Chapter nine. Here we go! I don't really know what Julia looks like so I am making it up.
Things with Eli have been going great. It has been almost three months, and nothing has gone wrong. Things have been heating up a lot lately, but Eli respects my pledge to wait, making everything easier. There is a summer dance coming up, the day of our three month, giving Eli about a week to ask me. I knew how he feels about dances, that they are a lame excuse for girls to get all fancy, and for guys to try and score. I laugh every time he says it, but I think he knows how much this one means to me.
Besides he should like the theme; A Night Under The Vegas Lights. There is supposed to be gambling, shows, everything set up like a casino. Eli likes these kinds of things so he should be able to have too. I thought about what I could wear and hear his horn honk, twice. I grab my handbag and head out, he is wearing a black vest and a gray long-sleeved shirt with black stripes. Its just after five when I got in his car, leaving us with about four to hang out, Saturdays I have to be home early to get to bed, church in the morning.
"Hello, beautiful," Eli greets me while I buckle my seat belt. I feel my cheeks get warm, and let a warm smile out.
"Hey, Eli. So what do you have us doing today?" I question, he smirks telling me that something fun.
"Cards, at my house. If that is alright with you," we drive down the road, but he risks a glance here and there at me.
"Sounds, like a good time." I say, warmly to match my consistent smile.
"Hey," he breathes out, "What if we invite Adam over to play with us," he suggest. I personally think it would be fun to be with Adam, but I'm not so sure he will.
"Yeah, did you want me to call him?" I ask a little hesitantly.
"Could you, I don't know if him and I are exactly on good terms. We haven't talked much all summer." he says, he obviously misses his best friend.
"Of course," I say. I grab my phone and hit my speed dial number four. It rings probably six times before going to his voice mail, an automatic voice mail stating that Adam is unavailable and to leave a message. I bite my lip, that's strange, Adam and I are good, or so I thought.
"No answer," I look over at Eli, who takes his right hand off the wheel to reach into his jeans pocket. He hands my his phone.
"Try mine," he puts his hand back on the wheel, "Speed dial three." I hold the three down and Adam's face pops up and it begins to ring. He doesn't answer the call from Eli's phone either. I look to Eli, who had just pulled into his driveway, I shake my head no. We go inside and play a few rounds of blackjack, he wins almost every hand.
"Clare this is my way of asking you to the dance next Sunday." he says, bringing the largest smile to my face. I kiss him slightly.
"That's my way of saying, yes." I say. I check the time, six thirty. "Maybe we could try Adam again," I suggest. He nods, and I try to cal again, getting his voice mail for the third time
We get up from his kitchen table. We go into the narrow hallway and see that his dad is in the living room, he glances over at us.
"Dad, do you mind if Clare stays here while I run and pick up Adam." I give him a confused look and he continues to look at his dad.
"That's fine, Elijah." his dad says using his full first name, which I rarely, if ever use. This is the first time I have heard his dad call him by an actual name. They really don't talk, when I'm here at least. Eli leads me rushed to his room pulling me by my upper left arm.
"Why can't I come," I whine in a questioning voice.
"Because I am going to his house and we are settling this once and for all, I don't know how he will take it, I think it would be best if it was just him and I." he says going to his desk, he opens the top drawer in the middle, pulling out his black laptop.
"Here, you can use this while I am gone, sorry I'm leaving you like this." he starts toward the door before turning back and walking over to me. "For good luck,' he kisses me hard on the lips.
"Good luck," I repeat and watch him leave. I turn on his laptop and see that I need a password. I try a few things like; his birthday, his name, Morty, then I try my own name. None of which work, I sigh and shut his laptop. I walk around looking at the things in his room, I have only been in here a few times, we normally hung out in public or at my house. He always says he doesn't like the mood his house, I never felt it until I was here, alone with his dad, it's quiet.
I look at the things on his dresser, playing with a ring he has sitting on top of it. There is a mirror hanging on the back of his closet door, I see several pictures hanging on it, I go over to get a closer look. He has a photo strip with four picture of us on it, a goofy one, a smiling one, an angry one, and one where he is kissing my cheek. I smile looking at them until I see a similar strip, only with another girl. The first picture they are smiling, the girl has brown eyes, with dark hair, her skin in more tan then my own, she is gorgeous. The next picture their heads are pressed together at the top and they both smile at the camera. The third one down, is him kissing her cheek, and the last of her kissing his cheek. The border around their pictures contains hearts and above all the photos it says "Love". Ours says "Best Friends", jealously sparks up inside my for a second.
I return to his desk, reopening the computer. There is a picture of us as his icon when the password box pops up. I type in "Julia" and his computer unlocks. I feel sad, but for only a moment, because I hear a car door slam. Just one. I can hear him taking steps towards his room, until he's at the door.
"He's out with Fitz, or like his mom said 'That pleasant Mark boy.'" he comes behind me and looks at the computer.
"Well, another day, ok?" I ask forgetting my jealousy. He continues to look at the computer, and gets a nervous look in his eye.
"You got in," he points out. I nod. "Sorry I should have logged it in for you." he bites into his bottom lip.
"It's fine Eli." I realize that I wasn't lying to him. It is fine, she is gone and he needs to remember her. I suddenly feel bad for getting jealous.
"I can't bring myself to change it," he says quickly.
"Eli, it's ok I understand. You have to hold on to her memory." I say, he smiles a smile I rarely get to see, he normally hides behind his smirk. "She was pretty," I point to the pictures.
"Yeah, I really don't want to talk about her, though." he looks at the ground, before taking a seat on his bed. I walk over and sit facing him, he turns to face me.
"Alright," I whisper getting caught in his eyes. He kisses me softly on the lips.
"I love you,' he whispers. it's the first time he has used the word in our relationship. Eli is not the type to throw it around after two days, my heart swells.
"I love you too, Eli." I say going in to kiss him again.
What should Clare wear to the dance, the dress in the promo or something else, your choice. Give me dress ideas?
Another question, I need a name for a secret reason. I put a poll up, so go vote?