| Eleanor |

"I would call it the glow of love. What a lovely shade to wear!"

I rolled my eyes.

"You're taking this way too far."

"I have to. Since you never forgive Mark and now is my time to say hope you understand."

Willow gave me a knowing smile and I couldn't help but agree. .with a scowl.

I get now why women scurries after the man they claim to love.

Oh do I get it now!

"I don't like this one bit." I chomped on the mighty burger furiously.

She leaned over the table being all smug.

"You'll get used to it, my friend. You'll yearn to be with him every day and night—,"

My mouth stopped working.

Staring at her.

She was quick to dip the fry in the ketchup, rotating it in the bowl.

"Sometimes I feel like being with Mark ain't enough. I wanna live in his sperms and be a spermmaid."

I nearly choked on the burger stuck in my throat.

Reaching out for my pepsi, I guzzled it down to wipe off the awful acidic taste.

"Sperm-maid? Ew! That gotta be the most shitty thing I have heard since taliban taking over ." My face morphed into disgust.

She laughed at my face , shaking her head like she found me stupid.

"Oh you wait. Knowing you , you would want to make him your sex slave." Her eyes were brimming with mischief.

"It's too soon for that. We haven't even kissed and—," I halted right there!

Realization hitting me at once.

What in the actual hell. .

We. .

We haven't even kissed!

"Eleanor?" She waved her hand in front of my face.

Forcing me to blink.

"Y-yeah. .," Clearing my throat I tried to keep  my face clean of any emotions." As I said, it's too soon to go under the sheets and I have a class. " I said hurriedly, not even caring if she believed me or looked straight into my lie. Taking my bag, I dumped half the bill on the table while she watched me.

Again, with that knowing smug look.

As if she knew where I was heading to.

I turned around—

"Good luck! Tell him I say hi." She said out loud , the rest of the sentence dying in mid of giggles.

Grudgingly nodding, I walked towards the exit. My mind and heart hell bent on one thing.

We didn't kiss!

"How the hell did we skip that. ." I muttered darkly trying to speed up over the pavement.

All the I love yous are suppose to end up in a wild kiss.

After last night, I went over to my apartment and immediately dialed Willow. Telling her that indeed her assumptions were true.

There was something going on between me and Ryan.

She had squealed , alright.

And I had heard a distinct male voice say babe?

She had shushed him and asked me to continue.

So I rambled on and on and now I couldn't recall what exactly did I tell her and what exactly did I leave out?

Sighing, I pushed my hand in my hair. . ruffling them up.

Now I wished I had kept my mouth shut. I hated sharing anything of mine with anyone. Third opinions made me doubt stuff.

I wanted everything to be of my thoughts, not because of someone's advice or whatever .

Guess I was being stubborn.

Waving a hand at the cab, my mood had pitfalled in seconds. Sure , I wasn't your typical Cinderella . .I was the Cinderella who went to boot camp and got back hardened as hell.

I didn't react like normal girls. And. .damn! we didn't kiss.

Slipping in the cab, I gave him the address and the cab was on its way while I was lost in my thoughts.

Did he find me . .undesirable?

Why didn't he feel the need to slap a kiss on me? Why didn't I feel the need to get his mouth on mine?

Well—well because I was the girl! I didn't want to initiate the first step to kissing!

"Freaking idiot!" I snapped out loud, startling the driver.

Touching my forehead , i glanced up in the rear view mirror and found black eyes staring at me.

"I'm sorry. Just having a rough patch." I grumbled now looking away, towards the passing sceneries.

"It's alright. We all are passing through it." He shrugged his shoulders.

I tried not to bristle at him. I didn't like hearing the my shit is worse than yours crap!

"No. It's only me."

It took him a few moments to answer.

"What is haunting you, miss?" His tone was soft and genuine.

Why were strangers always kind? Why did stranger knew shit family didn't? Why did it feel okay to spill to a complete stranger rather than to friend or family?

I would blame it on my vulnerable state.

"I'm in love and he didn't kiss me." The words got out before I could stop them.

I heard him chuckle.

"He loves you back right?"

"He better. And yes." I was acting like he was my psychiatrist or something. The way I was willingly answering. .

"He might had other things on his mind. You shouldn't take it to your heart."

Why did he end up being a driver? He should be a counselor.

My nod was glum and lifeless as I leaned back . . shutting my eyes . . letting the wind play with my hair. . letting my heart rewind the night. .

A night of revelations.

Ryan, my sweet kind Ryan. .

He had been through crap of a life and still managed not to lose himself. I had so much of questions bursting in my head about his past. .but I didn't want to push at him.

He gave me half the cake.

He would give me the other half too and . .I was aching to be with him. Surround myself with his warmth and just Ryan.

It killed me to accept but Willow was right. Now I understood why the heck women leave their friends behind when they find the one. .

Look at the rough and tough Eleanor Paige watering down to a person that was so different then who she was . .

Today Eleanor didn't just tie a bun.

She set her hair in curls and put on a slight cover of makeup. Today she didn't go for her regular attire. .no.

Today she went on to wear a skirt that reached her knees and made her figure stand out.

One man had turned my whole thought process up and down. And I wanted to know if I had the same affect on him?

Did I too flip his world?

Maybe a kiss would decide the answer. .

×××××××××××

A/N

Sorry for the late update.

Life you know. It catches up sometimes.