The Art of Living

[49] Basically? Yes.

Not long after Ellie had put down the phone, the bathroom door opened and Brian came into the hallway. With his hair still damp and not quite as curly as it was before. Ellie looked at him and raised her eyebrows a little. "You look... interesting."

"What? My hair?" He reached up and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I know, it looks ridiculous, but it takes forever to dry.. sorry."

"Why do you say sorry? My hair isn't dry as soon as I step out of the shower either." Ellie was a little confused and got up.

Brian shrugged a little. "Well, because I look weird."

"You look handsome as always." She smiled at him and wrapped her arms around him. In the short while that they had been apart she had actually missed touching him. And she realised that when she finally did touch him again.

With a smile, Brian wrapped his arms around her waist. "You really think so?"

"I know, it's surprising to me too because ... well, I would never say that to anyone else, but yes. You look really handsome." She smiled at him, leaning against him. "Even with straight hair," she chuckled a little and lifted a hand, running her fingers through his hair.

"Well thank you. I appreciate that. Thank you for being so honest with me."

"You deserve that.. and I want you to trust me." She smiled a little and rested her head against his chest gently. "I'm really glad you're here. Oh. By the way, my mum, I told her about you. And about the plan that you'll be coming with me, home to Scotland. And ... well, she would love to meet you. I got her to make a deal. If she likes you, you can stay in my room with me." She smiled at him, and lifted her head to meet his eyes.

"Oh really? Wonderful... I mean. Do you think she will like me?"

Ellie nodded. "Of course she will, how could she not?"

"I'm sure she could find a way." Brian shrugged but smiled a little. "When are we leaving?"

"That's what I meant to ask you actually. I don't know your schedule. Let me get a calendar and we can sit on the couch again to plan it. How does that sound?"

"Very good. Mind if I get some water?"

She shook her head. "Oh no, of course not. Go ahead, take whatever you need okay?" She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek softly before she went into the living room to get the calendar.

Brian got himself a glass of water before he sat down on the couch.

When Ellie looked at him, she saw that he was smirking at her. "What's that expression for?" She asked him curiously and sat next to him with a pencil and the calendar.

"Oh, I'm just thinking about what we were doing before your mum called..." He winked at her and crossed his legs.

Immediately Ellie could feel the effect his words, and his expression, had on her. She took a deep breath and glanced at him. "Stop it..," she said quietly, trying to seem cool. She was feeling a little funny, her stomach was doing weird things, but she was feeling happy.

"Why? Did you not like it?" He asked and reached for her hand.

She glanced at him, and when she saw that he had a worried expression on his face, she took his hand in both of hers. "What? No, I mean, yes. Yes, I liked it very much actually. A lot.."

He looked at her questioningly. "Then..."

He didn't have to finish the question, Ellie knew what he wanted. "Because it's still confusing me. And... I don't know how to handle it."