Dear Elvis, I Love You

Wake Up Little Susie

Elvis watched as Lexie swayed and dropped back onto the bed, fainting. He was immediately on his feet and rushing to her side. The immediate head rush he felt upon standing made the few inches between him and Lexie seem like miles. He knelt to the ground and grabbed her hand, rubbing it between his. "Lexie," he whispered to her, "Lexie, wake up. Come on, darlin', wake up."

She stirred, mumbling something Elvis couldn't quite catch. Then, her eyes shot open and she scrambled away from him on the bed. "How is this possible?!? This can't be real," she exclaimed.
"It is. I called in a favor from the big man upstairs."
Lexie only looked away with wide eyes. "I'm going crazy," she said with certainty.
"No, you're not. Just listen to me."
".....but you're dead..."
"I was dead," Elvis said, clarifying, "Now, I'm just as alive as you."
"But how?"
"I told you. I made a deal with God. He's a fairly reasonable man, ya know."
Lexie didn't say anything. She just reached out and poked his cheek. She had to be sure- had to feel the reassuring sensation of flesh to flesh- to know that he wasn't just a figment of her imagination, but a real human being.
"What was that for," Elvis asked, confused.
"I had to be sure you were a real boy, Mr. Pinocchio," she said, letting out a slight giggle. The sudden sound of it startled her. Lexie hadn't realized how quiet they were being until the sound of her laughter cut through the air like a guillotine.
Lexie's smile faltered as her eyes caught sight of her clock over Elvis' shoulder. If she didn't soon get ready for school, she was going to be late and she had never been late to school in her life.
"Oh my gosh! I have to get ready for school! What are you going to do here by yourself all day?"
"I thought I would just go with you to school," Elvis said, shrugging.
"Are you crazy," Lexie whisper-exclaimed, "I don't know. Maybe that could fly back when you where going to school but definitely not now! You can't just show up to my school with me. They'll know you aren't supposed to be there. No. You're just going to have to stay in my room all day."
"And what if I get hungry? Could I leave your room to make myself something to eat?"
"And what? Give my mom a heart attack and kill her? Or if she doesn't do that, maybe she'll call the cops and get your butt sent straight to jail. Trust me when I say this, staying in here all day would be in your best interest. Anyway, I keep a stash of food in my closet for when my mom and I get into fights and I'm too stubborn to leave my room. That should hold you over until I get back from school."
"And what if it doesn't?"
Lexie hopped off the bed the bed. "Improvise. Eat a book or something. There's a whole bookcase of them right there," she said, pointing to the bookcase against her maroon accent wall and smiling.
"You're kidding, right," Elvis asked as Lexie opened her bedroom door.
"Of course I am, doofie," she replied, leaving the room and shutting the door behind her.
Elvis sat alone in the dark room, stunned. " Did she just call me a doofie," he asked himself under his breath. Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the door, Lexie slid down the wall, mentally kicking herself the whole time.
"Oh, God. Did I seriously just call him of all people a doofie. I am such a dork!"
Slowly gathering her pride, Lexie picked herself off the floor and went to the bathroom to do her hair and makeup for the day. She emerged about 45 minutes later with the same makeup she did everyday ( nude eyeshadow, winged eyeliner, heavy mascara, blush, and chapstick) and her hair was loosely curled.
She knocked lightly on her bedroom door so she wouldn't startle Elvis then went in. Elvis was sitting on her bed, reading a book he must have grabbed from her bookcase but she couldn't tell what it was.
"What are you reading," she asked, making her way over to her dresser and rooting around her drawers for something to nice to wear.
"Inside Graceland by Nancy Rooks," he answered, not even looking up.
Lexie stiffened. "oh...that...," she said quietly, totally embarrassed.
Elvis, looked up and stared at her, confused as to why she was embarrassed. "What's the matter?"
"Are you going to judge me now," she asked, going into her closet to change so he wouldn't be able to see her.
"No. Lexie, honey, I've watched you grow up. I know you have all this stuff. I would never judge you."
"Um okay, well that's a little weird. Why exactly did you watch me," Lexie asked, a little creeped out.
Elvis shrugged. "I don't know. There was something about you. You caught my eye and then I couldn't not watch out for you."
Lexie blushed slightly and smiled as she exited the closet wearing a black cami and leggings and a gray cardigan, "Oh, okay. Anyway, I guess I better get going. My bus will be here any minute." She reached down and grabbed her bookbag and purse. "Have a good day. I'll see you later."
Lexie opened her door again and Elvis looked her up and down, "Okay. You too. You look lovely, by the way." Lexie's face flushed and she stumbled over her words. She opened her mouth and forced a barely audible, "Thank you," out before rushing out the door and closing it behind her. As soon as she was gone, he picked the book back up and continued to read.