Endeavor

Chapter 2: Doll and Fall

A.N.: Hi! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter!

I lied on my bed, thinking about what had happened. I tried to tell myself it was nothing, that he'd only hugged me, but that was the thing. He'd hugged me. But celebrities did that all the time, right? But somehow, this was different. I couldn't explain why, but it was. Thoughts of him consumed me. The thoughts were a parasite, and I was its host. It was just slowly taking over me...

I looked at my window, where the curtains were drawn. Sunlight still found a way to let itself in. I heard Amelia singing at the top of her lungs, wherever she was in the house. She sang that school-kid song about people kissing in trees. I knew that the two people I was closest to, Amelia and Gideon, wouldn't stop teasing, or in Gideon's case, asking questions. If I wanted to talk to someone without being ridiculed, there was only one person, and that was Eddie himself. I reached for my phone hesitantly. Hopefully it wasn't too soon to call him, but I craved a civilized conversation. I called his number. After three rings, he picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Eddie, it's Rachel."

"Oh, hey! I'm glad you called."

I blushed. "I was wondering when you wanted the first part of your tour."

"You mean there's more than one part?"

I smiled. "Well, I want you to see everything."

"Okay, well, when's convenient for you? I really don't want to inconvenience you."

My smile grew larger. "It's really no trouble at all. Um...Amelia has that date tonight, so I'll be home alone. Is tonight okay?"

"Um, let me check..." I smiled as he consulted what I could only guess was some sort of planner. That was like him. "Yeah, tonight's perfect. What time should I meet you?"

"Amelia leaves at six, so how about six-thirty?"

"Sounds good. But, why do you need to avoid Amelia?"

"She'll tease me. She'll read too much into it, you know."

"I get it."

"So where should I pick you up?"

"I'm staying at the Hampton."

"Okay, I know where that is. Anything else?"

"Yeah, what's your favorite restaurant?"

Stunned, I scrambled to find words. "Uh...there's a really good...Italian place...around here..."

"Well, that's where we'll eat, if you want to. I'll pay."

"You don't have to-"

"I insist. You haven't been on a date in a while, have you?"

"So...this is a date?"

He chuckled. "I'm kidding. I just wanted to see your reaction."

Strange, but I felt my heart sink a bit. "Well, ha-ha, you're very funny."

He chuckled again. "Well, I don't want to keep you. I'll see you around six-thirty, okay?"

"I can't wait," I admitted.

"Neither can I. I'll see you. Bye!"

"Bye!" The line went dead.

I flung myself back onto the bed. I noticed a chill in the air, and I couldn't help but think about how much worse it would be outside tonight. I thought of Eddie, who would probably wait outside for me to pick him up. I texted him, telling him not to do so, that I'd come inside when I get there. He texted back immediately, obliging.