Crash (gxg) (profxstudent)

Chapter 12: Call me

Ellie's POV

Jack and I decided to walk back home. Chloe, on the other hand, decided to stay back and help Alex with work. She also precised that she won't be coming home which I already knew.

As we were walking, my head goes elsewhere. Lena's actions and words are completely incoherent. I don't know what I expected her to do. Probably not go on a date? But who am I kidding, she's a grown woman that has a job and a lot going on in her life. Why would she be interested in me? Lily looked like the kind of person she should go out with. Not her sister's roommate that also happens to be her student.

"Earth to Ellie!" Jack attempts to get me out of my thoughts. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah... I am." I address him with a smile but he sees right through it. "I'm just a bit tired." 

He seems to want to ask me something but stops himself as he knows that if I wanted to talk about it I'd already be doing it. He looked a bit concerned. But I really was tired.

"So... are you in the mood of watching a movie, when we get back home?" He asks, intertwining his arm with mine as we walk. "We'll be alone so we can make popcorn and watch that movie we always talked about watching together. What was its name again?"

"Saving Face?" I furrow my brows.

"No... I know you already watched that a hundred times, you lady lover!" He chuckles. "I was talking about that thriller... My god! I had it on the tip of my tongue!"

"Oh, you mean seven?" I smile at his attempts.

"Yes! Seven!" He answers relieved of his efforts of remembering. "I know it's gloomy but one cannot say no to some Brad Pitt in action."

"I can..." I mutter and it almost comes out as a whisper, gaining a loud and stinging laugh out of him. 

I already watched that movie alone, last year. It's very gloomy indeed but I couldn't tell him I watched it without him, he would get so pissed off at me. 

We make our way into my apartment. It smells like lavender and fries. Courtesy of the food Chloe ordered before going out with us earlier. 

The lamps gave the living room a cosy appearance, the way sunlights hug the room in the morning. The city lights were reflected from the big window. It was already getting dark. 

Jack threw himself on the sofa grabbing the blanket that sat behind him, tugging it on his legs. He tugged away two cushions and tapped on the free space that was against him for me to occupy. Which I happily did. 

He grabbed his phone and asked me what I wanted to eat. And after I've spent twenty minutes trying to decide, he took the matters into his own hands and ordered pizza for the both of us. I was satisfied with it. 

His presence was reassuring as I knew I didn't have to make conversation and all was understood. I knew he felt something was off and didn't want to rush me into talking about it. I knew he somehow felt it wasn't about last year.

He did feel me tense up after Lena left the café with Lily. Chloe and Alex were also aware of the awkwardness of the situation but didn't look too much into it, they were busy with something else. 

When the delivery guy rang the bell, Jack motioned for me to stay still and went and got our order. He, then, returned to the kitchen to get us plates and napkins before sitting back on the couch and starting the movie.

As the movie gets more and more exciting, I feel myself drift off completely, not being able to concentrate on the scenes. I stare blankly at the screen, not wanting to disappoint Jack. But my phone vibrates in my lap and I'm thankful for it for a moment as it gives me the opportunity to drift my eyes away from the TV.