For Elise.

Chapter 5

So the day came. I set my Alarm for 7:00am this Sunday morning, but I didn't get up. I lay down in bed staring at the ceiling until 8:30.
What am I doing? Going out with someone I met only yesterday?
Well, I met her at a party but that didn't count. I thought to myself,
Why was I doing this? She didn't even tell me why she wanted to meet.
I walked into my washroom and turned on the tap. I looked in the mirror and splashed water on my face. I pushed my hair back with my hand and stared into my own eyes through the mirror.
This time, when Elise dares me to blink, I'm not going to blink. going to look her in the eyes when she talks to me.
I spent the next 10 mins practicing eye contact.

After that I dug through my closet to find some decent clothes to wear.
A nice shirt, a nice jacket, anything. I always came up empty. Nothing was nice enough, everything was old, sometimes ripped and torn.
So I called Elliot, He picked up.
"What's up?" He said, sounding groggy. Like he had just woken up.
"Why are you calling me this early?"
"Are you free today?" I asked abruptly. "I need your help."
"Why?" Elliot asked me.
"I'm going on a date." I said. I couldn't even believe I said it myself.
"I'm going to need to borrow some clothes."
"Your what!?" Elliot practically yelled through the phone. "What are you talking about? How did you score a date, is she hot?"
"Just tell me if your free of not!" I yelled.
"Of course I'm free, come over at 9:00am." He said.
"Okay, I'll see you then. Bye." I said hanging up the phone. I got on my bike and rode to Elliot's house.

As soon as I got to his house we was waiting for me at the front door.
"Hey August! Look at you on your first date!" He said patting me on the back.
"It's not like that." I say. "We are just hanging out."
"Oh yeah? Who's the lucky girl he says." Taking a sip of Pepsi.
"I shouldn't tell you." I say. "I don't think you'll help me if you know who it is."
"I won't help you if you don't tell me who it is." He says. Taking another sip. "Come on August, tell me!"
"Fine. Elise Wood." I say. Elliot spits out his drink all over the floor.
"Elise Wood! What are your doing?" He yells. "What's the matter with you?"
"What do you mean?" I ask, "She's a great person." I say walking into his house.
"I'm not saying she's a bad person." He says. "I'm saying that it's not gonna end out well, she is too unpredictable. The popular kids hate her, they are going to make the rest of her high school experience hell."
"I don't care. I could care less about the stupid popular clique and their hierarchy." I say. "I just need you to help me choose something to wear."
Elliot sighed. "Sure, But don't say I didn't warn you, if you hang out with her, they will hate you too,"
I just ignored him.
"Anyways, before you got here I prepared you something great." Elliot said smiling. "I called Ellis and asked for her advice, she basically coordinated this outfit for you."
Elliot pulled the outfit out from his closet. I was shocked.
On the hanger was a Jean jacket, underneath a yellow sweatshirt.
On another hanger was a pair of black jeans that were cuffed
at the ankles. I took a step back. I've never seen such a posh outfit in my life! How could Elliot get his hands on something so, Aesthetic?
On the jean jacket was a note. It said.

"Thanks for helping me study last year! Wouldn't have passed 11th grade without you. XOXO -Ellis"
I laughed. Of course it was Ellis. Elliot would never wear something
like this.
"So...Do you like it?" Elliot asked.
"Definitely!" I said.
"Can I take it come with me? I would rather get ready on my own." I asked.
"Sure, why not." He said shrugging. "I'll give you a bag to take it with you."
"Alright, Thanks." I said, sitting on his bed.
When he came back he brought a bright pink backpack with him, Elliot tossed me the bag.
"Nice bag." I say laughing.
"It's my sister's." Elliot says stuttering. A moment of silence goes by and he gives me a nervous laugh.
"Elliot... You don't have a sister." I say. Elliot was silent.
"You don't have to be ashamed if it's yours." I say. Looking at him right in the eye, just the way Elise does. He didn't say anything.

"Well I have to go." I say putting all the clothes in the pink bag.
I walk out of the house and wave goodbye to Elliot. He waves back.
As I start biking away, Elliot shouts to me.
"Goodluck August! You're gonna need it."

When I get home I started doing my hair.
I search up 'How to style hair.' On My phone. It didn't help much, so I decided to just comb it.
Next, I put on the clothes Elliot gave me. I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked pretty good! I stood in front of the mirror for another half hour. Looking at what I was wearing. My mother walked into my room.
"Why are you dressed so smart?" She asked me. "Where did you get that outfit?"
"From Elliot." I responded.

"Well you look very handsome." She said. "Your father would be proud of you." She says trying to sound sweet, but it was cold and distant.
I didn't look at her. I kept looking in the mirror.
"Thanks." I said.
"Your welcome" my mother responds. Then walks out of the door.
I check the time on my phone, 2:45.
I'm late! I run out of my bedroom and slip on the nicest pair of shoes I have.
"Bye Mom!" I yell as I run out the door and get on my bike. I pedal as fast as I can, I almost got hit by a car on my way.

When I reach the entrance of the park I practically jumped of my bicycle.
I use my foot to pull up the kickstand and I lock it on the bike rack. I jog into the park and look around. Then I check my watch, It was 3:10.
Was I too late? Did she leave? My mind swirling with possibilities.
I put my hand on my forehead and brushed my hair back with my fingers. Suddenly heard a voice yelling my name.
"August!" I turned around and saw Elise running towards me.
"August, I'm sorry I'm late!" She apologized clearly out of breath.
"It's no problem." I say. However, I found it weird that she's the one who invited me and then was late.
"How did you get here?" I ask looking around for a car or bicycle.
"I ran." She said wheezing. She took out her inhaler and took 2 breaths.
"Why did you run? Didn't you say your lungs were weak?" I ask worried.
"It's okay!" She says, putting her hands up in front of her. "I didn't want to be late." She said as she looked down at her feet. I exhale.
"I would have waited for you." I say daring her to look me in the eye.
She looked surprised, I don't think she ever thought I would be the one looking her in the eyes. "Thanks. She says smiling." I smile back.
"Why were you late?" I ask her.
"I slept in. I didn't wake up until about an hour ago." She said dusting herself off.
If only she knew how early I woke up so I could look my best.
It didn't matter. She looked amazing anyways. Better than I did, that's for sure. She had her hair styled in two braids going down her shoulders, she was wearing a black sundress with a white, long sleeved shirt underneath, black high top shoes and long white socks reaching her calves. She looked like she just stepped off the runway.
"You look great!" She looked at my outfit. "But those aren't your clothes are they.' She asked, giving me a sly look. I Was taken aback, how did she know? Did she just guess? Or did she guess. So I just laughed and said.
"How did you know?" She started laughing.
"It doesn't look very much like you." She said.
Walking ahead of me. When she realized I wasn't following her she turned around.
"Come on August, let's go." She said tilting her head.
"What are we going to do?" I Asked walking towards her.
"I don't know quite yet. I guess we will figure it out was we go." She responded. "I know of a cafe by the water. You can see manhattan from there!" She held out her hand towards me.
"Come on, let's go!" She said sounding impatient.

I don't know what's up with this girl. One minute she's criticizing me, then she's asking if we can be friends, then we're meeting in the music room and she's telling me about her life, then she's yelling at me for not being open about how I feel, and next she's inviting me on a date, and I don't even know why!
I asked myself, why am I doing this?

I don't know, but what I do know is that this girl is going to cause a lot of problems for me in the future.
Yet in this moment, I don't care, today, all I can see is Me and Elise. Having fun together, and I'm going to enjoy this moment while it lasts.