One Thousand Paper Cranes

Chapter 17

^Emma

Fiona, whom I had always imagined with pixie cut hair with streaks of unnatural colors throughout it and a badass attitude to match, seemed to actually be quite normal and laid back. It was alright though she was a badass in her own way.

"I'm glad to be home. It feels like forever since I've seen you Eam." Fiona said, fussing up his hair. Eliam batted her hand away, grinning. I watched idly trying not to yearn to greatly for something that would at least shadow what they had.

Fiona had come into Eliam's room right when she'd gotten here. She leaned against the door frame and her eyes traveled along the decor of the place, taking it in it seemed. Nostalgia was splashed across her face. Her eyes fell onto where I sat awkwardly on Eliam's bed, my hands curled in my lap. I gave her a friendly smile and she gave me one back.

"Oh," Eliam started like he'd forgotten I was even there. "This is Sam. It turns out while you were away at college I actually did some things. Met a few cool people and now I've got a boyfriend. Sick, huh?" I noticed, while I was ignoring the fact that he'd called me his boyfriend, he talked differently around his family. He was calm, cool, and collected. Which is weird because I'd never met anyone who was all of those things at once.

People had so many different faces it was hard to keep up. I'm sure I was the same way. I was nice and talkative with Roman, Greg, and Eliam but my mother was a whole other story. I could be the biggest bitch that ever was when she was involved. I suppose sometimes, when she just wanted to check up on me which was rare but had happened once or twice in my life, was not a good time to change my face into something nasty which I certainly did.  But 99 percent of the time she deserved it.

"This is Sam." Eliam said. My name sounded like a prayer through his mouth, a promise that I didn't quite know I'd made, but would keep. I got up and walked to stand next to them.

"It's nice to meet you, Fiona. Eliam always talks about you like you're some hero." I flattered her, but it was the complete truth. The few times Eliam had mentioned his family it was to bolster them up, especially her. She was his proudest piece. The way he confided in her about everything and everyone and she always seemed to listen. Their relationship sounded like something straight out of one of those coming of age films. It was hard sometimes to even believe it was true but here I was witnessing it with my own two eyes.

"Well, that's because I am his hero." She laughed again and smiled at Eliam. Eliam shrugged.

"I was only talking about the times you stuck up for me with the whole sexuality thing. Every moment after you've been nothing but a pain in the ass." He grinned and nudged her with his elbow. She slapped his arm.

"You take that back Eliam Dale. You take that back this instant." But she was all smiles when he told her no and they started laughing again. I'd  never felt more alone, but I was standing right in front of two people who were welcoming me. It was a strange feeling. "I'll leave you two alone. Mom wants my help with dinner anyway. I think she's making her famous pizza so this should be interesting." She messed up Eliam's curls again but this time he didn't object. "Love you. And it was nice sort of meeting you, Sam. We can talk later."

"Yeah, definitely." I replied and she gave me a soft smile that I reciprocated.

"Love you, too." Eliam called to her as she walked down the hallway to the kitchen. He shut the door and turned back to me. "Now that we're finally alone I can show you something." He strode over to the other side of his room to his record player. One of the records was already on it so he placed the needle ontop. A scratchy sound then the gentle strum of a guitar.

"Didn't know what time it was and the lights were low." David Bowie, his voice always welcomed, came drifting into my ears. Eliam stood up, bobbing his head gently. He reached where I was and he took my arms and waved them around in an effort to get me to dance with him I guess. I shook my head and he smirked.

"Everyone dances. Just not everyone lets people see. You can let me see." He smiled brighter than ever and started again. This time I gave in, finally letting him see. I got lost in the music and him and I found myself even singing out the words to the song and Eliam joined me. He didn't make fun of my apparent tone deafness and I was glad because I really was tone deaf. His voice of course put mine to shame.

As the final notes to Starman faded away and the scratchy noise of the needle scraping against the record came back I felt Eliam tug on my hand. He flopped down on his bed and I went down with him. He cradled my head against his chest, running his fingers through my close cut hair. His lips kissed up my head, onto my forehead and stayed there. The rest of the songs off the records played but we didn't get up to dance to them. We just laid there, safe in each other's arms.

I know three months isn't an awfully long time to know someone. I know what me and Eliam have is still fresh and new and fragile but I want to work for something with him. Something strong and old and lasting. Something like love.

***

"When I get old?" He'd asked the question 'where do you think you're going to be when you get old' and I was stumped. I'd be somewhere, free from my mother, maybe with Roman. We'd always been best friends I didn't like to think of that ending. Maybe we'd stayed together, Eliam and I. We'd both worked for something, a life, together. I liked that ending. "I don't really know. What about you?"

"I'm hoping I'll have made it to be at least 90. That's what I'm betting on. I'll be somewhere nice and cozy. Surrounded by people I love." He answered gazing off dreamily. We were outside in his small backyard, sitting on the steps of the porch just talking.

"W-will I be there? In this perfect future?" I didn't plan on asking. I usually never planned on anything that came out of my mouth. Eliam looked back at me and his face was surprised, but kept going. For some stupid fucking reason I kept going. "I think you'll be in mine. You and Roman and Greg. If they ever make up." My laughter was nervous but it wasn't forced. It was never forced.

"Do you want to be in my happy future?" His voice was soft and quiet. Gone was his confidence. I'd done that to him. Should I feel good about that?

"Yes."

"What about this one? Do you want to be in this one?" Our face were close now. I didn't know what he meant.

"What do you mean?" I let our noses touch and I didn't pull away, when did I ever pull away.

"Do you want to be apart of this?" He motioned around himself, at the yard and the house and everything. "Do you want to be apart of me?" I think I did. I wasn't sure.

"I think so. I'm like 95 percent sure." I answered. He laughed and closed the space between us. He smelled like vanilla and Eliam which always smelled good. His lips were soft against mine and I let his tongue explore mine.

"I'll take those odds."