"I have an odd request for you."
Henry and Elizabeth were on the phone, Elizabeth in her shared apartment and Henry at his own. Their date- following the debacle- had gone exceptionally well. They'd learned so much about one another over the burger that had been just as good as Henry said, covering every topic they could think of at a rapid-fire pace, from politics and religion to their favorite colors. While Elizabeth hadn't spoken any more of her parents, Henry understood. She'd been animated and engaged throughout, as had he, and conversation had flowed easily. Henry was completely enamored; his thoughts since that evening were often of Elizabeth, and he was very hopeful that their next date would be equally successful. When his phone had started to ring and he picked it up to find that it was Elizabeth, he'd been unable to keep the smile off of his face.
"What's that?" he asked her now, wondering vaguely in the back of his mind if there was anything she could ask him for that he would refuse to do. He was sure there must be something, but he couldn't come up with it just then.
"Well...I want you to come and vote with me," she said. Henry smiled slightly to himself at that; he took voting very seriously. It was among his civic duties, and he'd voted at every election since turning eighteen, after doing diligent research to ensure he was voting based on fact rather than any hearsay or impressions he'd mistakenly gotten from others. Judging by this hesitant invitation, he would guess that Elizabeth was much the same way- and that she'd probably gotten as much flack as he had for it from their less conscientious peers.
"I would love that," Henry replied sincerely.
"Really?" There was no small amount of surprise in Elizabeth's voice at his ready agreement.
"Really," he confirmed. "I take my civic duties very seriously." Elizabeth giggled and then her tone had taken on a teasing, lilting note that made Henry smile reflexively.
"Well I hope you've done your homework, McCord," she said, and Henry's heart skipped a beat in his chest.
"I'll have you know I'm an excellent student," he replied, and she laughed.
"Alright," she said. "You can prove it on Tuesday."
Henry and Elizabeth walked side by side in the direction of the polling place on campus, both of them pulling their jackets closer around themselves against the biting November air.
"So…" Elizabeth began with a sideways glance at Henry. "Who are you voting for?"
He laughed as he looked over to meet her eyes.
"Out of the gate with the telling questions," he remarked. Elizabeth shrugged.
"I think it's the answers which are telling," she fired back at him; Henry laughed again. He wondered briefly if he looked ridiculous, laughing at everything that she said. But when he glanced over and saw the small, satisfied smile on her face he was pretty sure he was okay.
"You know, I have a constitutional right to privacy at the ballot box," Henry reminded her.
"Telling answers," Elizabeth sang, and he grinned.
"Alright then, who are you voting for?" he asked, and she laughed.
"Whoever supports my constitutional right to privacy at the ballot box," she answered and with a grin she was gone from his side and off to cast her vote. Henry watched her go for a moment, marveling at the existence of someone like Elizabeth Adams, and then he, too, set off to vote.
When the two of them reunited a short time later, they were each sporting oval-shaped "I Voted" stickers, which they wore proudly displayed on their shoulders. Elizabeth smiled brightly at Henry as he joined her, leaning over the brick wall she was standing by to grin at him.
"So who'd you vote for?" she asked, and Henry laughed.
"I won't tell you who I voted for," he began, "but I will tell you who I think is going to win."
"Bush," the two of them said at the same time, and then, following a beat of silence, they both burst into laughter that took them a moment to recover from. Elizabeth couldn't help thinking that it was so nice to laugh like that- she'd had her share of fun over the past few years, but there was still something different about being with Henry. Something more freeing, somehow. She was equally as terrified of it as she was thrilled by it, but something quiet in the back of her mind told her that the fear might be worth it. She smiled at Henry, both of them having composed themselves again.
"I guess I'll have to trust that you made an educated decision," she said, and Henry nodded solemnly.
"I assure you that I did," he answered.
"Well," Elizabeth shrugged with another smile, "that's all I can really ask for."
She looked up at him and Henry held her gaze, enamored just as he'd been at their first meeting by the way her eyes sparkled. There was some light there that he could not identify, but to which he was inexplicably drawn.
"So," he said, clearing his throat and dragging his gaze from Elizabeth's to look down at his watch before glancing back up at her. "How do you feel about breakfast?"
Elizabeth glanced down at her watch, too, and then up at Henry, who was several inches taller than her.
"It's a little late for breakfast," she remarked, but was quick to add on to that when Henry's face started to fall. "But I could go for brunch."
Henry smiled at her, hoping she hadn't seen his disappointment. He didn't want to seem too eager to spend time with her- but what was too eager, exactly?
"Brunch it is," he announced, and they fell into step side by side, with Henry guiding their course.
"Where are we going?" Elizabeth asked. Henry smiled at her.
"Back to the beginning," he answered in an attempt to sound mysterious which only made Elizabeth laugh.
"The coffee shop?" she guessed, though it sounded more like a statement than the question that it was.
"Yes," Henry admitted. "If that's okay with you." Elizabeth smiled, and with a glance down at her hand which was hanging close to Henry's, she deftly intertwined their fingers and smiled when Henry's palm rested against her own.
