The Elephant Secret

Chapter 12

But like most everything the moment ended. And with a bomb. No, I mean a real bomb. Right on time. Midnight. We crawl back inside and take our places under the window. I pull the blinders and close the window. My heart is still beating from everything that has happened. I breathe deeply and look up at Drake. His lips are pink a slightly swollen. I guess mine are too. He stares up at the sealing as the sound of the world falling apart swallows us. My head falls into my hands and giggle. It’s so inappropriate. Yet I can’t help it. “Fuck.” I breathe and look back and face Drakes eyes staring at me. “Sorry.” I say and look away. That was awkward.

“No, it’s not that.” He says and I look back at him. “It’s just…” He stops talking. “Sorry, it’s nothing. Forget it.” He lets it go and I’m slightly disappointed. The sound of shooting gets closer. To close for comfort and I’m startled when I feel the ground shaking. I grab on to Drake and close my eyes. “They’re getting closer.” He whispers. I nod and feel his arms wrap around me. A small part of me that is sobering up feels bad about kissing him, about being so close to him. I don’t know why. I push the feeling back. Lock it in a small box and burry it. “Can we talk about something?” He asks. “I’m getting anxious.”

“Sure.” I say. “Tell me about you.” I demands.

“What do you want to know?”

“Why does everybody think of you as a bad boy?” I ask. “I mean let’s face it you’re not really a bad boy?” He breathes out a laugh and looks at me.

“I don’t know, I’ve just always had this reputation.” He says and smiles down at his hands. “I remember this one time, when I was like 13, and I was with one of my friends and he bought a bottle of moonshine.” He laughs quietly and shakes his head. “And we went to the beach and lit a bonfire and spend the night drinking it. I’ve never gotten so badly drunk. It was horrible.” He laughs, dragging me with him. “And then the cops came.” His eyes meet mine and there is some type of wonder in them. Something close to me but I can’t yet put my finger on it. “My parents were on a trip and I was staying at my friend’s house and his parents weren’t allowed to bail me out because I was a junior.” I turn better towards him. “I spent the night in jail, and after that I was known as that type of guy.” He says.

“Do you like it?” I blurt. He thinks for a second before answering.

“It has its perks.” He says and smiles. “I can almost always get what I want” His smile fades. “But people mostly judge me before the get to know me.” He put my hand and his thigh. “And after having to deal with it I just kind of gave up and faked it till I made it.”

“Don’t we all.” I say and smile. I lay my head on his shoulder.

“What about you? What is it about you, makes me think that you are not the good girl people take you for?” He asks.

“Well, I have a long story.” I tell him. “And we don’t have enough time.” I don’t want to take about this. My past is not pretty. I mean I don’t want to make him think of me like most people do when I tell them.  People tend to dislike you when you tell them that you used to sniff heroin.

“Yes we do.” He says and takes my hand in his. Tangling our fingers together. “Tell me.” He demands. I take a deep breath. Filling my lungs with air. Another bomb strikes out the window. I’m startled and close my eyes.

“Promise not to change your opinion on me?” He puts his hand on his chest.

“I promise, hand on my heart, I will not change my opinion.” He says. I can’t stand the fact that he has his hand on the right side of his chest. I take his hand.

“That is your lung.” I move it slightly left of his chest. His face lights up and he laughs. “I don’t think you wanna’ know.” I tell him and he shakes his head.

“No! You were so close to telling me.” He says. “What could be that bad that you can’t tell me?” He asks, pushing me closer to my edge. “What’s the worst thing that could happen?” I shake my head. “Pleas, trust me?” He turns to me. Shifting his whole body to look me in the eyes. “It can’t be as bad as you think it is?” It’s starting to bother me. I can’t tell him. I swore to never tell. But the way his eyes stare into mine. Like he needs to know every part of me. And if this war will be the end of me, it won’t make a difference.

“I used to sniff!” I hiss.  “Happy?” I stand up and walk to the closet on the other side of the room.  He says nothing. I turn to him and stare at his speechless face. “Pleas say something.” I demand. He stands up, his face blank. No emotion. At all. He walks towards me. My throat is throbbing. He walks slowly and finally takes place in front me.

“I don’t care.” He whispers takes my face in his palms and brings me closer to him. His eyes close and so do mine. His lips brush mine and my knees weaken. Even with bomb and shootings outside, it’s like we are the only one in this universe. And I like the feeling. The peace in it. My hands that have just been hanging down my side, finally I pick them up and place them on his chest. His hands slip to the back of my neck. We pull away for a second. “That was close,” He whispers. His lips brushing mine as he speaks. “I was starting to think that you wear going to confess a murder.” I laugh and he rests his forehead against mine. He leaning down to me because of my height.

“No, just that.” I say. “Well and other shit but that was the worst of it” I say and he smiles. It’s dark in my small room. I can’t do nothing but stare at him. Not really him, just his eyes. His brown eyes, his dark eyes. Little bit drawn into his face. The eyelashes long and dark, shaping his eyes. Over them his eyebrows stand, thick and low. I move my hand just to touch them, I draw my fingertips softly over them. Kind of forgetting that he’s real. Feeling lost in my thought that are really nothing but this moment. In a few seconds I reach to kiss him again and this time softly and slowly. Like it could last a lifetime.         

            I pull back hearing that the bombing have stopped. “It’s done.” I say and run to the window. Feeling how tiered I am. The fire is stepping to the air, painting the night sky almost dark grey. I draw he blinds, just to flee the sight. The idea of this happening to my house soon. I look back at Drake and I start to yawn. “Tiered?” He asks. I nod. “Go to sleep, tomorrow will be a hard day.” He orders and I nod.

“I’m taking the couch, you can sleep here.” I demand and open the door before. He is about to say something when I cut him off. “Good night, Drake.”