The Crazy American

Chapter 4

A knock on the door pulls me out of my book. I shuffle over to the door and look through the peephole. Allie is standing, smiling at the door. I laugh and open it. She bounces into the room.

"Soooo, tell me everything!" She says plopping down on the bed.

"About?"

"You and Elliot. What happened this morning?" She lays with her face held up on her hands. I can't help hide my smile.

"Nothing happened. We both were up early and we, you know, just talked." I shrug and sit next to her.

"That didn't look like just talking." She pouts.

"We talked about my paintings and classes. And how I'm not intimidated or obsessed with him. Honestly, we are just friends." I hold my hands up. She stares at me for a moment.

"Well do you want to be just friends?" Allie's eyes analyze my every word.

"I mean, he is cute and charming and funny and smart... But he would not think twice about me." I shrug again.

"Well we will just have to try harder than!" She hops up. "You need to play hard to get. That would work. Men love chase. At dinner, barely talk to him. Talk to John instead." I bite my lip.

"I don't know."

"Just try it out, for me?"

"Ugh. Fine. Only for tonight." Her face lights up.

"We have to make you look good. Very good." Her eyes gleam which frightens me a tad.

After an hour of makeup and her fixing my hair, I hop into my tulle knee length white skirt and a black and white crop top that leaves a sliver of skin showing. I slip on my red pumps for a splash of color and we head down stairs.

All of the dorm sat around the big table already by the time we make it downstairs. I take a deep breath and walk past Elliot without even looking at him. Allie sits a few seats down from me. I smile at her and notice everyone has their eyes on me. Pretending not to notice, I scoop my plate out. John is sitting to my right, and Elliot is to the right of him. I turn to John and smile.

"Did you enjoy your classes today?" I ask. He shrugs and smiles a toothy grin at me. He isn't bad looking, but he is no Elliot.

"You look hot," he checks me out up and down slowly. I turn away, blushing unintentionally. Allie bites her lip to keep a smile at bay.

We idly chat through dinner. He occasionally does the slow from head to toe stare, which makes my skin crawl. By the time I have cleared most of my plate, I excuse myself. Allie does the same and follows me into the kitchen, smiling.

"Ugh he makes my skin crawl." I say quietly, shaking off the thought of John's stare.

"Elliot looked uncomfortable the whole time." She giggles. Her observation makes me smile. Her giggle is contagious. After a few seconds we are full blown laughing while trying to stay quiet. A tear runs down my face from laughter.

Elliot walks heavy footed into the kitchen and eyes us suspiciously.

"What are you two doing?" He demands. His voice hiding some implacable emotion. I look at Allie and she looks at me. Wiping the tear and chuckling, I put my plate in the sink. Completely ignoring him.

"What's so funny?" He asks. Allie loses it and starts laughing again which makes me in turn laugh. I regain enough composure to walk out of the room. As I do I run my fingertips gently across Elliot's chest and say, "Nothing."

We retreat up into my room for the remainder of the night. Midnight rolls around and Allie is passed out on the bottom half of the bed. Sighing, I pick up my book and head downstairs to the court yard.

An hour into my reading, I get to a sad part which leaves me in tears. The door to the courtyard opens making me jump.

Elliot steps out and looks at me with a puzzled look. I close my book and hug it. Trying to suppress a sob. Elliot must realize that I am crying because his expression goes from puzzled to severely worried. He rushes over to me.

"Are you okay? What's wrong?" He looks around to see the cause. I hold up the book.

"It was too sad," I say between sobs. He chuckles and his shoulders relax. I wipe my tears away with the back of my hand and open my book again. Elliot laughs a pure humor laugh.

"What?" I glance up at him over the edge of my book. He sits in the chair next to me.

"Why are you still reading it then?"

"It's a good book. Just because something is sad doesn't mean you have to drop it." I say and hide behind my book. We sit there for a few hours in silence before I start to drift off into sleep.

I stir awake. The walls of my room come into focus as my eyes adjust to the light. I turn and look at the clock. The red letters shout six A.M. A piece of paper on the pillow next to me gains my attention.

Figured you would be more comfortable here.

~Elliot

I smile and trace my hands along the writing. His hand writing is elegant with swooping lettering. Better handwriting than anyone I have ever seen. Putting up the note, I snuggle up in my covers and fall asleep.

Elliot stands in front of me smiling in the middle of my room.  His upturned lips make me breathless.

"I've been looking forward to this."He closes the space between us. The closeness makes my senses on edge.  

Elliot reaches up and traces my lips with his thumb. The contact sends shivers down my spine. His eyes burn with passion. I reach up and touch his face with my finger tips. He turns into my touch. His face is soft against my fingers.

Elliot moves his hand to the back of my head, gripping my hair and pulling me in. Our faces are within an inch of each other. His breath tickles my skin.

He moves in, his lips about to touch mine. My body screaming for him to kiss me.

"Rose!" I turn away from him to see who called my name. No one is around.

"Rose!"

I stir awake to see Allie in my door way.

"Rose, breakfast!" She smiles as I sit up. Satisfied, she dances away. I sigh and put my head in my hands.