk,” I said.

“Yeah,” he said with a smile, finally. “Okay.”

He pushed up to a standing position, using only his legs—which I found impressive—and slung his backpack over his shoulder. In unison, we turned towards the path that would lead us to the dorms, and began to slowly walk side by side.

The first minute of our walk, we travelled together in silence. Only the birds, the whistling late summer breeze, and the sound of far-off students provided traveling music. Of course, it was awkward, but I wasn’t sure how to start a conversation. Obviously, I knew how to strike up a conversation with a stranger—I’d made plenty of friends over my lifetime. However, Theo Hendrix was a different animal altogether.

We met under strange circumstances, and our first actual conversation had begun as a fight due to my impropriety. The fact that Theo seemed to be persona non grata at Midway University made things even more awkward. Since I didn’t know how to start a conversation with Theo without bringing up something awkward or painful, I went with a standard.

“So,” I said as we walked slowly, “what’s your major?”

He snorted.

“What?” I asked, chuckling nervously.

“What’s your major?” he asked, playfully. “You couldn’t think of a more basic question?”

We both chuckled.

“Okay, okay,” I said. “Sorry for being all freshman orientation week on you. But cut me some slack. This has been an awkward day and it’s not even lunchtime yet.”

“Fair.” Theo pretended to be put out. “I’ll take it easy on you. Um, I’m not really sure. I’m kind of undeclared?

“You’re a junior, right?”

“I know!” Theo tilted his head back and groaned. “I’m working on it.”

Laughing, I said, “No judgment. Communications here. I think. Yeah.”

“Sounds like we have an undeclared and an unsure,” Theo said.

We were passing the dining hall, and I was tempted to ask Theo if he wanted to stop in for a snack. However, he’d nearly turned down my invitation to walk back to the dorms together. Sharing a table and a snack seemed like something he wouldn’t be ready to do. Friendships have to bloom naturally and not be forced. I wouldn’t push him.

“It’s just that what you think you care about when you sign up for college is a lot different than when you’re, like, twenty-one,” I said. “Senior year of high school, I knew exactly what I expected out of college. And life. I had everything mapped out. Now, I just want to finish my four years so I can have a break. You know?”

Theo turned his head to watch me as I spoke, his brow furrowed in thought. The dining hall trailed behind us as we continued on towards the dorms.

“No one ever really prepares you for that,” I continued. “Oh, hey, kid. One day you’ll realize that every day you’ll change your mind.”

He chuckled.

“So,” I said with a sigh, “Communications. That’s the official major.”

“Well,” Theo said, “I promise to let you know what my major is when I figure it out. If I figure it out.”

I smiled at him. “Well, don’t waste too much time.”