The Boy From Everywhere

Ch. 5: The Date

It wasn't a date.

It took quite a good long while for me to convince Elliot that that really wasn't my intention. It was harder to convince him the second time around, too. I even had to show him my bag this time to prove that I didn't have his umbrella, but for some reason...

He just remained stubborn.

Ah, but can I really blame him, though? I mean, after all, I did do some rather questionable things, too, running in the rain with no umbrella when we first met and then running after him around a library the last time we met. He kept running away but I kept running after him, too...

Now that I think about it, that part's strange, too. Since when did I ever run after anyone?

... Right. I can't believe I forgot.

Anyway, I should probably hurry. I can only be not home before 4:30 before my aunt would start suspecting again. With Elliot's purple folding umbrella finally in my bag again, I headed straight to the convenience store he had told me to meet him in.

He must be rushing too, though. I'm not really sure how often he works or when he starts working at that café my aunt frequents, but I was guessing he must be really impatiently waiting for me now so he could go to his work already.

But dang, he really keeps proving me wrong.

I almost didn't see him when I came in. I was really in a rush by that time, because it was already 4:20 and I still haven't seen Elliot, not to mention I've gone and walked around the convenience store several times already and I still haven't seen him-

And then I finally looked at the person slouched at the eating area of the convenience store, and it was then that I noticed that they were... uncannily still.

Elliot. Does he really have a tendency to look dead when he's asleep?

I must have looked utterly flabbergasted as I finally realized it was him, but eventually, I approached, and I raised my hand, ready to shake him awake only to freeze when I see his face.

My hand was left floating in the air as I looked on at him.

So it wasn't just his eyes that looked innocent. He looked so calm and pure, and something about him gave off this boyish charm that I've only been able to notice now, for some reason.

My brows furrowed and I tilted my head as I kept looking at him, unaware that I've just been staring at him all this time. And then, his eyes fluttered open.

"... Huh?"

My eyes widened immediately, and his own followed before he yelled and then fell backward from his chair.

"Gah! Ah! Ow..."

"A-are you alright?" I asked as I leaned over to check on him, but then his eyes widened again, and he looked at me with much suspicion in his eyes.

"W-w-why were you watching me sleep?!"

In response, I furrowed my brows again, and then I looked back at him, offended. "Okay, that is definitely not what happened."

"But you were looking at me when I woke up!"

"I literally just arrived??"

"W-w-why did you even approach me like that in the first place?!"

"What did you want me to wake you up with a smack of your umbrella instead, then?" I asked, sarcasm in my tone but an apparent frown on my face as I kept looking at Elliot.

He, on the other hand, still looked panicked as he looked back at me, but after a few seconds, his expression slowly turned awkward, and he looked away from me as he tried to get up, only to struggle for the first few seconds.

In a minute, his awkwardness just turned into utter embarrassment as he lifted his hand and held it out to me as he spoke with a low voice. "Can you help me up?"

I sighed audibly in response before I finally did.

Now as much as I wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible so I can come home on time and save myself from one more night of my aunt's wrath, I ended up staying a bit longer than I should have. I guess it was kinda my responsibility, too, after all. I surprised Elliot too much that he ended up falling off the chair he was sitting on and bruised his arm, and I couldn't just leave him like that after what happened so in the end...

I ended up staying at that eating area with him, feeling awkward as I watched him while he held an iced water bottle to the bruise on his arm and his purple umbrella sat beside him. Unfortunately, now at this point, I don't think I can even come up with a good excuse to leave now. And to make matters worse, Elliot seems to not have any intentions of letting go of the idea that this was supposed to be a date.

"I'd just like to let you know that this is actually my very first date, and I'm having mixed feelings about how it's going," Elliot spoke at one point, almost sulking, and my face contorted into an unamused expression as I replied.

"It's not. And besides, who goes on dates to convenience stores?"

"I don't know. Broke people?" Elliot shrugged as he replied, and I gave him a judging look until he looked away while avoiding my eyes.

"You know, I didn't think you'd be annoying the first time I saw you," I eventually commented, and Elliot puffed his cheeks before replying in a low voice.

"I didn't think you'd be this cranky the first time I saw you, too." He then glanced towards me, and I raised a brow at him, prompting him to quickly look away again.

... He sure is a weird guy.

Anyway, this meet-up definitely turned out in a way I didn't expect it to. I figured I'd just drop off the umbrella and then head straight home. But now that I think about it, how long have I even been here?

"Shoot!" I exclaimed as I spotted the time from my phone, and I quickly stood up, gaining a surprised expression from Elliot.

"W-what? What is it?"

"I have to get home. Argh, my aunt is really gonna get mad at me again this time." I stood up, grabbing my things and shoving them in my bag and almost turning to leave when, all of a sudden, Elliot spoke.

"B-but I don't even know your name!"

I froze immediately, eyes wide and confused, before I looked down and sighed. Elliot continued talking behind me while I haven't turned yet.

"I-I-I mean, you never know when we might see each other again, and since you go to that library often, I could at least say 'hi' and know your name..."

"Hannah."

"H-huh?"

I turned around, and I wore a small smile on my face as I met Elliot's eyes. "My name's Hannah."

"O-oh!" His eyes widened, and then his face lit up before he continued. "Eli!"

"... What?" I furrowed my brows as I spoke, but then Elliot continued, smiling awkwardly as he looked away and placed his hand on his nape.

"You can just call me Eli. I prefer that over being called Elliot, actually. And it sounds better, I think...."

Huh.

"See you around, Eli." I raised my hand and waved once as he looked back at me, and then his face lit up once more as he waved back.

"S-sure! See you!"