Elizabeth was surprised to find that her heartbeat held steady with Henry's hand pressed against hers.
"Sounds perfect to me," she said, and just like that, election day took on a whole new meaning.
When Henry walked Elizabeth back to her building after a brunch that lingered far past the food, he did so a little sadly. He couldn't get enough of spending time with Elizabeth, and seeing their morning together draw to a close made him wish it would never end. Unbeknownst to Henry, Elizabeth found herself in much the same vein of thought. She reveled in the feeling of Henry's hand in hers and glanced over at him. This was their second real date, and she had to admit she was hoping he might take that next little step outside her building before saying goodbye. She watched the way the wind ruffled his dark, messy hair. Henry glanced over at Elizabeth, too, taking note of the way the wind lent a pink tinge to her cheeks and the tip of her nose. It made him wish that he could kiss her- not that he hadn't been wishing for that already. It was their second date, Henry reminded himself, and their fourth time spending time together. And she had taken his hand with such confidence earlier; it would be perfectly acceptable to kiss her, wouldn't it? Suddenly Henry found himself nervous. He took another glance at Elizabeth as they walked side by side in comfortable silence, and Henry had resolved himself to attempt it. He was planning it all out in his head and mentally attempting to prepare himself. He could do this, he told himself. It was easy.
As the pair of them approached the building where Elizabeth lived, they each slowed their footsteps slightly. Neither of them particularly wanted this little date to end, and had Elizabeth not had a test that she needed to study for, she would have been very likely to extend her time with Henry. Instead, she turned slightly toward him and smiled, unaware that his heart was hammering against his ribs.
"Thanks for voting with me," she said. He grinned at her.
"It was a pleasure," he replied sincerely. "As was brunch afterward."
"Those waffles were really good," Elizabeth agreed, and tilted her head slightly. "I guess the company was okay, too," she added, and Henry laughed.
He hesitated, the two of them just looking at one another there in the cool breeze and weak sunshine that was filtering through the clouds. His heart was racing and Elizabeth was just looking at him, almost as if she were waiting for something.
"Elizabeth?" Henry heard himself say softly, her name like honey on his tongue.
"Henry?" she replied.
"May I kiss you?" he asked, forcing the words out before he could lose his nerve. He watched her anxiously, only to see a sweet smile appear on her features
"Yes," she replied with a little nod of her head. Henry felt his breath hitch as they each leaned in slightly and his hand came to rest on her cheek, warming the cool skin there as his fingertips brushed her soft golden curls. He brushed his lips lightly against hers and back again, hovering there. The kiss was soft and chaste, but it sent sparks flying through both of their bodies and Henry felt Elizabeth lean into him as she squeezed his hand ever-so-slightly. The moment seemed to last both a lifetime and no time at all, and then it was over, and their eyes had met again. Elizabeth smiled at him.
"Let's do that again soon," she murmured. Then, with a small and knowing smile for him that sent his whole being into even more of a tailspin, she kissed his cheek and then she was gone, leaving Henry alone on the sidewalk. He smiled to himself; life with Elizabeth Adams in it only seemed to get better and better.
Over the month of November, Henry and Elizabeth saw one another with increasing frequency. They went out several times, and spent a fair amount of time studying together, which consisted mostly of furtive glances and flirting that left them both trying to stifle their laughter in their little corner of the library. Elizabeth was exactly the kind of girl Henry had always hoped to end up with; she was kind and smart, and she was far from self-absorbed. She could more than keep up with him in any conversation or debate, constantly keeping him on his toes with just enough mystery to keep him guessing. He had fallen hard and fast for her, and it seemed now that there was no end to how far he could fall. After their first kiss, Elizabeth's request had been granted; they'd done it again very soon, and on every occasion that they'd seen one another since. The kisses had become more intense and more heated; Henry had discovered that Elizabeth was an excellent kisser, and she'd said the same about him. He had blushed and she had laughed. Then, she had kissed him again.
Elizabeth was falling hard for Henry, too. It frightened her a little bit, but mostly she was just enjoying it. She enjoyed spending time with Henry, probably more so than anyone she'd met since she'd come to UVA. She hadn't been extremely social, and as a result hadn't met many friends there. The few people she had made friends with were more like acquaintances; it didn't really bother Elizabeth, but she had to admit that it was nice to be this close to someone again. Henry had tentatively introduced Elizabeth to his friend Tom as his girlfriend, and was rewarded by Elizabeth's bright, dazzling smile, which was a relief. Little did Elizabeth know that Henry had sworn Tom and his girlfriend to silence regarding the Jane Austen dance before he'd agreed to allow them to meet Elizabeth. Elizabeth's only worry was that she was becoming too close to Henry; since her parents' death, she had ruined more than one friendship by being "too clingy" and she had resolved not to do that once she'd started college. It played a part in why she hadn't made close friends at UVA, save for Henry.
Now, just following the Thanksgiving break in which Henry had gone home to Pittsburgh and Elizabeth had quietly waited out the holiday on campus, Henry and Elizabeth had just gone out for dinner at the off-campus pizza place frequented by many UVA students. As they'd been walking back, hand in hand as they often were, Henry had turned to Elizabeth a little hesitantly.
