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Rosalie's POV (Sal)
I stopped moving the exact second I saw that familiar pink shape.
«Wow!» Regina exclaimed, annoyed as she crashed into me with Rachel. Raising her arms in front of herself, she did the most Regina thing she could. «Hello, walking means moving, you dumbass.» Anger was Regina's first-hand emotion. It did not go a day without an ugly stare coming your way from her. Then, on the other side, you had the very opposite of her, the worrisome Rachel.
«Guys, there's a man up there,» Rachel whispered, almost as a fast hissing.
I turned around slightly towards them. «Could you just get inside and give me a second.» I voiced in a calm manner so they understood I was serious.
«You know him?» Regina said harshly, glaring at the guy before her eyes widened. «Holy shit, that's Elvis God damn Presley!» She almost yelled for the whole village to hear.
«Regina, hush...» Rachel said with a faint voice, almost like a little mouse squeaking. They stood dumbfounded, watching as he gave them a polite wave. Directing their eyes at me again, they had the same look of awestruck speechlessness—the only time I had ever seen them react in the same way.
«Yes, I sort of didn't mention this, but we sort of... hang out once?» Guilty as charged for not telling them about this, I had written it off as too private—not knowing why. «I'll tell you everything later.» Turning around, I gave them the benefit of the doubt; I walked toward Elvis.
About 130 feet uphill, I laid my hands on the old wooden fence between us to catch my breath. Feeling confused was the understatement of the year.
«Hi there.» I greeted him as I easily climbed the fence, stepping on the first old wooden plank to swing my other leg over the next. I could see he was about to come over to assist me, but before he got the chance to, my feet again met the grass. Folding my arms around my wet bathing suit, I met his icy blue eyes. What met me was a very tired-looking boy.
«Hi...» He softly spoke as he looked in the direction of the mansion up ahead of the road. I followed his gaze as we saw the door closing after Regina and Rachel.
The brewing chilled feeling of wet skin in the shadow made my lips shiver. I looked back at Elvis with confusion, living its best life in my eyes.
«What are you doing here, Elvis?» I asked as I kept trying to wrap my arms around my waist tighter than humanly possible. I painfully started to realize I had about no clothes on. But I just couldn't lend the thought another second this instance. My caring attention was elsewhere.
«You're freezing.» He declared as he quickly shifted his gaze from me to his car. Opening the door, he reached in and snatched up a leather jacket. Knowing leather doesn't go well with water, I stepped back.
«I couldn't,» I stated abruptly. «It will ruin your jacket,» I explained as Elvis' frown met me in annoyance.
«Then I'll buy a new one.» He shot back, throwing away my to him—stupid reason. He was standing right before me within half a moment and theatrically wrapped his thick leather jacket around my shoulders. Making sure it was in place, he finally lost his displeased look.
Stepping away from me again, giving me space, I held onto his jacket, concerned.
«Elvis, why did you come find me?» I asked at a loss of understanding. I tilted my head to one side as he looked away, avoiding me. Daring to return his gaze at me, he took a deep breath.
«I... I... I just... needed to get away.» He quietly said, looking away shyly. A part of me saw he needed a consoling touch, someone to take his hand or hold onto his shoulders, telling him it would be okay. You had to be blind not to see how distraught the boy before me was. I didn't move an inch, though.
«And... you came to me?» I asked, as caught off guard as I felt.
«It was nice last time.» He stated with a soft smile, daring to look in my direction. That this boy was the same as the one on stage, I could not believe.
«It was,» I said, agreeing with a sweet smile growing on my closed lips. «But Elvis...» I began, wanting to ask how he found me and what he wanted me to do. Mid-sentence, he cut me off and looked at me desperately.
«Can I stay here a few days... with you?» He asked in a begging tone, almost afraid of a no.
I could hardly believe it. I bit my lips nervously and looked towards the mansion, thinking of Regina and Rachel.
«I have guests,» I apprehensively spoke before slowly landing my blue gaze on him again. He seemed so uncomfortable, almost distressed. «I don't know...»
«Please.» He pleaded while grabbing hold of the back of his neck, scratching himself, clearly troubled. There was something in his eyes that told me that he just had to be here. He really needed this; he wasn't foolin' around with me.
Gently smiling, I nodded. «Stay here.» I raised my hands before heading back to the house. Fast-paced walking, holding onto the jacket, I went barefoot over the old gravel road leading to the house. Stones prickling my feet.
As I entered the house and closed the dark blue door behind me, I leaned my back against it, exhaling. I noticed Regina and Rachel right by the window to the right of the entrance area. Of course, they could not help but spy on us. Maybe it was only fair—I embarrassingly spied on them for two months before the summer.
Their four staring eyes grabbed hold of me as they came to my side as fast as lightning.
«What just happened?» Regina asked, not knowing how to respond for once. She looked at me like she didn't know who I was—it was written all over her face. Rachel kept quiet as usual but followed Regina's lead, looking unquestionably puzzled.
I stood up from the door with a light push of my hands and cupped my face in distress—Elvis' jacket hung loosely over my shoulders.
«He wants to stay,» I stated, baffled, not believing it. «He's really going through something. He sort of even begged me to stay. I hardly know him. Not really. But somehow, this is where he needs to be.» Words just fell out of my mouth. I lowered my hands and grabbed hold of his jacket again. Looking at them with an apologetic smile, I stuttered forth my proposition. «Could... Could... I ask you to head home early? You don't have to help me clean up here at all anymore. I'll manage on my own.»
Both Regina and Rachel nodded. «Well, it's Elvis. So, I guess I'm okay with this. I won't get all mad on ya', but I swear you have to tell us everything, or else...» Regina glared at me with the most dramatic look on her face.
«But, how will you get home?» Rachel asked out of the blue, wearing her most worrisome outlook as usual, with her raised eyebrows keeping track.
«Just take the car. I'll figure it out. Don't think about it. I'll see you... Well, in a few days?» I questioned, not knowing how long this whole thing would last. He just showed up and could probably change his mind again whenever.
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Author's note:
The beginning of their story didn't really start until now—the day he showed up broken.
(Chapter 7/64)
I've edited this chapter slightly using Grammarly. I am planning on getting an editor to look over the book, but that will come in the future.
I mainly struggle with switching between writing in present tense and past tense. I also tend to build my sentences a little more complicated than they need to. I have a lot of work to do, but from now on I'll edit each chapter to the best of my abilities before posting. I'm going back and fixing the others real soon—Not that easy writing in English when my native language is Norwegian.
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Girl of Mine
FanfictionAll stories, good or bad, begin at the right time and place. The night Rosalie Wood's boyfriend of one year proposed to her during an Elvis Presley concert in 1956, she went from thinking she knew everything, to knowing nothing. Faced with Wendell'...
