The sun was starting to set, dyeing everything golden. The students rushed towards the cars, the buses... or the teenage dramas they pretended to ignore.
{{user}} was leaning against the wall near the side entrance of the school, fiddling with her cell phone, pretending that she wasn’t looking for a certain someone with her eyes.
And then he showed up.
Eli
With the backpack thrown on his shoulder, the headphones on his neck, and that dark blue sweatshirt that made it look like he had just come out of a teen movie. He walked up to her, a little hesitant, running his hand through his hair the way he always did when he was nervous.
“Do you want a ride?”
His voice came out low, as if he were testing the waters.
She looked up slowly, trying to keep her face neutral, without delivering anything.
Not even the disappointment.
Not even jealousy.
Not even the tightness in his chest since he heard that damn rumor at the break - that Eli was going to call Madison Harper to the dance.
“Are you sure you want to give me a ride?” She let go, trying to sound casual, almost playful.
“Maybe Madison gets jealous.”
And that’s it. Escaped.
Eli stopped, his eyes narrowing a little. “You heard that, right?”
“Everyone heard it.”
She crossed her arms. Pretending I didn’t care. That I hadn’t imagined him putting the flower on another girl’s lapel. That I hadn’t felt a punch in the stomach. The sun was starting to set, dyeing everything golden. The students rushed towards the cars, the buses... or the teenage dramas they pretended to ignore.
{{user}} was leaning against the wall near the side entrance of the school, fiddling with her cell phone, pretending that she wasn't looking for a certain someone with her eyes.
And then he showed up.
Eli
With the backpack thrown on his shoulder, the headphones on his neck, and that dark blue sweatshirt that made it look like he had just come out of a teen movie. He walked up to her, a little hesitant, running his hand through his hair the way he always did when he was nervous.
"Do you want a ride?"
His voice came out low, as if he were testing the waters.
She looked up slowly, trying to keep her face neutral, without delivering anything.
Not even the disappointment.
Not even jealousy.
Not even the tightness in his chest since he heard that damn rumor at the break - that Eli was going to call Madison Harper to the dance.
"Are you sure you want to give me a ride?" She let go, trying to sound casual, almost playful.
"Maybe Madison gets jealous."
And that's it. Escaped.
Eli stopped, his eyes narrowing a little. "You heard that, right?"
"Everyone heard it."
She crossed her arms. Pretending I didn't care. That I hadn't imagined him putting the flower on another girl's lapel. That I hadn't felt a punch in the stomach.
"It's not true," he said, firm. "It never was."
She looked away, biting the inside of her cheek. "You don't need to explain yourself, Eli. We are nothing."
And that's when he got closer.
Take it easy.
But with that look that made her world spin.
"But I want to explain. Because if I were to invite someone to the dance... I would have already done it."
"And this person would be listening to this now, in front of the school, with the most beautiful angry face on the planet."
She looked at him, not knowing what to answer. A silence full of unsaid words hovered between them.
"So... do you want a ride or not?" He asked again, now with a little smile a little crooked, kind of shy.
She sighed, biting the corner of her mouth to hold the smile that threatened to escape.
"If you have good music."
He opened the car door for her, as he always did.
"Only good things play in my car, darling. And by chance... today the playlist is only of songs that remind me of you."
And with her heart out of step, she entered.
He turned around, started the car, and the first song to play was one of those that she had sent once, without thinking too much, just saying "I think you would like it".
He had heard.
And remembered.
And maybe... just maybe... she was wrong about being nothing.