"Do you want to come and hang out at my apartment for a little bit?" he asked, sounding unsure but hopeful. And Elizabeth had just hesitated for a moment before she had agreed, which had brought them here. Elizabeth was only a little bit nervous as she stood in the hallway and waited for Henry to unlock the door to his apartment. She'd been a little surprised when he'd invited her home to his apartment the way he had. At the same time, she wasn't sure why she'd expected Henry to be that different from what she'd heard college guys in general were like. She supposed it had only been a matter of a time, and she was okay with that. It wasn't as if she wasn't willing to have sex with Henry; in fact, she was more than willing. He was kind, smart, handsome; all in all, he was a real catch, and if their make-out sessions were any indication, tonight was going to be one of the better first nights she could hope for. She supposed there had just been a part of her that hoped for the chivalry, the lack of pressure, all those things she'd seen in the movies and never quite managed to find. It had seemed like a possibility with Henry. Shaking it off, Elizabeth resolved to just enjoy herself tonight and see what happened. Sex wasn't a bad thing, after all, and she had to admit that in spite of her lingering feelings of slight disappointment, she was genuinely looking forward to it.
As she followed him into his apartment for the first time, she looked around. The place was homey and warm, which didn't surprise her. Henry was more sensitive and grown-up than most people their age, something that she really appreciated about him. He had a large collection of books, arrayed over several shelves, and his furniture was nice, but not new. She didn't mind; in fact, she liked the lived-in feeling that it lent to the place. It was tidy, but not too clean, and she liked it.
"Nice place," she remarked as Henry set his keys down on the counter and reached out to take her coat, which she willingly handed over to him.
"Thanks," he replied, watching as she ambled over to the bookshelves. He smiled slightly; he loved that the books were what had drawn her in immediately. It just confirmed for him- again- that Elizabeth was exactly the kind of girl he wanted in his life. Possibly forever. No, he thought as he looked over at her running her delicate fingers along the spines of his books, taking in each of the titles. Not possibly. Definitely forever. He'd keep that to himself for now, though. He didn't want to scare her off. If he was going to keep her around as long as he wanted to, that was the last thing he wanted.
She glanced over her shoulder at him as he went about flicking on the lamps.
"What are you looking at?" he asked, moving to stand next to her and looking down at the book in her hand. It was his copy of The Metamorphosis.
"Kafka," she replied. Henry nodded.
"Familiar with it?" he asked her, and she shot him a look that clearly read 'are you kidding? Of course'. Henry chuckled at that.
"Forgive me," he intoned, and she rolled her eyes, but it was good-natured. He loved that about her, the way she made no apologies for her sharp wit and intelligence. Henry was pretty sure he could just sit and talk with her all day, every day, for the rest of his life.
"Not one of my favorites, though," Elizabeth remarked as she replaced the book back where she'd gotten it.
"Nor mine," Henry admitted. "It felt like an important one to have on the shelf." She laughed at that, recalling some of her own collection that had just seemed like they were books she ought to own in spite of the fact that she'd not particularly enjoyed them and wasn't very likely to read them again.
"You know," Henry began, clearing his throat in an attempt to hide his nervousness that did not work at all, "there is a reason that I brought you here tonight."
And there it is, she thought.
"Oh?" she replied, glancing over at him. Henry stuck his hands nervously in his pockets and nodded.
"Bet I can guess," she remarked quietly.
Henry laughed, catching her drift.
"Oh, I bet you can't," he replied. "It's not what you think."
"It's not?" she repeated. She had to admit, she was starting to doubt herself.
"No," Henry replied, shaking his head as he chanced a glance in her direction. "I'll give you a hint," he said. "It involves letters."
That threw her off. Letters? Elizabeth no longer had any clue what was going on, so she went for the offensive.
"Letters?" she repeated. "That could mean a number of things." She started to tick them off on her fingers. "The alphabet, a collection of addresses from one person to another, writing addresses from one person to another…"
Henry smiled slightly.
"You were closer with the first one," he replied, and she racked her brains to try and come up with what that could possibly mean. She was still thinking when Henry approached one of his bookshelves and reached for a box that was resting on top of it, pulling it down with very little effort. When the box was resting in his hands, Elizabeth could glance over and see it very clearly. The sight caused a smile to spread over her face.
Scrabble.
Suddenly, looking up at the slight smile on Henry's face, Elizabeth felt a rush of warm affection. Maybe, she mused, there was more to this than she'd thought.
"Told you it wasn't what you thought," he said.
"Who says this isn't what I thought?" she tossed out as she reached out her hand for the box and sat down on one side of his low coffee table, long legs crossed underneath her. Henry laughed, but said nothing as he sat down across from her.
"Prepare to go down, McCord," she said as she pulled the board from the box. Her blue eyes met his in a challenging stare, and Henry smiled. He had no chance at winning this game, and he knew it, but he didn't care. If he could get her to look at him like that, he'd be willing to lose a million games of Scrabble.