Dr Archeville Posted March 2, 2011 Posted March 2, 2011 The Importance of Understanding Your FeelingsTime: February 27, 2011Place: Hughes Home Corbin had spent the last week being rather distant to...well, pretty much everyone. His parents, Quo-Dis, Blake, his other school friends, all of them had noticed he'd been quieter, more focused. Just not on school. He seemed to be living in another world. That wasn't to say he was cold or unkind; simply that he spent more time than usual on his own. Thinking, drawing, painting, or listening to music; one way or another, he was secluding himself. Today, he was in one of the top floor rooms of his family's home, listening to music on his iPod while painting slowly and carefully. 'Am I ready for this step? Do I really feel this way? Is it fluctuating hormones, or something more?' He frowned slightly as he tried to clear his head a bit. He was trying a sort of “stream of consciousness†painting; the goal was to almost let the brush guide itself, rather than have a starting goal. But this painting seemed pretty standard for him; rolling hillsides, some trees, a blue sky. But he still had almost half a canvas to work with still. Time would tell. 'She haunts my dreams. She consumes my thoughts. And maybe half of them are the kind that leave me needing a cold shower. In the other half-' He shakes his head, reaching down to crank up the music. He squinted at his work a bit. A beautiful sunrise had taken shape. And this hill on the left side seemed like it would be important. But why? 'I mean, just saying that word out loud is a huge step. Especially after I made a big deal out of it back in November! I mean, how do I know it's real, and not a moment's fancy?' He makes the final brush stroke, placing his tools to one side and sitting back to admire the painting. Which is of Quo-Dis, in a simple blue sun dress, standing on a hill, hair blowing in the breeze as she stares out of the painting, a smile on her face. The rising sun cast her in a slight golden light, and the rich green of the grass worked to help her stand out even more. She was in a post typical of herself, simultaneously confident and reserved. “That's it. I need to talk to dad.†With that, he took a moment to carefully file all of his supplies away, leaving the painting to dry; then, he walked out of the room, heading downstairs to find his father for a heart-to-heart talk. “What do you need, Corbin?†“Can we talk? Um, alone? Guy talk type stuff.†Corbin glanced at his mother, sitting next to his father at the casual dinner table. She smiled at the two of them, and made a shooing motion. “Go use the library. Both of you like thinking deep thoughts surrounded by books.†The two Hughes men gave sheepish grins, followed by near simultaneous shrugs. Albert stood, setting his paper down next to his empty plate from a light lunch. “Come on, son. We've got plenty of time.†It wasn't long before they were behind closed doors, with Albert taking a seat to one side, while Corbin paced lightly around the room. “When did you know for sure?†“Know what for sure?†Albert had an idea, but it was better to let Corbin talk it out. It would help the boy think things over again. “Know that mom was special. That she was “itâ€. That you wanted to do more than take her out to the movies and a few dinners. That you wanted something deeper with her.†“That I wanted something more physical?†Corbin blushed almost entirely red. “That's not-†“Not what your talking about, I know. It is sort of my business, though I think we've taught you all we can. It shouldn't be cheap, and it should be safe.†“No, I got that. I mean, that was embarrassing as hell, but I got the point.†“Good. As for what you probably meant...It's hard to say. It's not any one moment. We were a bit older, you understand. Though not by much; maybe a year and a half. Point is, I didn't wake up and say 'I love Sarah' one day. It was more that I realized I had for a while. It wasn't just about the physical things. I wanted to be there for her. I didn't just want to do things with her, I wanted to do things for her. I wanted to make her feel special. I wanted to care more about her than about me. I couldn't imagine not having her in my life. Not seeing her in my future. That's when I knew. That's when I was ready for the next step, in every sense of the word. Think about it a bit, son. If you're feeling that way, I wager you'll realize you have been for a bit.†With that, Albert rose, giving his son a quick hug before walking out of the library. Corbin stood there, mulling over his father's words. Slowly, a small smile came to his face. “He's right.†He pulled out his cell phone, quickly dialing Quo-Dis's number. “Hello gorgeous. Listen, will you be free in a week? I have a plan for a nice picnic meal on-campus, and I was rather hoping you'd join me...â€
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