âNo, no. Iâm always darting around. Always got stuff to do.â The statement was a half joke, Mal flashing a gentle smile with his brows raising. Content. As they spoke he found more and more similarities between them, personalities harmonizing each other with every further word. The grin upon his lips was rather dizzying, and as dark eyes flickered back to the screen it remained to ache the muscles in his cheeks. When had he last been this happy? God, that thought was enough to make his brain hurt, to feel as if it was to explode with the strain, so instead he sat in that awkward gangly position and dwelled in the moment. For now.
Getting close to people? No. It was something Mal avoided at all costs, and that was clear by the way he almost flinched if someone spoke too loud, or stepped back if the other advanced. There was that caution, that fear surrounding interaction, but it was different right now. Maybe it was the safety of the gentle television sounds that soothed him - He didnât think too much, for once, and just enjoyed the sweetness of the popcorn as it hit his tongue and immersed himself in the flickering picture. But he almost bit his tongue at the reaction to his compliment. âShit, Iâm sorry..â He babbled, and turned his body toward the girl with his arms up and flapping slightly, flustered. âI meanâ Oh, how ungentlemanly of me. I have such a dirty mouth. FuâI mean, bollocks. Ah.â With every word he dug himself a bigger hole, that calm mask he had painted across anxious features beginning to melt away, âI knew I shouldâve gone with the bad boy facade. I knew it.â
At this moment he was more than ready to curl up upon the couch and just snap, to fall apart brick by brick, but Mal wasnât about to. It wouldâve been so easy - it was what he was used to, after all -but instead he took a deep, shaky breath and began to nervously tuck stray strands of hair back into the mess atop of his head.
            âLook, Eva; I know you donât believe me, or donât know how to take it.. But you              are so beautiful. Truly. It makes my mouth dry, and I get all red and flustered -                     like right now. You didnât have to say yes tonight, but Iâm so glad you did. I feel                    so.. comfortable. I donât think you realize what a marvel that is for me.â
If he was going by what the films had taught him he wouldâve leaned forward and kissed her but instead he just sighed and flashed a crooked smile as he pulled away and rested both hands in his lap. Sitting there, with eyes of glazed cinnamon cast downward away from her, he wished to whoever would listen to those messy thoughts of his that he could at least have the confidence to ask her out again. A part of Mal told him that was as bad of an idea as kissing her, so instead that nasally voice stayed silent.
âMmm,â she nodded at his words, half understanding and half uncaring. The tension that seemed to be tugging on every muscle in her body was stifling. God, when was the last time sheâd managed to talk herself into an actual date? She always joked about it, brought it up in passing, but somehow this had ended up being a reality. They had chemistry, that much was undeniable, but she hadnât seen herself participating in anything even close to this at any point in her near future. She was so far down the road of independence that training herself to rely on anyone in any way was something that she wasnât even aware was possible. God, she felt so terrible. By the look on Malâs face, he was enjoying this in every possible manner, and he looked so...happy. The sheer joy in his eyes made her want to bury her face into the arm of the couch, cover up the redness that had settled deep within her cheeks.
They had some similarities, that much was obvious. Though she guessed that he wasnât as social as she was, it seemed as if he had this innate ability to draw people in with his quirks and offbeat mannerisms. Despite the fact that he probably thought less of himself, she could tell that he was much more popular than he gave himself credit for. He made people laugh, and god, she could definitely find herself appreciating that. But then he also had this ability to leave her feeling unsettled, to place his hands on that wall sheâd built up and shake it right to the very core. âI donât really care about the gentleman act, nor do I give a shit about your attempting to be a bad boy,â she said softly, punctuating her statement with a roll of her eyes. Eva knew deep down that she should feel bad for throwing him off guard, but she couldnât bring herself to dredge up the level of emotion that it required. âHas anyone ever told you that being yourself is the best thing to do?â She asked, giving him a cautious look. Being herself was something that sheâd never exactly questioned, and it amazed her to see the people around her so wrapped up in putting on some sort of persona. What happened when you had to drop the mask? It was just odd, she figured. Not to mention awkward.
She curled her legs up towards her chest, resting her chin on the tops of her knees. It was a defense mechanism, really, and she found herself trying to shut out the emotional confusion that was trying to mess with her head. Now he looks uncomfortable, she thought, sadly. Eva wished that she could comfort him, could tell him that it wasnât his fault, but she couldnât bring herself to do it. Sheâd always been the type to retreat into her own shell when she felt as if her lifestyle was threatened.
                    âYou barely know me, though,â she whispered, eyes meeting his as aÂ
                     sad expression painted itself across her features. âIâm not the kind of
                     person you think I am, Mal. I donât know how to do the whole dating
                     thing. Itâs just not me. And I-I canât even take compliments like a
                     normal person. I donât know how to do this.â
She was thankful for the fact that he wasnât trying to make any further moves on her. His words were more than enough at the moment, more than she even realized she could handle. As it stood, she felt as if she was caught in a whirlwind, thoughts tumbling over and over against the insides of her mind. âThis is too fast,â she mumbled, wrapping her arms around her legs and pulling them in even tighter. âToo fast.â
