Chapter 22

A few weeks later

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At the moment, I'm in Mia's office.  After the first few days of counseling, I decided that we could discuss my countless issues in her office.  I guess it doesn't matter, really, but I've begun to get antsy just being in my room all the time.  The first time I decided this, she touched my hand and had teleported me there, which struck me as strange.  When in her office, she told me she was one of those that were lucky enough to get surgery to become a better person, and that involved the ability to teleport, amongst other things.  "What did they do to you?"  I had asked.  "Oh, well, they gave me the ability to teleport, changed me to be able to look younger for longer..."  The list went on and on.  "Wow, that's amazing."  She had nodded.

I sat in a metal chair with just one leg- which was somehow both comfortable and in no way unsteady.  She was sitting in the same chair but behind a metal desk.  She doesn't have a computer, but a device that tapes our conversations in order to assess how I've been reacting to our sessions later on, in case she's missed anything.  There was also a bird in the room- a bright macaw of some kind, that often repeated the same phrases, such as, "believe in yourself!"  "That's not how other's feel about you!", and other bullshit like that.  It was as if he was programmed to say those things, like a macaw could change my outlook on life.

"So, what have you been doing to reach your goal?"
At the beginning of every counseling session, this is the first question she asks.

"Just what you've told me to do..." I shrugged.  She always insisted that I pretty much repeat what she's already said.

"I've been grinning at the people that give me strange looks, smiling at myself at the mirror, told myself the positive qualities of myself, been getting to know others to be reassured that I still am a good person despite my condition..."  The last part of my statement was only have true.  I don't talk to anyone, really, I'm always on my VR glasses when I'm not here.  Mia is the person I'm talking about, she's the only one I'm interested in.  I'm not going to talk to some random sick patient and get to know him.  Why would I want to do that?

She nodded approvingly.  "So, what is your status?"

"I think I'm almost there...."  It's true.  Her exercises have been working very well for me.  After all, it's just the color of my skin that is different, otherwise I am a perfectly normal guy, with normal thoughts and aspirations.  I find myself smiling more, and I know I'll be able to live with myself.  Her being the one to help me through it makes it all the better.  "...but there is something that will certainly make me feel better."

"Yeah?  And what is that?"

I decided to answer her indirectly, "Mia, you're stunning."  It was as if the combination of my past dating experience of Bailey (even if it was fake), and the self esteem exercies Mia and I have been going through, made me very confident of my...half professing my love for her.  I smiled, I've been waiting to tell her that forever.  It didn't matter if the feelings were reciprocated, just that I got it out in the open.

As if we were on the same wavelength, she answered with what I wanted her to, "why thank you, handsome TJ."  I beamed at her.  From the beginning, I thought that she couldn't think I was good looking, there was no way.  How could she find an albino good looking?

But now- now it doesn't seem quite as unbelievable.  My skin doesn't define me.  Sure that's what people first notice, but it won't inhibit my ability to get relationships and what's important in life.  I'm not some lunatic.  My skin is simply a pigment, not a feature.

I inched closer to her.  She just told me exactly what I wanted to hear- if a woman as beautiful as her thinks that I'm handsome, then it must be true.  And I know she's not lying in order to raise my self esteem- the looks she's given me, the way she's dealt with my issues, it didn't seem like it was all professional.  As if there was a degree of warmth to her words that surpassed that of a counselor.

For a moment, I saw her hesitate, like she was thinking, should I really follow through with this?  Then, she turned her gaze to the machine that records everything, and flipped it off manually versus commanding it to turn off through words.  It was as if talking would stop what we were doing.

For a second, my stomach sank while she got off her seat, and started to walk slowly to me.  But, she only started to come to me slowly.  She couldn't stop herself, she rushed to me, so I got up, and at the last second, closed her eyes, and I had to catch her so she wouldn't ram into me.

She opened her eyes and started leaning in, looking up at me.  I knew this was my time.  I leaned down, and our lips met.  I put all my confidence in that kiss, and it really showed.  I have never kissed anyone so well- and yes, I mean Bailey.  But now, her name is just a distant memory.  She was scum and used me for money.  She thought I was despicable in high school.  But here is a woman that never knew me in high school, didn't have the opportunity to hate me.

I pulled away first and reveled in the memory of the kiss, even though it just happened a moment ago.  We leer at each other.

Despite my cool demeanor, I say, "isn't this unprofessional for you?"
She frowns, but I can still tell her eyes are dancing, "it doesn't really matter... no one knows, right?"
I give her a nervous look.  Like no one would be able to find out!

She nodded, like she was saying 'don't worry about it.'  "TJ, no one cares if we get into a relationship.  It really isn't unprofessional.  Especially since I'm trying to help your self esteem- is dating you going to change that?  No!"  Apparently she was thinking we could be in a relationship.  I cheered internally.  This is what I have been wanting!

She paused for a second, and I assumed that she had nothing else left to say, "alright, I'd say that we're done for today."  She touched my hand and we teleported.  I had no time to question why she thought it was necessary we teleport.

Then, we were standing in my room.  She went over to the keypad that controls everything in my room, and pressed a few buttons.  At first I wasn't sure what she did, but then, it clicked.  She didn't want anyone to see...  

She threw her arms around me and started kissing me fervently, and I let her willingly, and between kissing she squealed with delight.

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Mia and I were sitting together after eating our lunch as I leaned back, relishing in the memory of the food I had just eaten.  I ate garlic lobster with garlic mashed potatoes, peas, and the most amazing roll ever.  Ever had hospital food?  Sure you have, but have you ever had five star quality hospital food?  I didn't think so.

"You know that your counseling is over, right?"  She said it as if she's talking about the weather, like it isn't the most pressing statement ever.

"Um... what?"  Right as she said it, it seemed to make sense.  For the past couple of weeks, we have been hanging together nearly all the time.  We ate together and went into VR together, pretty much.  She hasn't been counseling me at all.  I don't need it anymore.  Me being with her was my last step to finally overcome my self-shunning.

"I have been signing you off as uncured, or you would be gone by now."

"Now what?"
"Well..."
"Well what?"
"I could come home with you...."
I gawked at her.  "Are you fucking crazy?!"
Her expression stayed the same, which just made my bones fill more with wonder.

"No one would care that you'd be gone?"  I asked.

She looked around at the other people near.  I hushed when I realized that some people near me were staring.  Lucky for us, it was obvious that they had no clue what we were talking about.

"It's not a matter of that," she answered quietly, "just that no one would know that I'm gone."
"Have you given this thought?!"  It's not natural for someone in a conversation to casually suggest that he moves to another's... time and place, pretty much.

"Yes TJ.  I just can't bare for you to go... without me."
I nodded slowly.  I was starting to warm to the idea, however crazy.

"So, let me get this straight.  You'd be willing to leave your whole advanced city for my twenty first century... modest era?"
"Yes, if it means being with you."  I ignored the cliche nature of her statement and just let the happy butterflies swim in my stomach.  This could mean I really have a future... with her!

"So, how about we think this through?  Sleep on it?"  I asked.

She giggled, probably about my latter statement.  Sayings sure do come and go...  "No, with your outburst, it's plausible that someone heard exactly what you said and is reporting me on it..."
I gasped.  "Oh no!"
"Don't worry about it..."  For a mili-second, I didn't understand why I shouldn't worry, but then she touched my hand and we teleported... While I was in the black, between places, I thought, what about Merlin?