Recollections

The Time Elena Lied

The Time Elena Lied
(song of the chapter: The One That Got Away (acoustic) // Katy Perry)

When I hear the front door of the apartment being unlocked and opened, so naturally I close my eyes and pretend I'm sleeping. I'm unsure if it's Elena or Phoebe who's home, but I don't want to be disturbed so until the coast is clear, I'll act as if I'm unconscious.

There's a soft knock on my bedroom door and I don't respond, wanting to keep up my act of slumber. From outside the door, I hear Elena gently call my name. Again, no response. She takes the initiative to let herself into my room anyways and I can feel her staring at me from the doorway.

Elena scoffs. "We were roommates freshman year of college. I know you're not actually asleep, dumbass."

Dropping the facade, my eyelids flicker open and I sit up in bed. We're staring at each other, me with a look of annoyance from being caught and her with an expression of disapproval which I'm sure to learn the reasoning for.

"You didn't go to your classes today?" She asks.

"Yes I did." I lie.

She rolls her eyes but doesn't press matters any further. "We should probably go out tonight, you've been cooped up here for a while now and I'm sick of you moping."

"M'kay." I want to decline her offer but instead I surrender--belly up, like a weak puppy.

"Cool." She smiles, probably not expecting to get her way so easily. "I just need to run out to the store for a few things before we go." Her eyes shift awkwardly away from me and it doesn't go unnoticed. I stare at her as her fingers start to twirl around a strand of her hair. She's lying to me.

Elena never lies to me.

"Oh, what are you getting?" I press.

She shrugs and her eyes glance at the ceiling then back to my face. "Just, you know, milk."

I nod, unconvinced. "Alright." Throwing the sheets off of me, I swing my legs out of bed.

"Where are you going?"

"I figured I'd come along with you. Y'know, to the store."

Elena's face pales fractionally. If I didn't know her so well I probably wouldn't of even noticed. But I did, and now I know something's up.

"You don't have to." She tries to casually fend me off but I'm not budging. I'm already jamming my feet into my raggedy red converse. "I want to." I assure her.

Elena leaves the room and I hear her moving around in the kitchen. Quickly, I yank my brush through my hair then meet her by the front door. She smiles at me but it's a futile notion, I can see right through her.

The two of us are settled in Elena's car and she's driving with both hands on the wheel. It's a miracle if Elena drives with one hand on the wheel--let alone two, so if both happen to be present, it's nothing short of a miracle.

Every so often I notice her hands wring the steering wheel tightly and her knuckles flare white before returning to normal.

When we pass the first supermarket, I don't say anything. When we pass the second, I chuckle. Turning to Elena I smirk. "Wanna tell me where we're actually going?" I ask.

Elena's shoulders deflate, like a balloon, from their tense position. "I was supposed to be going to Austin's to pick up your things...put you sort of threw a wrench in that plan." Her eyes flicker over to me then back to the road.

"Oh." Is all I manage to squeak out. Neither of us speaks and I focus ahead out of the windshield. The occasional bead of water is beginning to drip from the sky. Fifteen minutes pass before either of us speaks again. We've passed the same buildings three times now and I know that Elena is driving in circles while trying to figure out what to do next.