After a long summer in New York and a few visits to Massachusetts it was time to go back to California.
***
I sat in my class, dozing off while my Professor talked about the history of film and how people created movies with out words. I was so si happy once class got out even if I did have to go to work and deal with crazy customers like Cayla.
I did what I do everyday, I set my skateboard in the employees only room next to Leo's before putting my apron on and heading out to the register. Though, this time Leo came up to me, a sheepish grin on his face as he fidgeted with a pen.
"Uhm, Hey, YN, I was just thinking youre really cute and I was wondering if you'd maybe like to go to a movie this weekend?"
"Why not." I smile, a blush creeping onto my face.
***
I walked back into my dorm, happy as could be. The date went great!
"What are you so happy about?" Amie asks.
"I went in a date." I tell her. She jumped up happily. But because if this I- at the time- failed to notice Elijah's face drop and Ethan turn towards him.
"With who?"
"Leo Turner. Baseball team captain."
"Dude, you scored! Are you gonna go on an other date?" Amie asks exitedly.
"I hope so."
And that we did. Skip forwards like a week and a half, a few more dates that dont matter and BOOM. I'm the Girlfriend of Leo Turner.
Now, since Elijah and I weren't the closest to begin with, I had failed to realize the way his words were clipped when he spoke to me or how he'd roll his eyes or even glare at the mention of Leo. He actually became a little more reclusive to me and Amie because Amie was Leo and I's number one shiper and Well I of course was in the relationship. Now, this continued to happen for three until Leo and I broke up before Thanksgiving break. (We ended on good terms, we stopped dating because we had both kinda lost feelings was all.)
That's when Elijah started to talk more, to sit closer to me, to mindlessly put his arm behind me on the couch ect.
After a month I started to suspect of a crush. Most of me was still saying "no he hates you" but I realized that we were kinda friends now and we got along great and the idea of Elijah possibly crushing on me was weird but in some way plausible. Now, let me tell you about December 10th 2019...
I was heading back from a class when I heard Elijah's voice behind me,
"Hey! What's up?"
"The sky."
"Youre stupid."
"I am aware."
"Uh, do you wanna hang out later or something?"
"Yeah sure, we do all the time. We could probably get everyone else too-"
"No that's not what I meant... just you and me?" Elijah asks hopefully. I stop walking and turn to him.
"Elijah, do you like me?" I ask in a stern tone.
"Why- that was a bit upfront I think-"
"Do you like me?" I ask again, tapping my fingers on my thigh.
"Well I mean- I mean Yeah. You're a great friend-"
"You know what I mean."
"No. I dont." Elijah brushed it off as nothing. I sighed in relief.
"Okay, good, I thought you were sending weird mixed signals or something."
"Yeah..." Elijah chuckled softly to himself more than me.
***
Alone.
That's how I felt.
I had no one.
Nobody.
Not here at least.
I was sitting in a cold, dark room, my hands shaking and dry.
A warm light came from a door on the other side of the room. I rushed towards it happily, wanting so desperately to be warm and to have light.
I burst into the lit hallway. On the other end I could see Elijah. He wore a warm yellow hoodie and a pair of grey sweatpants. I called his name but he didnt hear me. So I called again. Nothing. Then, all of a sudden he spun around.
"YN!" He beamed, grinning ear to ear.
"Lije!" I heard an other voice call exept- it was mine.
I turned to see me, Wearing an oversized pastel orange hoodie and sweatpants.
The hallway around me came into focus. The red brick emerged from the glowing yellow, glowing white tiles became brownish red carpet and doors became visible, spaced 20 feet apart on each side.
I turned my head to see a dark door with a small plaque next to it.
'Room 57'
There was a small pencil scratch on the bottom of the door that, if you squinted, looked like my name written by a kindergartener.
This wasnt any door. It was the door of my family's apartment.
The other me ran up to Elijah, engulfing him in my arms.
"God, you drove here all the way from Massachusetts? The traffic has been terrible for the last like, week!" I exclaim, pulling back from him, just now noticing the arm that was behind him back.
"Yeah, figured it was time for me to visit New York anyways." Elijah shrugs, a grin making it's way onto his face.
"What's behind your back?" I ask, trying to look.
"Happy 24th birthday?" He grins goofily, pulling out a box no bigger than one used to hold shoes, neatly wrapped with a little bow on top.
So it was July 17th 2022 in my dream if I'm correct.
I snatched the present from his hand.
"I'll take that." I start to unwrap it, tearing at the shiny blue wrapping paper. I took off the bow and stuck it in Elijah's fluffy brown hair before returning to the box. I pulled out a small painting. It was of the spot where we went when everyone else was partying. "Dude! The place of our first kiss!"
Woah woah woah woah woah, hold up just a gosh diddly darn second.
"Yeah, felt like it was fitting." Elijah shrugs.
I'm confused. So I'm having a dream where it's my birthday two years from now, I'm dating Elijah, and he took the time of day to actually visit me? I have so many questions...
The biggest of which being, why the f*ck am I dreaming this?