Chapter Three
A/N: Sorry if you read chapter two and the formatting was screwed up. I have since fixed it, and hopefully that makes it easier to read.
"Hey veronica can you do me a favor?" I asked Veronica when I saw her in the girl's bathroom.
"Depends on what it is. My plate's kinda full right now Em."
"I promise it's not too difficult. Or I hope it's not too difficult."
"What is it?"
"Eli asked me to do something after school. I want you to find out if he means bro let's go fix my bike and have beer chugging contest, or he wants to park his bike in my garage repeatedly all afternoon, or he wants to buy matching bikes and ride off into the sunset."
"I can most definitely tell you to rule out the first one." She laughed. "I assume you want me to be discreet."
"Yeah. I don't want him to know. I'm not ready for a hook and book type of friendship."
"Do you want a background check too? It might give you piece of mind."
"Naw. I'm not under the impression he's an angel. I don't need specifics." The bell rang, "Thanks Veronica."
"Hey Weevil." She said as she tilted her head.
"What do you want now V?"
"A moment of your time." I got up from the lunch table.
"Sure V. Make it quick." We walked to a hallway that led to the maintenance room. It was usually deserted.
"Something's been bugging me."
"Isn't something always bugging you?" I asked with mock annoyance.
"Fair point. Why did you ask me about Logan's sister?"
"She's interesting." Why did Veronica all of a sudden care about Emily?
"Ok let's try this in a simpler way. Do you like her, like like her, or just like her lady parts?"
"Why is this your business Veronica?"
"You have a crush on her don't you?" She gave me a sly look.
"So what if I do? It's not like I have a real chance with her. Even if we dated she would be too ashamed to be seen with me in public."
"Thanks Weevs that's all I wanted to know. Oh by the way. Don't think she's just like the rest of them. Just 'cause Lilly treated you like a dirty little secret doesn't mean she would."
"How do you know about Lilly?" She just shrugged and left me there confused. It wasn't like Veronica to care about my love life, past or present.
I was about to meet Veronica in the girls bathroom again. My stomach was in knots. I wouldn't go through what I did before. I don't care how alluring his brown eyes are I would protect myself from getting hurt again.
"Hey Emily." Veronica said while posting an out of order sign on the door, and using the door stop to keep it shut.
"Hey what did you find out?"
"He does have actual feelings for you. However, he's afraid that you will be too ashamed of him to date him publicly."
"How did you find that out so fast?" I asked a little surprised.
"He said so." I looked at her a little hurt. He wasn't supposed to know. "Relax he has no idea why I asked him, and he probably won't connect the dots. Unless you tell him." I breathed a sigh of relief. "Listen, Weevil's a good guy." She hesitated, "for the most part. Please don't treat him like his ex."
"Lilly? I was under the impression that was just a physical thing."
"How do you know about that? Whatever. It was for Lilly, but not for Weevil." We parted ways, and it was time to meet Weevil in the parking lot. I looked in the mirror one last time to make sure I looked ok. I took a deep breath and walked into the parking lot passed my brother.
"Em where are you going?"
"Out. I'll be back whenever." I walked to the parking lot by auto shop where Eli asked me to meet him. My stomach was in knots I was so nervous. I saw him and automatically smiled.
I saw Emily walk towards me. I didn't want to start things off on a bad note so I asked her to meet me by the auto shop classroom where no one else parked. She looked beautiful.
"Hey cupcake." I called as she got close enough to me. I held out my helmet for her. She smiled and as she grabbed it she spoke.
"One of these days I'm going to come up with a nickname for you."
"They beat you to the punch." I patted the back seat of my bike. "Hope you're up for taking a ride."
"I mean a name that fits you. I'm always up for a ride." She swung her leg over and wrapped her arms around me. "Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise."
I had my arms wrapped around him and we sped out of the parking lot. I took a deep breath and he smelled so good I couldn't place his cologne, but I could smell it for hours and not get sick of it. We rode for a while, and then he pulled up to this beach. There was no one around, and it was the most beautiful place I could imagine.
