Destined to be?

Chapter 1

Eli

There you were.
Just inside the frozen yogurt shop.
The one that you visited often, by yourself.
Not once had I seen you bring anyone else here, this was your place. A place where you did not have to deal with anyone else.
I understood that.
Wanting to get away from everything.
Chuckling as I watched you do a little happy dance when you took a bite.
You always did have a weak spot for frozen treats.
Happening upon you today was a complete surprise, one that I welcomed gratefully.
No jobs, nothing to do besides sitting in my house.
Empty house.
Too empty with out you in it.
So I decided to go for a drive.
Today was Saturday so there was no school. I knew that you would most likely be at home unless you were out with that boy you spent so much time with.
Brayden.
Knowing his name by the name tag on his uniform.
He seemed nice enough, but he wasn't right for you.
You needed more.
You needed me.
Like I needed you.
Every Time i was close to you it took everything inside of me not to scramble out of my truck and go up to you. My heart clenched and my muscles ache after holding them tense for so long.
Just the need to be near you was so strong I felt as if I could flip my truck over with one hand.
Yet each time I've caught sight of you I've managed to keep my distance.
Your pleading words, playing over in my head. 'I need time, so i hope you will give me that.'
The only reason I had any restraint.
How much time did you want? Wanting to respect your wish but also not knowing how much longer I could just watch from afar.
Wanting so badly to be near you, to hear your voice, to feel your hand in mine and see that perfect wide smile up close.
Before I knew what I was doing my fingers had wrapped around the handle and my feet were hitting the concrete.
Making my way to the door in only a few strides, my sight never leaving you.
I guess I had my answer.
A ringing noise sounded as I stepped inside.
You hadn't looked up.
Watching as your tongue licked along your bottom lip getting the little bit of melted liquid that didn't quite make it into your mouth. Feeling my lower half twitch as the memory of how good that tongue felt rubbing alongside mine, your sweet taste that filled me entirely giving me a kind of sugar high.
Only a few feet away.
So close.
Closing the distance this time in only two strides, the spoon coming to a halt before the bite even got to your lips.
Frozen in place.
Seeing the chills run down your arms as they often did when I came close.
Grinning as I realized you were still affected by my presence.
Seeing you slowly begin to raise your head, knowing that you knew it was me.
Giving you time to take in my spur of the moment visit.
Disbelief written all over your face as you made your way up my frame all the way until our eyes locked and the look in your eyes turned into shock for only a split second. Blue green of your eyes almost as clear as a chemical cleaned pool before they regained their natural full shade.
Looking at me with the same intensity as I was you.
I just hoped that the feelings we were each having were the same.
Knowing full well that you could tell me that you never wanted to see me again.
Something that would kill me to hear.
After all this time, being back you could have moved on. Of course you tried but seeing just how your body reacted to me right now told me that you hadn't, not fully anyways.
Knowing with every part of my being that I would not be able to leave without at least trying to plead my case but in the end I would respect what you wanted.
After all.
I did steal you away from your life. After everything that you have been through and put up with you deserve to have some control in your life. Not knowing how much of that you had now guessing that your trips here were also a secret.
"Hello Sarah."
Noticing that you let out a breath right then. How long had you been holding the air in?
"Eli."
My name, coming out in a whisper past your perfect lips. Warmth spreading throughout my chest that your first response had not been to run off or to shoo me away.
"May i?" Gesturing to the open chair. "Still not sure if you really wanted me to stay or not.
A slight nod, that was all I needed to settle down in the seat forcing my movement to be calm even though every fiber inside was jumping for joy.
We sat like that for a moment, neither of us saying a word, neither of us looking away.
Noticing how your hand raised to grab hold of one of the necklaces you were wearing. Index finger running over the blue stone, the same familiar movement you did when too many thoughts were rushing through your mind.
Hand running over the bulge in my left front pocket where your necklace; the one that should be around your neck, sat safely in the box I made especially for this precious item.
Recalling how your entire face lit up when you opened it up the first time and realized what it was.
One of a kind.
Just like you.
Taking time out to find the best crafter, making sure that the necklace came out as close to the actual asterism as possible.
Remembering that word.
I remembered everything you said.
Pulling my hand back.
