The Letters // Cameron Dallas

// Chapter 12

I woke up to a beep on my phone.

[From: gizmo_gobstopper]

I'm ready to meet :) Tomorrow, 2pm at the Starbucks on Bakers Avenue. I'll be on the 2nd floor in a black shirt & a green beanie. Can't wait to see you.

I wasn't quite sure how to process this. In about 2.5 seconds, my uncertainty was about to turn into panic. What was with this guy? Blowing me off one minute only to finally meet the next?

[From: storm_not_trooper]

Let's do it :)

I seemed calm in the email but I truly wasn't. My first thought was to call up Chantel and Troye because I needed the perfect outfit without going over the top.

. . .

"Hmm," Chantel and Troye simultaneously hummed as they stared me down. They took me to a local department store and wasted no time finding different outfits.

"Can you guys stop humming and give me a verdict?" I stood there holding up two outfits I had just tried on.

"I like the dress," Troye said. "It's playful and not too dressy, he'll adore you."

"I prefer the skinny jeans and the pretty top," Chantel argued. "It speaks volumes and if she pairs it with the ankle boots, it'll give off a sense of power."

"She's meeting an internet random, not becoming the First Lady."

"Standing right here," I muttered. "Don't say 'internet random', I met him through a pen-pal assignment, thank you very much."

"It's still weird to me," Troye shrugged. "I watched an entire season of Catfish last night. Not exactly helping."

"Okay let's focus," Chantel protested. "Ellie, what do you feel comfortable in?"

"Honestly? My dark flannel and ripped jeans," I answered.

"Absolutely not," Troye shook his head & Chantel playfully hit him in the arm. "What? If you guys hit it off, he'll have plenty of time to see you in your hobo clothes."

"Gee, thanks," I forced a grin. "Anyway...I like the top. Love the dress."

"The dress it is," Troye beamed. "She said she liked the top but loved the dress, so..."

"Whatever," Chantel rolled her eyes.

It was a pretty dress. Something one would wear if they spent time on the boardwalk for a day. Nothing too fancy. And they didn't have to know that I wasn't going to wear the ankle boots, I was going to wear plain white tennis shoes.

. . .

I took several deep breaths as I stared down at the laid-out dress on my bed. Cameron had left 15 minutes ago, I heard him. He's been very silent ever since I told him I was looking for a sublet. I had already gotten several emails back with offers.

Maybe I needed validation that this was really happening. I didn't really need a new outfit. When it comes to meeting a soulmate, I should look like myself. This guy had gone weeks without seeing what I looked like, now I should show him Eloise for who she is.

I hung the dress back in the closet and took out a pair of overalls along with a black t-shirt. My nails had chipped glittery nail polish on them but I didn't care to fix it. This look says 'yes, I'm fresh in my 20's but I look 17'. It's all good.

On the drive there I was nervous, still. I even sat in the parking lot until the last 5 minutes. I thought about every possibility and what he might look like. With a name like Gizmo I had hoped maybe he looked like Logan Lerman. I imagined he was probably sitting in there sipping on a latte with just enough sugar, maybe even some whipped cream. Maybe he's reading a book while he waits; a book about mythical sea creatures. I imagined the look of relief on his face once he sees me. Maybe he'll say to himself 'this is her, she's the one for me'. Then we'd talk about that vacation and we'd plan on taking it together but not in a platonic way. This has been a long time coming.