Dear Elliot

Dear Elliot- Chapter 8

Chapter 8

3 Months To Go Till Elliot Comes Back

I awoke to my mother, father, Sophie, and Jackie singing 'Happy Birthday' to me at the top of their lungs. I sat up, laughing and they all smiled at me. I was eighteen. I was graduating in three months and then I was going to be going to Stanford University. On scholarship too.  

It was Saturday, March 16th. Jackie and Sophie had come in for my birthday weekend. It had been three months since Elliot had been deployed again and frankly, I was counting down the days till I got to see him again. He was due back home in another three months and I would think to myself: Three months. That's only 12 weeks, which is only 84 days, which is only 2,016 hours, which was only 120,960 minutes. 

When my family had finished singing at the top of their lungs my dad tried picked me up and make me get on his back to go downstairs. He had done this every birthday, but the past couple of years I had protested. This year, I was really protesting. 

"Dad, you are going to throw out your back." I said and he looked at me defensively. 

"No I'm not. Jack will help me." Dad said and we compromised by making Jackie carry me down the stairs to the table. When I went downstairs, I had a huge pile of presents waiting for me. I felt spoiled but still, we all feel a little spoiled on your birthday. Three bouquets of flowers were sitting on the table. One from mom and dad. One from Jackie and Sophie. And one from Elliot. I opened all of my presents, everyone watching and all of us laughing for no reason in particular. I saved Elliot's for last, a letter and a package and seeing his scrawly handwriting made me look down at the beautiful shiny ring he had given me for valentines day. I wore it all the time, it always made me think of Elliot. 

I thanked my parents and Jackie and Sophie and hugged them before opening my present from Elliot. Once the paper was ripped open, a DVD slid out of the wrapping. I ran over to the TV, my family staring after me, and I pushed the DVD into the player. Elliot's face appeared on my TV screen and I smiled. 

"Hi Lil. Happy 18th Birthday! I hope it's been great so far. So this is your present, and I hope it gets to you on time. Don't ask me how I managed to get this to you, because honestly it is a long story. Before I go ahead with your birthday present I thought you might want to meet Drew. Lily, this is Drew Lawson." Elliot said. The camera turned onto another attractive boy that had sandy blonde hair and interesting creamy brown eyes that just made you want to stare into them. They were lighter than Elliots but just as entrancing. Drew was skinnier that Elliot was but taller, and he was well built and spoke with a slight British accent. It was the same man from the picture Elliot had sent me. He waved. 

"Hi Lily! I'm Drew! Elliot tells me your really hot." he said and I could hear Elliot laugh and say 'Okay Drew that's enough' in the background before the camera turned back to Elliot. He was holding his guitar and I laughed. 

"Since you know I play the guitar, this won't be a surprise, but I want to sing you something. But anyways, here goes." Elliot started strumming and I smiled as I listened. The song was 'Two is Better Than One' by Boys like Girls. I smiled as I realized how much I loved Elliot, even though it had only been three months since I met him. When he finished he smiled at the camera. 

"So happy birthday Lilly! Only three more months. I love you!" he said and Drew came into the picture. 

"Love you Lily, soo much!" he said adapting a high pitched and feminine voice. Elliot shoved him a little and they both laughed and waved to the camera. 

"Happy Birthday Lily!" they said and they waved for a moment before the camera shut off and the screen went black. I heard my mom laugh and Jackie came up and sat down next to me, smiling.