LEILA {ongoing}

8.

"I hear you're coming to watch us win tonight."

I'm napping under my tree during free period on Friday morning. Well, I was napping.

Squinting one eye open, I see Elijah. Illuminated from the sunshine through the maple leaves,  he's looking down at me with is hair hanging in front of his eyes.

"Yea, I guess I am. You guys better win, other wise you both owe me a round of drinks."

He takes a seat next to me, in the sea of varying shades of autumn leaves, leaning against the tree. "Don't worry pretty girl, we won't lose. Not against the Panthers anyway. We have too good of a team and Coach Hale has been the best coach I've had by far."

I can't help but smile proudly at that. I'll have to tell dad later.

"What're you smiling for."

I still had my eyes closed while listening to him, not noticing he was watching me, "Oh, nothing. Just your over inflated ego. I can feel it pushing me away from here." I jest as I sit up.

Sitting together in comfortable silence, I wonder what he's doing out here. "You skipping class or something?"

"Na, I have a free period. You?"

"Same."

Leaning back on my hands I get comfortable. Dropping my head backwards, I cross my Docs over each other. The breeze is so nice today. Apparrently, unusual for October.

A few minutes tick by before either of us starts talking again. It occurs to me that I've never been alone with Elijah like this. Never had a conversation with just us.

"So how did your date go the other day?"

Rolling my neck to face him, I must look confused. He clarifies, "Wednesday afternoon. You said you were heading to a date. How was it?"

He's looking down at his hands, fiddling with the rings on his fingers. "It was great. The coffee was smooth and the cheesecake, MmmmMm, so good. It was a nice afternoon." I smile, remembering the laughter mum and I shared.

Surveying me he asks, "Ok, good to know you liked the food. How was the company?"

And then it dawns on me. He thinks I went on a DATE. Like a date, date. With a BOY.

"Yea. The company was the best." His face slackens just for a moment before he gives me a strained smile. I'm such a meanie. "It was long overdue," I continue, "Mum and I haven't had a chance to really catch up since I moved over here."

Keeping my face neutral I watch as his features morph from wary to confused, finally landing on understanding. "Oh, you went on a date with your mum. Oh."

"Why, what did you think I meant?" Smirking at him.

"Honestly, I thought someone had asked you out already." Ruffling his hair, he glances at me through his fringe.

"Would that be a bad thing?" I prod.

"Ugh, well, no...but you said you were friend-zoning everyone. I figured you must have really liked the guy if you agreed to a date...but it was just your mum, so it's all good." He nods, sighing out.

"Even with me 'friend-zoning' everyone, I can still go on a date. If, for example, Mica asked me out for a coffee date, I'd say yes. Dates don't have to be romantic you know."

"You'd say yes to Mica if he asked you out." He questions me, furrowing his brows.

"Well, yea. As long as it was in a non romantic, completely plutonic type of way."