two doors down (e.d.)

chapter twelve

riley~

the words filled my head all through the rest of the day.

and the next.

and the next.

and the next (today) as i sit in class.

"you changed me."

how? how could i have changed him in a week?

and what was he like before?

"are you paying attention?" leo's voice from next to me snaps me out of my trance.

"y-yeah." i stammer.

leo has been sitting next to me every single time we're in this class. i'm not mad, i just don't see him like i used to.

"so i've been thinking," he leans over and whispers. it doesn't send a chill through me like ethan does. "do you wanna grab some burgers or something tonight?"

i freeze up. tonight? do i even want to?

"sure," i say, trying not to be awkward

"6 o clock sound okay?"

"okay,"

"it's a date." he grins.

date?
what?

"yeah," i smile nervously

the class dismisses and i gather up my things quickly, hoping to leave before leo.

he catches up with me outside the lecture doors.

"wait!" he calls, "i'll pick you up at your dorm?"

"okay. it's six-"

"602? brennen?" he asks

"yeah...?" i side eye him

"i saw you walk into the brennen building one day and i just followed a bit behind," he shrugs

creepy much?

"oh," i say, my eyes widening, "cool."

"that sounded so creepy," he laughs and ducks his head, "but i promise my intentions were pure."

"see you at 6?" i say, starting to back up.

"6."

i race back to my dorm and throw open the door.

"elanor! emergency." i say breathlessly

"what?" she looks worried

"that leo guy from my ethics class asked me out on a date and i didn't know how to say no so i said i'd have burgers with him at 6," i spit out quickly

"okay..." she hesitates, "why don't you want to go? he's cute, right?"

"i guess," i shrug, "but i just don't like him like that."

"i thought you used to? in the first week of school?"

"not anymore."

"is it because of ethan?"

"no!" i blurt quickly. too quickly. "i just don't like leo anymore."

"mhmmm..." she narrows her eyes

"elanor," i beg, "please just tell me how i let him know i don't like him."

"don't let him pay."

"what?"

"if he pays for the meal, he'll think it's a date. if you pay for your half, maybe he'll get the gist that it's a friendly outing that involves non vegetarian options."