Alright this where I write about how sorry I am that I took forever to write this chapter in which I really am. Sometimes I don't realize how many days have actually gone by since I've posted a new chapter and yeah I'm so sorry you guys but here we go, whole new chapter for you guys written with love. :)
"So where are we?"
We had been driving for about an hour and as we pulled up on a red light on who knows what street in who knows where, I'd figured I'd ask in some sort of way where this road trip was headed.
"I don't know." Eli said, with a shrug like the answer that just came out of his mouth was okay in any way shape or form, "I've been here a few times I think."
My eyes my widened in surprise but I knew I signed up for this when I agreed to go on this absurd trip. I took a deep breath, hoping that if I just waited it out that things would start getting better soon and by better, I meant not lost or killed.
As we kept driving, I stared out the window, watching the unfamiliar scenery pass by. I looked at the houses with the different doors and driveways. Houses with newly mowed lawns and mailboxes that were just emptied and houses with trees that engulfed the house, making it barely visible. Houses with small red convertibles in front of the garage and houses with SUVs parked in front and soccer balls thrown in front.
It was crazy how much you could know, or think you know about houses from just looking at the outside. By seeing that SUV with sports equipment thrown everywhere, you could tell that house was probably holding in a mom with a couple of kids. They probably had a calendar on the wall, so that no one's soccer or baseball practice was missed. Their mom was probably the biggest fan, being at every single game and with kids and work, she probably had no time to clean up their mess or even any time for herself except the occasional nights she could go out and have a night out with the other soccer moms. But then again, you could know nothing about that family. Maybe, inside that house was a mom and a dad, they argued all the time. The kids, being scared of the yelling and arguing, escaped outside and played with each other, trying to ignore the anger and frustration that followed them through the walls of the house and haunted them as they couldn't help but think they were the cause of it even though they couldn't be less of the blame. As the argument was over for now, their mom pops her head out the door to call them in for dinner, in a hurry to get in the house afraid of another argument, they scurry inside, leaving the toys all over the yard.
I shuddered a little as I hoped that scenario wasn't real. I had a wild imagination, even as a kid. But it wasn't the imagination that I was a pretty princess in a castle made of gumdrops and chocolate that floated on a huge cloud of cotton candy. Most of the time, they were realistic things and that's what made them even more scarier. I didn't dream of a tree breaking through my window in the middle of the night, grabbing me and eating me. That would have been easier to deal with the explanation, it was just a dream, that can't happen in real life. But I dreamed about someone whose face was never visible by a hat that shadowed over their face being able to appear anywhere and take me. Picking the locks of my house or grabbing me in a grocery store when my dad looked away to pick up a jar of peanut butter. The stranger haunted my dreams, day and night and it was even scarier because it could happen at any time. It wasn't imaginary, it wasn't something I could just brush off as a dream and continue on with life, it could happen at any moment. I was scared to be alone for the fact that being alone would make me an even better target, but the problem with that was that I was alone. I had friends, but they forgot about me most of the time. If I did have anyone, they would leave soon and I'd be by myself, an open target for that shadowed stranger.
Maybe that's why Eli meant so much to me so soon, I thought as I looked over at him. He showed in an interest in me, he chose me. He could protect me from the stranger that surrounded my dreams. The stranger that lived for my loneliness, for the chance to grab me. The stranger that disappeared with company and came back to grab me when I slept alone at night. I always dreamed I'd have someone to lie beside me and hold me when the stranger popped up and tell me it was just a dream because if it was real, they would be there to protect me from him. And maybe, even if it was just for now, Eli could be that person.
I looked down and saw his hand that wasn't operating the wheel leaning against the cup holders. I slowly slid my hand underneath his and clutched it, smiling as the warmth of another person had me. Eli looked over at me, probably prepared with a sarcastic remark about the sudden act of kindness but I guess my face still had the aftermath of the thought of that stranger and he didn't say anything. Instead, he just squeezed my hand a little tighter and smirked with a look that told me he was here, and that was everything I needed to know.
I opened my eyes to see that the sky was turning a dark orange and the sun was lowering itself to go to sleep. I looked and saw that my hand was still holding Eli's all during my what could only have been a thirty minute nap. Then I realized that the car was stopped and we were parked. I looked out of the window, thinking we were back at home as what was in front of me looked like the Dot at first glance but I looked closer and realized it wasn't.
"Did we break down or something?" I said, instantly sitting up at the thought.
"She awakes!" Eli said, looking at me, "Nope, I figured we should stop to get something to eat but I didn't want to wake you up at the same time so I just sat here."
"How long?"
"Like 10 minutes." Eli shrugged, "But you're up now so questions are invalid and we should go eat."
