The red and blue LED’s mixed into a new purple glow. The room smelled of cheap weed and stale beer. Music and voices mingled until none of it was coherent and instead just an almost painfully loud assault on Theo’s ears. They sighed as they made their way to the empty plush couch. Mingling had never been Theo’s thing, having been dragged to the party by one of their few friends, they were counting down the minutes before they could leave.
Pulling the well-worn paperback from their back pocket, they slumped into the couch’s soft cushions. The loud voiced faded into a comforting low murmur as Theo opened the faded grey cover. It was nearly thirty minutes before Theo broke their focus to look up, feeling a pair eyes on them. Instantly, they caught the warm hazel gaze of the gorgeous brunette across the room. She was carrying on a conversation with the girls around her, they laughed at a comment Theo could not make out. Smiling, they went back to their book, but they never regained the same concentration, those brown eyes now embedded in their tipsy mind.
“This seat taken?” Theo looked up, carefully dog earing the corner of their book. “All yours.” The girl smiled before taking the spot next to Theo, only leaving a few inches between them on the otherwise empty couch. “I’m Alicia” the girl said casually. “Theo, nice to meet you.” Theo was instantly transfixed by the brunette. Something about the honey-like tone of her voice, the causal poster that radiated confidence.
Theo was clearly out of place, their black jeans held up by a leather belt, grey button up rolled to just below their elbow, showing of toned forearms. And yet Alicia was taken by their presence. The two quickly fell into a comfortable conversation, both emboldened by the warmth of alcohol, they leaned against one another.
“I’ll walk you back” the gravelly tone of Theo’s voice made Alicia shiver as she pulled on her coat.
The casual comfort transformed into lust as the two made their way into Alicia’s one room flat.
Theo woke first, moving silently, they made their way to the kitchen, turning the coffee pot on before rummaging through the fridge in search of eggs.
“Tell me you are not making breakfast in my apartment” Alicia said just ten minutes later, her body covered by only a thin robe. “Its only eggs” Theo said as they handed Alicia a mug filled with coffee. “God, where have you been” Alicia chucked as she moved to sit on one of the empty bar stools.
They continued this way for months. Causal turning to exclusive as they grew to know each other. But, with time came trust, with trust came knowledge, and with knowledge came responsibility.
That is what led to the knock that awoke Alicia that Thursday night. The floor was cold under her feet as she made her way to the front door. Opening it, she was surprised to see her usually lively partner leaning heavily against the doors frame. The paleness of their normally tan skin visible in the porch’s overhead light. Alicia looked Theo up and down, shock evident on her face even before she noticed the thick red blood flowing through the hand Theo had pressed tightly to their side.
“Mind if I come in” Theo’s words ran together in a way that was unusual for them. Alicia only nodded, quickly placing Theo’s arm around her shoulder as she hoisted the two inside.
“Will you tell me what happened?” Alicia’s nerves radiated through her voice.
It was only then that Alicia learned the burden of knowledge, sometimes we are better off not knowing.