Knowing that this necklace will be back where it belongs soon but not yet.
"So what kind did you get?"
"Huh?"
My question caught you off guard as you looked down and the realization came back.
"Banana, cherry vanilla and chocolate. With chocolate syrup and nuts on top." Adding on that last bit after a pause in her first sentence like it was too important to leave out.
"Sounds good, maybe I should get some myself."
"Here." Sliding the bowl over to me as I took in the melted contents, none of the original flavors were even able to be made out but I wasn't going to say no to this offer, grabbing hold of the spoon and scooping up as much liquid as I could.
Chocolate was the only flavor that I could taste, overpowering everything else. "Yum." Tipping the bowl back into my mouth, scooping out the rest of the contents, crunching the few nuts that were left. "That WAS good." Putting the now empty bowl off to the side not wanting to take a chance on getting put to throw away the trash and give you an opportunity to leave.
Not sure whether you would take it or not.
Seeing your eyes look past me locking on something. For just an instance the idea of someone you knew was coming in crossed my mind, how would i explain myself.
You are eighteen now but I am twenty four.
I never focused too much on ages, but the rest of the world did.
Barely an adult, but an adult nonetheless in the eyes of the government.
Technically I wasn't breaking any laws just sitting with you now.
Spinning around in my chair seeing no one walking outside of or into the store peering through the window trying to find what caught your interest.
There weren't very many cars in the parking lot, my truck in one of the front spaces.
"How did you do it?"
Spinning back around, eyes now fully on me with slightly raised brows.
"Do what?" Even though I had a slight inclination as to what you were asking.
"How did you sneak me away without anyone seeing?"
You wanted to know, deserved to know.
Rolling my shoulders back knowing that I was going to tell you while preparing for whatever reaction that you could give. Taking a quick glance around the only other person in here was the cashier and she was clearly way too involved in her phone leaning on the back counter to pay us any attention. Even still I kept my voice low not knowing how well the walls echoed noise.
"Well, after the chloroform put you to sleep I carried you to the alley where I had my truck parked. There was a refrigerator box in the bed that I had filled with blankets and pillows to make sure that you were comfortable. That's how you rode back to my place." Our place saying the words silently to myself. "Then I just dollied you inside. No one would question a new fridge going into a house."
Sitting back in your seat lines forming between your squinched brows, your pupils moved almost with hyper speed as you formed the pictures in your head. Then as if you were satisfied with the answer you leaned back onto the table with a fresh look in your eyes as if you had something to prove.
"I could turn you in, you know."
"I know."
Saying that with full sincerity even though there was no conviction behind any of those words.
You had said them yourself. Or written them at least.
You carried the same hatred for the police and the system as I did but you also wanted to feel as if you had some power in this interaction.
The fact that you were still even at this table led me to believe that you still wanted to be near me. That some part of you still loved me.
Being with you now it was like no time had passed between us but there had, things have changed.
You have a boyfriend now.
You were living your life.
I should let you have that.
I should leave you alone.
I should but for some reason I just can't.
There's still something between us.
I knew it when you sensed me in the store that day. When you had brought lunch for your boyfriend.
How you kept searching the parking lot. Waiting for me to come out.
You knew that I was there, even if you could not fully prove that I was.
You felt me, our connection.
Quickly placing your hand in your lap with an almost ashamed look when you caught me looking. That slight blush coming to your cheeks, giving your face so much color.
"Beautiful."
Leaning over to brush some of the hair that had fallen into your face. Stopping just short of touching you waiting for a signal that this was okay.
Breath catching as you actually leaned forward into my touch, my fingers almost vibrating as they caressed your skin scooping your hair being your ear. Letting my touch last a second longer than it needed before I pulled away and sat back in my seat.
That long hair that was always so knotted.
Unbelievable how many knots managed to become of those long soft strands.
Was it just because you hadn't been using the right product?
Had it been my fault that your hair was so tangled?
Having the answer without even asking the question when you pulled a bunch of hair over your shoulder to work through some knots.
Another nervous tick. The first one I noticed that you had.
Smiling to myself as I sat back in my seat.
Same sarah.
My sarah.