"Eli this place is amazing."
"No one comes here 'cause the surfing sucks. My grandma used to take me here as a kid." He unstrapped a bag from the side of his bike.
"What's that?" I asked.
"I figured even a dainty flower like you gets hungry." I smiled and we walked closer to the water. "Sorry there's no blanket."
"That's ok the sand feels good." We sat down and he pulled out food I didn't recognize. "What is that?"
"Tamale," he must have seen the apprehension on my face, "trust me its good." He said with a smile. We ate and talked about a lot of things. Our childhoods, hobbies, and other fun topics. "There is no way you have any tattoos." He said when the topic came up.
"Do too."
"Let's see."
"I lifted the back of my shirt up to reveal a large tattoo of a lotus flower."
"Holy shit. It's huge! Why did you get that?" His fingers traced the outline.
"It's a long story."
"I've got time." I smiled.
"I promise I'll tell you someday, but I don't wanna ruin this with a sad story."
"Fair enough." He said and shrugged. The sun started setting and I somehow ended up in his arms watching it.
"It's so beautiful." I sighed taking in the way the colors reflected on the water.
"Yeah it is." He replied.
"You're not even looking at it." I said playfully.
"The sun sets every day, but this doesn't happen every day."
"What?"
"Coming here with a beautiful woman."
"You're just saying that." Then it happened he leaned closer and started to kiss me. I couldn't help it. I pushed him away. "Eli, I can't."
"I'm sorry I thought you liked me." He said understandably confused.
"I do, a lot. I just need you to know I need you to take it slow."
"Ok. Why?"
"I've had a bad experience. I'm not ready to say more than that, but I do really like you, and this is amazing. I just don't want to disappoint you."
"I'll wait as long as you still want me to." He relaxed more, and so did I. This time I initiated the kiss. He pulled me closer, enveloping me. The only thing that existed was us. Every nerve in my body tingled his lips felt like what I imagine cocaine to feel like. I felt alive, and better yet I felt safe for the first time in a long time. We kissed for what must have been hours, but it felt like seconds. When we finally came back to reality it was dark out.
"I never want this to end."
"What?"
"Being here with you. I don't want to go back to Neptune."
"Me neither."
"Why?"
"You'll be an 09er, and I'll still be me."
"You think I'm going to ignore you?" I looked at him hurt. He shrugged.
"That's how it is."
"It doesn't have to be."
"You would give up your friends to be with me?"
"Eli. I have no friends. I hang out with them because I'm supposed to." He smiled such a genuine smile his eyes twinkled. He pulled me close, and then his phone rang.
"Sorry I have to get this." I nodded. "Hey…really, now? I'm in the middle of something….I'll be there as soon as I can." He hung up.
"What happened?"
"There's something wrong with the boys. I have to go." I stopped him.
"It's ok let's go and you get back to them. I'm sure they wouldn't call unless they needed something."
"Thanks for understanding. I'll make it up to you." He drove me home. I savored every minute of the drive. When we got there Logan was sitting on the front step. I got off the bike and gave Eli a peck.
"I had a really good time I can't wait to see you again."
"Me too cupcake." I handed him his helmet and he sped off.
"You were out with Weevil?" Logan asked really angrily.
"Yeah."
"Why can't you ever listen? All he's going to do is hurt you."
"Let me live my life Logan."
"Yeah 'cause last time everything worked out so well."
"He's not the same."
"I'm sure."
"Logan I am not having this conversation with you. We both know how this is going to go. You're going to yell at me, I'm going to ignore you for days, and then you're going to apologize for being an ass."
"And then a couple months later you'll prove me right in the first place. So let's skip to the part where you get rid of your no good boyfriend."
"No Logan. I am not going to let you dictate who I can and cannot see." I pushed passed him and he grabbed my arm. "Logan get your hands off me!" Tears filled my eyes.
"Oh my god Em I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to grab you like that I just lost my temper." He let go immediately.
"That's what he always said." I ran inside the house and into my room. I locked the door and put my stereo on loud. I cried for hours until I fell asleep.