Without being able to answer if there was a needed answer, Eli hopped out of the car and following, I got out too. I followed him to the small diner type deal. It looked pretty cozy like one of those places that people went to, to drink black coffee and listen to indie and write poetry. I'd be doing zero of those things, unless of course they had indie music playing and I'd listen gladly, but it seemed cool enough to be a place that seemed like it was made for that.
When we walked in, we sat in a small table near the back, next to a window, underneath a light that seemed to add 10 degrees to the top of my head. It seemed like as soon as we sat down, someone came over to help us, which wasn't really unlikely considering we were one of about ten people in here at the moment. I just wish my luck wouldn't been that good home all the time, I used to waiting about 15 minutes being getting a waiter or waitress. It also made me nervous as well because I never knew what to pick when eating and as our waitress was walking over I quickly skimmed through the menu not wanting to waste any of her time being indecisive much like I always was.
Once she walked over and asked our orders, in attempt to get the awkward ordering process out the way and to not waste any time, I looked down at the menu and the first thing I saw was waffles so following that, that's what I ordered. Waffles. I ordered waffles! I loved waffles but I could tell by Eli about to laugh at me that it was a weird choice. Sorry I didn't put thought into my order and get grilled cheese and fries like you.
"Waffles? Really?" Eli asked, laughing as the waitress walked away.
"I panicked, okay?" I said, trying to fight back a smile as it was pretty funny.
"Panicked? Ordering food?"
"Yes, it's a lot of pressure ordering food. I like to either go last or get it out the way first. It's a lot of pressure."
"Right." He said, rolling his eyes with a smirk.
We sat there for a while, not really saying anything as there wasn't much to talk about. I watched the sky changing colors little by little. I never really ever paid attention to the sky as I was either always in my room or when I went outside, staring at the sky wasn't the first thing on my mind. But as I did it now, it was super pretty. The colors morphed from purple to a really dark orange and it spend all around like a tie dyed shirt but from nature. The sun was out of view but still shined a little gradient of light across the tie dyed palette of the sky. As I stared at it, our food came and I pulled my eyes away and came back to reality in the diner.
In an attempt of revenge at Eli for laughing at me, I reached over quickly and stole some of his fries, stuffing them in mouth before he could take them or attempt to take them back.
"Wow, the audacity of people nowadays!" Eli said, a little loudly, attracting the attention of the small group of people around us who were clearly used to no loudness in here.
"Eli, shhh." I said, as I never liked attention on me.
"Oh does this bother you?" he said, his voice going up as the sentence continued on.
"Eli." I said, through gritted teeth, trying to send a friendly smile to the people who were definitely now staring at us.
"Oh, I'm sorry everyone, we just have someone over here who clearly doesn't know food code #1, never touch someone else's food." He turned around this time, addressing everyone. One or two people laughed but the rest found nothing funny in Eli's little speech and shook their head with a look that said 'Why do I even come out of the house?'
"Oh my gosh, Eli if you don't sit down and shut up I'll-"
He cut me off by turning around quickly and getting close to me, looking me in the eyes, "You'll what?"
Oh course, I didn't have anything to say, I was just trying to make him sit down. In an act of defeat, I sat down looking at him angrily, but I know all he saw was an imaginary white flag going off next to me with confetti and fireworks that spelt out defeat with exclamation points.
"Exactly." Eli said, with a smirk, "But at least you've learned a lesson, don't touch my food."
"Next time, there won't be anyone around though." I said, smiling.
"That could be beneficial for the both of us."
Of course I gave up with any comeback not only for the fact that I didn't have one but because my waffles were waiting there for me to give them attention and I would never deprive my waffles of the attention they deserved. So, I went to eating my breakfast for dinner and Eli to eating his dinner.
As I was close to finishing my first waffle, I thought of something, "So, are we sleeping in your car?"
Eli looked up and said, "I suppose, I think that's what a road trip implies. Being on the road, sleep and all." Then he had a look that would go perfectly along with one of those light bulb above the head cartoons, "Or… I have the perfect place."
Then he went back to eating, not saying anything. I waited, thinking he'd say it but time just went by and he didn't say anything.
"Which is?" I asked.
"A surprise. It'd be no fun if I told you." He said, with the tenth smirk in a row and at this point, smacking it off his face was the only option. But I held my hand back by continuing to eat my waffles and just let it go. I had trust that hopefully, wherever this surprise was, was going to be worth the wait.
Once we finished eating and we both paid for our food, Eli grabbed my hand excitedly and practically pulled me out my seat as we ran out. I guess wherever we were going had to be pretty cool and worth the wait of a surprise.
What is the surprise place? Hmmm? Do we know? ((well I know, obviously but I was trying to be cute idk)) Anyway, forgive me for being a horrible author and not updating for a while because I love you okay I'm sorry! Please review and tell me what ya think ((even if it's I think you should update more, that's totally acceptable I accept the effects of my lack of action haha and as always you have the right to dislike me for not updating lol))