Vapor (unedited)

0.8

"Oh, honey, good morning." Mom greeted Elis downstairs. She was wearing her navy cardigan and a smile etched on her face. 

Elis nodded acknowledging the warm greeting while her hand was busy drying her hair. "You're going out?" she asked while pulling her mum into a hug. 

"Yes, you want anything?"

"Well, movie snacks I guess." Elis shrugged, following her mom to the door. 

"He's still here, okay? I won't say anything about last night, but I think you should talk to him, hun." her mum said and kissed her cheeks. Elis nodded and smiled. Maybe he had told mom already. That was possible when it was her mom who asked him to woke her up. 

"Be safe, mom. Love you!" She yelled a bit too loud. Her mom laughed and got into the car. She waved from the inside and drove off. 

A few seconds passed and Elis frowned to herself. The sudden ache in her chest felt all too familiar when that one word felt too foreign at the tip of her tongue. It even taste weird. But she has to say it everyday with a smile whenever Elis and her mom has to be apart. It was like a promise, a vow that had to be said aloud. Elis was sure it was a habit that she forced onto herself since she tends to make her mom worry unreasonably although she never meant to do that. It also felt like something else, but she didn't know what. She exhaled slowly and walked back inside. 

"Elis," she looked up.

"You wanna talk about last night?" Elis questioned directly. She tried to keep her face straight but that dark orbs have something in them, pulling her in. She pulled her eyes away and walked to the kitchen. A breakfast sounds fine in her head, she wasn't surprised when there was a toast and a mug of hot coffee on the table. The aroma seeping out from the plain dark coffee calmed her head. She sat on the chair, not waiting for Zach. Even though anticipation started to creep on her skin, she brushed it off and acknowledged Zach as he pulled himself a chair in front of her.

Silence fell around them and it felt awkward. Elis didn't really fond of how it felt like, she didn't really like the silence. She didn't like what was happening right then. Everything felt out of place. Every thing wasn't what she expected, she was out of control and she found herself hating it. 

The mug was warm in her hands, and when she took a sip, it wasn't hot anymore. She felt uncomfortable all of a sudden, like her small, fragile bubble had exploded and she was exposed. She bit her underlip. 

"Last night-" He spoke suddenly breaking the silence. It fell like it had been crushed and it was so loud, it rings in her ears. She looked at him wide eyed. She wasn't startled but somehow adrenaline rushed to her head and she felt breathless all of a sudden. But Zach.

Zach didn't rise his head to look at her. He held his head down, like he was ashamed or he was trying to keep something to himself but he can't and he had to spill it. Slowly, he peered up to her. Looking her under his long lashes. 

His voice was small almost like a whisper but she heard him. "... you dreamt of me." 

It was a statement. But somehow it was still open for an argument because his tone wasn't absolute. 

And it wasn't even funny, really, but somehow she found herself chuckling, feeling somehow amused and light headed. "I might ask, how the heck you even know that and suddenly crash into my bedroom without a proper hello. You aren't raised to be a gentleman it seems." Elis giggled stupidly to herself while Zach stared at her dumbfounded. 

"Damn," Elis shook her head. "This is just stupid. Never mind that. Just-," she stopped in the middle of her sentence, searching for his eyes. "...are you alright?" she inquired quietly. There was hesitance in her voice but it can be mistaken as worry too while it was both at the same time.