After we had breakfast we all went home but before I left I had been left alone with Elijah yet again. I had remembered I left my contact case in his room so we went to retrieve it. I knocked on his door and heard him give a simple hmm.
         "Oh hi… it's Oliver," I look around to see that I'm alone. "I think I left my lense case in there this-" I was explaining when the door opened. I looked up to see him looking at me and I gulped. " Morning…" I finished.
          He chuckles a bit and opens the door while walking over to his bedside table and I frown but follow him. He turns back to me with the said case in hand and I take it mumbling a simple thank you before I turn to leave. I didn't need to stay any longer and Shawn was waiting for me out front.
           "Wait" he calls and I stop and look over my shoulder confused. He smiles at me before scratching the back of his neck and looking towards the floor. I raised my eyebrow at the strange behavior.  
            "Yes?" I urge him to explain himself. I swear I couldn't read this man to save my life. 
           " Yeah, I was wondering if I could get your number. You seem pretty cool. If that's okay." He wanted my number. A big part of my mind screamed no but then I replayed all the things he had done for me. He was nothing but kind to me. Sure he was weird but he was kind nonetheless. What harm would it cause me? If something actually went wrong I could just block him. Making up my mind I fully turn to him smiling.
             "Sure!"

            Now here I am back home sitting on my bed looking at my phone. He texted me. A simple 'hey this is Elijah'. Nothing complex but I couldn't stop staring at it wondering how to respond or if I should respond. I hear the front door open signalling to me that Sandra is home. I choose to wait on a response and go into the kitchen to see her with groceries. 
            "Are there anymore?" I ask and she turns and smiles at me. "Oh yes if you could help me I'd appreciate it." She responds. I nod and head straight to the car and see there are about four bags left. Grabbing them all I shut the car and head back inside to help put them all away.
           We finish putting the groceries away as I go sit at the counter.
           "How was the party?" She asks while leaning back on the counter and smiling at me. 
           "It was... interesting. Shawn had to share a bed with Jackson," I started while trying to hold back a laugh. "And we, well more so Shawn discovered real fast that he likes all the covers to himself." She gives a slight chuckle before I continue. "Also I think it was more so Jessica's idea to watch horror films."
           "Oh? And whys that?" She questions.
           "Because Kim kept hiding behind her and was scared very easily." I chuckle. 
           "She must really like this girl, huh?" I smiled. 
            "Yeah. I believe so." I sat in silence for a moment before I also remembered. "Oh and I got a random fever last night. But I'm feeling better now." Sandra looks over at me with alarm. 
            "Wait what? What was your temperature?" She immediately questions. I'm not surprised. She may not be my real mum but she loves me all the same and worries the same amount as well.
           "I'm not sure but I'm fine. Elijah found me and helped me out." I assure her as she walks over to me and feels my forehead with her hand and she frowns in thought. I really hate making her worry.
          "Y'all weren't doing anything at this party now were you?" She questions. She's aware that I drink occasionally but it's more of a silent thing we keep to ourselves. She trusts me to take care of myself but that doesn't make her worry less.
          "No, we just had some snacks and soda. I promise." She frowns before turning around to our medicine cabinet and mumbling to herself how fevers weren't normal. 
           "Everything is fine, I assure you. I was able to eat breakfast just fine, it must have been a random flare up." I informed her.
          "Okay well if everything is alright now it should be fine but let me know immediately if any other weird symptoms show up." And I nod in response before we sit in silence for a moment. She clears her throat and I look to her. "Well if you're feeling up to it would you like pizza for dinner?". I smile and nod in response going to grab it from the freezer as she prepares the oven.
            We talked a bit more while we ate and then I remembered wanting to possibly do something this summer with everyone. But that would require money and I wouldn't ask her for help with money. She already provides so much.
          "I was thinking about getting a job." I speak up and she looks over at me. "I was wanting to maybe have a getaway this summer with the gang and also just something to do while making money would be good." I continued.
         "That sounds like a pleasant idea but are you sure you're ready for a step like that?" 
        "I believe so, I know I gotta be ready for life and keep moving forward. To be honest I don't think anything bad could come from it." I assure her. It would be a step putting myself out in the world especially after hiding in plain sight for so long but I knew I had to. I couldn't keep letting my past control my present day life.
          "Well as long as you focus on your studies and don't let yourself get overwhelmed with it." I nod in understanding. "And where do you wanna go with your friends?" 
          "Not sure yet. I haven't voiced the idea to them yet. Since we were around Jess and her brother and I rather it just be us I didn't want to bring it up yet." We could probably go to the lake that was nearby. Nearby being 2 hours away but we lived in a small town so there wasn't a lot actually nearby.
           We finished eating and I helped her clean up before I went to my room to finish some homework. Like she said I gotta focus on my studies as well. But maybe I should start after graduation then. I twirled around in my chair for a second when I glanced over at my phone on the charger. Oh yeah, I forgot to respond didn't I? Grabbing my phone I open up the chat before typing out a response.
          Oliver: "Hey it's Oliver! Sorry for not responding I was with my mum." Simple and to the point. I put my phone down before putting my books back in my bookbag. I hear it vibrate and glance over to see he responded.
            Elijah:"Oh you're fine. How are you holding up, no more fever?" He was checking up on me. I smiled at the thought, that was nice. I go and lay down on my bed before responding. "Yeah I'm good. My mum was worried but I assured her it was probably just a flare up."            
          Elijah: "That's good to hear! What are you up too?" He responds fast. I wasn't really up to anything but I hate when people respond saying 'nothing' and I wasn't going to be one of them. I thought for a second before I remembered. Oliver: "Thinking about getting a job this summer, you?" 
             I did need to find something, I could probably start around the summer and we could do something around the mid or end of summer. Maybe rent a little cabin for a weekend. That could be fun.
          Elijah: "My job will be hiring if you're down to serve japanese food?"  It was a simple idea but I felt conflicted. I'd be working with him, what if something weird happened. He was still Mr. Mystery to me. So far I only knew he liked to take care of me and had good taste in music. But at the same time it'd be easier getting a first time job if I had someone to recommend me. But I knew I was going to probably be seeing him a lot anyway since my best friend was dating his sister.
         I sat there a second before typing out "I'll think about it" . I had a few months anyway to make a decision so there was no rush. 
          We eventually changed the subject and just kept texting til I was too tired to stay awake. It was actually a lot easier to talk to over text. Probably because I couldn't feel his gaze on me when he stared but still, it was nice texting him. Maybe friending him wouldn't be so bad.