The Boy From Everywhere

Ch. 14: The Story

"Uhm, Hannah...?"

I turned towards Eli as soon as I heard his voice, but upon seeing his wide eyes and what could actually be a blush on his cheeks, I stopped and widened my eyes as well.

What's going on now?

I stood up straight, pushing myself away from the wall before looking towards Eli with raised brows. "... What?"

He blinked, before he quickly started shaking his head and panicking like he did something wrong. "Uhm, uh, n-nothing! It was nothing! I just- I- I, uh... H-here's your order...?" His face looked completely red by the time he finished, as he held out the paper bag in his hands out to me.

Cute... but confusing. What-?

"Uh... Thanks?" Was all I could say as I carefully took the order from him.

I guess, I can kinda see where this is coming from. The last time we met didn't really end well. I somewhat offended him, and he tried to shake it off, and it only left us parting at such an awkward setting. I should probably say something. Looking at Eli now, though, I think that's just about the right thing to do.

I pointed to my aunt's house standing right behind me as I finally spoke again. "So... you wanna come in?"

His eyes widened again as he looked back at me, and I really couldn't help but notice that his face had gotten really red. "Who, me? Oh, I, uh, uhm-" He looked away, and then he dragged his words as he continued stammering with his hand on his nape. "I... guess I could. Will your parents be okay with it?"

"I live with my aunt actually," I replied, my eyes drooping down along with my hand. "But, she's out of town for the day, so I'm kinda on my own for now."

Eli's head perked up as he looked back at me. "O-oh, really?!"

I feel like I know just what exactly popped up in his head in that moment, but I really didn't wanna address it directly. So instead, with an unimpressed look on my face, I just said, "You read too many romance novels, don't you, Eli?"

He jerked, and then he chuckled nervously as he looked away from me again. "You know me so well already, Hannah..."

I just rolled my eyes this time, chuckling before pointing towards the house with my head. "Come in. Have a break for once. I'm sure you barely have any with how many jobs you have." I then turned on my heel as I went in. I'll just see if Eli will actually follow after me.

He did. And so, I found myself in the living room of my aunt's house, having lunch with a friend for the first time in so long. I sat on the sofa, legs crossed with the food I had ordered in a bowl in my hand. All the while, Eli sat on the chair beside the sofa, sitting tight with a bowl of his own with the same food inside. He hadn't touched it one bit. Well, maybe he had, but it really wasn't much. Instead, he seemed busier with assessing the place. My aunt's house is pretty nice-looking, though, but I'm not really sure if that's the only reason he keeps looking around the room.

"So... you live here... with your aunt?" He looked back at me by the end of his question, but his eyes widened, and then he quickly went back to looking around.

Now that I think about it, he really is acting strange today. Is it really just because of how our last meeting went?

"Yeah. I've been living with her for almost a year now in this house. Been doing so since my parents died."

"Oh."

Silence, and I set my bowl down on the coffee table in front of me just as I felt Eli's gaze fall back onto me.

"Is it... I mean, how did they..."

"It's okay. I'd like to talk about it for once without holding back... They died in a fire." I looked down, and my right leg went up to my chest before I hugged it and I continued talking. "Our house burned down because of a forgotten stove. My dad got me out. He couldn't get my mom out, though, and neither could he do that with himself. I was the only one who survived that day..." My words trailed off, and my mind became clouded as I hugged my leg tighter. The floor seemed to be getting closer, too, like it was about to trap me and never let me go...

"... How are you now?"

Eli's voice snapped me back out of that trance, and I let my leg go before looking back at him. I forced a smile onto my face as I replied. "I'm okay, I guess. I'm still surviving until now so I'm good."

So I ended up sharing that part of me to him, huh? Was it too early? Either way, I guess it's okay since it seems both of our circumstances aren't really the best. Now I'm curious about him, too, but...

I look towards Eli, smiling softly at me as if to tell me that, yeah, it would be okay eventually.

I'll wait 'til he's ready. I don't think I'd want him to panic again because I asked something I shouldn't have.

"Anyways! I have an idea," I eventually spoke up, trying to shoo away the heavy atmosphere I had created with my story. "I've been planning to go out and explore the nearby city while my aunt is out, actually, but I don't think I can do it alone. So!" I smiled as I turned to Eli. "Care to join me this afternoon?"

"Hmm?" Eli's eyes widened again, and then he shook his palms at me as he spoke. "O-oh, but I couldn't-"

"It'll be fine! It's just a few hours and just for a day, I promise," I assured him, stressing on the fact that it's a promise and hoping he does trust that what I'm saying is true.

"But..." But he stayed hesitant.

Still, I waited for him to finish. His gaze fell to the floor as he turned silent, humming quietly in thought. His brows furrowed the deeper he thought about it, and for a moment, I started to feel guilty. What if he was just thinking it over because he felt pressured-

"Alright."

"... Huh?" My eyes widened as I looked back at Eli, just as he did the same, smiling with his eyes as he looked back at me.

"Let's go out! A few hours' break couldn't possibly hurt."

My face lit up before I even realized it, but when I did, I just let it be as I replied enthusiastically. "Cool!"

For some reason, it almost felt like our souls had switched for a sec back there.