Here Comes the Sun

07 | strawberry crêpes

        I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO make of what happened a couple of hours ago. Laurie and I left before the party was over, thirty minutes after midnight. I must thank my lucky stars that Laurie managed to keep herself sober the entire time.

        I lean my head against the window as we drive through the night. A classic Elton John song plays over the calmness until she turns down the volume.

        "Immy?" I can see her looking at me from the corner of my eye and then back at the road, steering around a street. "Are you okay?"

        "I'm okay. I'm just tired and shit," I answered before letting out a loud yawn.

        She snorts. "I get that. Parties like that can drain your social battery afterward."

        "Hmm, like your boyfriend?"

        "He's not my boyfriend ... not yet, at least," Laurie tries to hide her smile.

        I rest my head on the palm of my hand, a dumb smirk played across my face.

        "I'm counting on it. But seriously, how did it go? And don't leave out any details or else," I ask her.

        "Well, since you asked, we got to know more of each other and then one thing led to the next..."

        "So you two had sex?"

        Laurie remains silent and sucks in her bottom. It doesn't take that long for me to put the two pieces of the puzzle together.

        "D-did he do something to you?" My lips quiver when I think of the worst.

        "God no! It's not like that. Besides, if he were to try anything then he wouldn't have any balls to begin with. My mom always taught me to keep some source of defense on at all times. That's why I keep a can of mace and a pocket knife," she flashes a devilish smile.

        That is something that I should've done a long time ago before it happened.

        I release a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear."

        "Hey, you know that I won't let anything happen to me as much as I won't let anything happen to you too, Immy. Not after what he did to you. And that's a promise," she says wholeheartedly.

        "Thanks, Laurie," I smile.

        "No problem. But enough of the sappy shit, did anyone ever catch your eye?"

        Then there's that same thought of Eleanore again.

        "Maybe? Honestly, I don't know," I shrug because I'm not sure what this is now.

        "Do you want to talk about it?"

        "It's kind of weird to explain it,"

        Laurie shakes her head. "I'm sure it won't be that weird."

        "I think it is," I softly laugh.

        When I recount the whole encounter with Eleanore, she listens attentively as she still keeps her eyes glued to the road.

        "Wait, that's it? All you ever did was make small talk with Eleanore Hart?"

        "Yeah?"

        "And you didn't bother getting her number or anything?"

        "Why would I want her number? I'm sure she has a boyfriend,"

        "No, I'm pretty sure she's out of the closet. Look, the point is that the way you're describing her right now- she doesn't sound like a bad person," she points out.