SCORPION - GRAVITY - CHAPTER 7
The next day, Walter was in front of Paige's door at exactly 2pm.
When he came home after their first time hanging out, Toby was waiting for him with a grin on his face. He insisted to have all the details about Walter's day and even though he had been very evasive, it didn't take a genius to understand that it went well. Toby declared that Walter was finally discovering feelings like a real human being, but Walter still doubted that. Of course he enjoyed spending the day with Paige, and she made him feel different, but in a good way. But still, he was only doing this because… because what exactly? It bothered Walter that he wasn't able of putting his finger on a good reason as to why he wanted to be friend with Paige so much. Because like Toby said, geniuses don't do things for no reason.
Anyway, after an hour of his genius friend analyzing him and blathering about geniuses EQ, Megan and Sylvester came home too. It seemed like they also had a good day, but frankly, Walter didn't want to know more. Sure he was… happy for them but it was so awkward to see his sister dating.
She also asked him about his date with Paige and he had to repeat for the hundredth time that it wasn't a date and that his intention with Paige had never been romantic.
Yet here he was, in front of her door, wearing another of his sister's favorite shirt, wondering if he looked or smelled good.
When Paige got out of her house, she was happy to see that Walter was already here, looking anxious as always. She gave him a friendly smile and he immediately relaxed. There was something about her smile, like it would protect them from anything that could happen around them, putting them both in a bubble, just the two of them and for a moment nothing else mattered.
« Glad to see you're here. »
« You said 2, I'm never late. You're late on the other hand. It's 3 past 2.» he answered matter of factly.
« Well let's get going smart ass. We don't want to lose anymore time. »
Walter never liked people talking about him with nicknames referring to his intelligence. Because very often, it was used ironically to mock him. But that was something else he didn't mind Paige doing. In fact he was okay with anything she might do or say, because he found her hypnotizing in her every moves. He may say that he is unable to feel anything, the truth was that he was under her spell, and he was forgetting all logic when he was with her.
So without thinking more, Walter followed her downtown and she brought him to a thrift shop where they sold vintage clothes as well as regular ones and all kind of accessories which Walter couldn't find useful. Paige was very enthusiastic and looking everywhere to find something she liked.
« Are you um… looking for anything specific? » Walter asked curiously.
Paige swung around and looked at him with amusement.
« Of course not. Where's the fun in that? I'm waiting to see THE thing that's gonna make me give away my money. »
« I… don't understand. »
« Don't you? »
« No I don't. When I need a shirt I go to a shop and buy a shirt. Same thing if I need jeans, or a tie, or anything else. »
Paige repressed, not with difficulty, her smile and faked a sorry face.
« So you always plan everything? You never leave place to surprise? That's quiet sad actually. »
Walter thought for a moment and reached the conclusion that she was right. It's been a while since he planned every single thing of his life and knew exactly what he wasn't going to do the next day. Well except these past two days of course. He smiled, thinking that this was the right answer.
« You weren't planned. »
« What do you mean? »
« I never imagined two days ago that I could be shopping with you but here I am. I'm always surprised when I'm with you. »
Paige bit her bottom lip, touched by his words. She didn't imagine that he could say something so sincere and that it would move her this much. There was an awkward silence between them and Paige knew she had to change the subject.
« I have an idea! You pick up something for me and I buy it. »
« What? Oh no I'm terrible at… »
« Come on! Just chose something you like. »
Something he likes. Walter had no idea what he liked. He was pretty sure that anything would look good on Paige, but he didn't want to make a fool of himself by picking something she wouldn't like. So he was about to protest again but Paige knew better than this.
« You're a science guy right? » He nodded. « So just think about… I don't know how well done is the geometry of a pattern, or how the color would be a good association with my skin color. »
He was amazed buy how little they knew each other yet how well she knew how to talk to him. It was like she had known him for years.
« Okay I can do that. »
Walter then looked carefully at the items in front of him. He examined each one of them, wanting to find the perfect one. Paige was watching him with amusement. She found him incredibly cute when he was focused on something, with his frowned eyebrows and his mumbles to himself.
Then Walter came up with something. It was a light summer dress with black and white aztec patterns.
« I… I think you'd look great in this. »
« Oh I love it Walter! Come on, I'm going to try it! »
She took him by the wrist and guided him to the changing room. She went in as he waited for her outside, glancing around, not sure why he was suddenly so uncomfortable. He stood in front of the cabin for what seemed an hour to him, until Paige finally came out.
The dress looked perfect on her, marrying the shape of her body but still not revealing too much. She looked perfect. In fact he had never seen something this perfect in his whole life. It exceeded all the science things he could ever find perfect. At this precise moment, he forgot everything about science. It was only her. God he couldn't believe that she just had to put a dress on to shut his genius brain down.
Paige could feel her skin burning under the gaze of Walter. Even Drew never looked at her this way. She felt… adored by the young man standing in front of her.
« So um… I guess I'm going to take it. »
Walter got out of his embarrassing thoughts and just nodded. So Paige went back in the cabin to change back and then they went to pay before getting out of the shop.
Walter was still a little uncomfortable but he gladly followed her to a bar where they bought milkshakes to go. When they were walking, she passed her arm around his waist and leaned a little into him. She had always been a very tactile person and Walter wasn't used to it but he very rapidly found out that he craved her touch. So in response he put his own arm around her shoulders, imitating the gestures he had seen couples do. At this point he realized that in fact they really looked like a couple, and that it was probably wrong since she actually had a boyfriend. But he couldn't help liking the idea of people thinking they were together.
They didn't talk to each other for a few minutes, just walking and relaxing under each other touch. Then Walter remembered something Toby said about small talks. He never saw the point of it but he was willing to try with Paige.
« So Paige… I… I told you a lot about… my family and all last time. It's your turn now, tell me about you and… your family you know. »
Paige didn't expect it. She never thought he would ask her something like this. She guessed that was why she felt so well with him. Because she didn't have to talk about her, and he wouldn't ask her either. But she was wrong. Ans she might feel at ease with Walter, she wasn't ready yet to talk about her family. She never talked about it with anyone in fact. Not Drew, not her friends, she kept it all for her.
« Well um… I don't have much to say. I'm just a regular girl you know, living with my dad, no siblings and that's all. Not interesting at all. »
Walter wanted to ask her why she was living with her dad only and where was her mother but he noticed she was evasive in her answer so he thought it was better not to insist. Paige appreciated that he didn't push her. Maybe he had to wait a little before she could trust him enough and tell him her story. After all they only knew each other for two days, even if it felt like forever.
The dress Paige buys is inspired from the dress Katharine McPhee wears one the promotional photos for Scorpion like the one I used to illustrate this story because I think she looks great in it (of course she's a gorgeous woman and looks great in everything) :)
Thanks for all the comments you make on this story, I have so many ideas, this story isn't even close to end!
