Knowing Is Everything

The Preparation

Eli must have slept for nearly nine hours and when he awoke, he could feel butterflies in his chest and pins and needles in his hands. It was a feeling he thought had died with Kimberly. And now, he was feeling all of this while in the kitchen, cooking with Steven. He knew that Aria had said to decide later but he was too carried away with everything. The thought of her even made him put the radio on which was something he rarely done. So the kitchen was alive with spirit, sound and smell.
Steven was sitting at the breakfast bar, clutching a mug of coffee, "Y'know, this human really has got the better of you. You're acting like a human now! Dancing and cooking,"

Eli chuckled slightly as he passed a plate of toast from one counter to Steven, "It's good to be a...Half...Non living...Living dead thing,"

Aria sat on the floor of her kitchen next to the tumble drier, yawning her head off. She had decided now was a good time to start her housework when it really wasn't. She didn't even know what she was going to wear and she still had to clean her bedroom. She wanted to go back to bed but she couldn't. She had been up half the night, unable to sleep since she kept seeing Eli's face and dark eyes everytime she closed her eyes. The image made her get all warm and sweaty so she couldn't even lie under her duvet for long without getting frustrated by the heat. She had looked through her wardrobe for most of the night but found nothing that would make her...Hot. Ironic.

A while later, Eli was lying on his bed, pressing his fingers into his cheeks. He could feel stubble and wasn't sure if he should let it grow or shave it. Basically, look older or look younger. He tried not to think of Aria since she began bringing him to a peak and he needed that to stop.
He sat up and reached for a muscle tee when Steven entered his room, "You okay?"

Steven chucked a bottle of blood at him, "It's like rabbit or something,"
"I'm fine, listen, tonight we're having Aria over and I need you to act as a kinda...Waiter for us, and a driver for her," explained Eli, opening the bottle.
"Look, bud, is it worth going to all this effort if you're not going to reveal yourself?" asked Steven, sitting on the bed next to Eli as Eli took a swig of the bottle, "Like, if she really is the one or...One of the ones, she'll accept it,"
"Or she'll accept it in fear and move country," said Eli, after swallowing.
Steven stood up, "I don't want you getting hurt and I don't want her getting hurt either,"
He left the room as Eli continued to drink from the bottle.
Eventually, he dropped the empty bottle and lay back on his bed and drifted off.

Back across town, a few hours later, Aria stood in her bedroom, staring at herself in the mirror. She looked herself up and down before bursting into a smile. Finally, the right outfit. She had settled on an old UO strapless printed dress with a denim jacket and white wedges. The outfit looked very casual but very flirty at the same time, giving her a little dose of energy.
She had made sure she had gave her body extra attention too. She had shaved everywhere in the shower at least three times just to be sure there was no hair anywhere. The only hair left was her head hair, eyelashes and eyebrows. She wasn't planning on removing any clothes but she still wanted Eli to see that she could scrub up pretty well.
She sprayed one last squirt of her favourite perfume onto her neck before doing a little twirl in the mirror and giggling to herself. She was ready. Eli texted her earlier and informed her that Steven was on his way to collect her. Classy, your own driver, what more could you want.
She flicked her curled hair over her shoulder as she turned on her heel to head to the living room when she heard a car horn outside.

She quickly grabbed her bag containing her phone, purse, makeup and some other things before leaving, locking the door and heading out.
Outside, Steven was standing at the rear passenger door, holding it open as Aria came out, "You look amazing, my dear,"

Aria smiled at him as she got into the car, "Thank you, Steven,"
Steven shut the door and got into the driver's seat before giving her one last look.

"Do I have something on my face?" asked Aria, reaching up to her cheeks as her eyes widened.
"No, I just know that you're going to knock my friend on his ass. Pardon my language but I can't wait," he smiled, turning back to face the front, "Oh, those are for you,"
Aria hadn't noticed a small bouquet of white roses sitting on the seat next to her. She picked them up as Steven drove off, smoothly, from the curb.
The flowers had a little note in the same font in them reading, 'For your pleasure for granting my own. -E xo' 
Aria chuckled slightly as she put the flowers back down and got comfortable in the leather interior whilst she gazed out the window, admiring the view of the town at night. It hadn't occurred to her that people do actually go out, drinking, in Wallwater and she was pleasantly surprised at the site of it.
Steven glanced at Aria in the interior mirror with a slight smile on his face. Eli was certainly doing well at enticing her but the only thing Steven wanted was for Aria to know about Eli, but that wasn't his place to tell.
Steven thought about what he had done that day for Eli, as Eli cooked an amazingly-smelling meal, Steven set up the back patio for dinner for two, illuminated with candles and flowers everywhere. It was like a secret garden inside the house for only Aria and Eli. He knew that she would be amazed by it and he also knew that she would not decide to go out for dinner instead, not that Eli intended to share her.

As they turned down the street of the high, balconied homes with trees lining the streets, Aria began to get slightly nervous. She knew Eli was older but she never thought he would be one of 'Those Men', the kind that are that well off. She thought he was simple, lived in a normal house, not one of the expensive ones on the far side of town in the more private and recluse area. Steven gave her a gentle smile in the interior mirror as if to calm her down when really it just mocked her.

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Video On Top; 'Young and Beautiful' by Lana Del Rey