Feeling Intensely

'Anecdoche'

Elleora had set an alarm for 8AM. She was a morning person. She didn't like wasting a day away. And she admits that she was excited for what Leia had planned. She stood in front of the mirror on her closet door with a towel wrapped around her. She was going through a dilemma that most people have dealt with several times but it was new to her. She felt panicked.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and stepped into the closet. She ran her fingers slowly and stopped at a random item. She opened her eyes, took it off it's hanger and held it against her in front of the mirror. A white, long, bell-sleeved blouse that ends at her wrists with a flaired collar. She looked through her dresses and chose a blue chiffon strappy dress with yellow, tiny flowers highlighting the depth of the blue. She paired them together with white low-top shoes.

She looked at herself in the mirror when she was ready. She hadn't dressed up in a long time. The last time being for her sister, Katerina's 19th birthday. She turns away from the mirror, shooing away the horrid memory before it was too late.

She had some buttered toast with a cup of coffee and made her way to the bus stand to get her blue baby back.

An hour later, Elleora had already edited three goofy selfies, read through half a romance novel and watched an entire rom-com, when Leia showed up at her door.

"Good Morning, grab your purse, keys and phone and let's get going because the clouds wait for no one!"

"But, where are we going?!", exclaims Elleora, scurrying around her house, grabbing everything that could be needed on this risky undertaking.

"To Infinity and Beyond", Leia mimics Buzz LightYear. Elleora can't help but smile at Leia's antics.

Leia and Elleora cycle to a stranded warehouse, a few kilometers ahead of their school. Elleora had stopped asking questions somewhere along the way because as much as she enjoyed Leia's vague answers, the closer they got, the more she wanted it to be a surprise.

The entrance of the warehouse was crowded with people of different ages, all standing in line to get in. Elleora still had not a clue of why they were there till Leia waved two tickets in her face. She grabbed them and they read, 'Literary Festival 2020'. Elleora squealed, jumping on her toes like a 10 year old before she realized what she was doing and straightened up.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear trying to appear composed but Leia was already grinning. She grabbed Elleora's arm and they strode to the entrance. When they got in, Elleora could barely keep her calm. She had never been to something like this. The entire warehouse was flooded with books. Just stalls and stalls of books. Different corners for different genres, editions, merchandise. It was a book paradise.

They walked through the first few stalls together but then somewhere along the way, Leia caught sight of a Manga stall and Elleora lost sight of her. Elleora had been scouring for a particular limited edition when she heard him.

"We all need an outlet. Writing this book provided me mine. I hope reading it provides you yours."

Elleora saw him almost as immediately as she heard him. He had given the mic to an older woman and taken a photograph or two with a few excited girls before he left the warehouse through an emergency exit door that was more or less a hole with a satin curtain draped over it.

She found herself involuntarily making her way to that particular stall. A banner informed her that it was a poetry corner and to her utter bafflement, Izel was meant to be attending to promote his book. She held his book in her hand - 'Anecdoche'
This was not something she had written to his character. Quite literally, very uncharacteristic of him in Elleora's little world. And as she held the book in her hands, her desire to read it, devour it, make meaning of it, increased as time elapsed.

"What you got there, Abu?, Leia peeked from behind Elliora's shoulder. Elliora jumped, very typical to Elliora's new Disney character name.
"Oh, it's nothing. You got the entire manga stall in those bags Leia?", Elliora changes the subject, stuffing the book into the promotional bag she had received at an encyclopedia stall.

"Can you imagine how drab this world would be without Manga? I would buy the entire stall if I could El. But let's get some lunch before my stomach gets in the mood of some EDM."

"How about Pizza?", Elleora suggests, leading Leia towards the Emergency Hole.

"What about the bags? Should we drop it at your place first? Order in, maybe?

"Works for me.", Elleora agrees distractedly, scanning the outside of the warehouse for a ruffled haired boy.

: ➰ :

Elleora stretched her way to her bedroom. Leia and her had spent the entirety of the evening stuffing their faces with pizza and discussing every book that they had both had read. Leia had decided to pick her books up some other day, taking off around 9. Elleora needed a hot shower and her pajamas to wind down before her thought train hit the tracks again.

Izel's book had been published and was now out in the world for everyone to read. But why did Elleora feel wrong for wanting to read it. Why did she feel like she was prying? Was it maybe because she knew him. Well, she doesn't know him. She has barely ever spoken to him. But she knew of him. She paid attention to him.

'Anecdoche', Elleora whispered, gently holding Izel's book in her hand. Repeating what he said at the promotion in her mind - his outlet. Elleora couldn't imagine letting anyone read what she scribbled down in her numerous notebooks. She wished she could write as fearlessly as Izel had. And he had published his scribblings, for others, nonetheless. Providing others their outlet.

But what Elleora didn't know was that she'd soon be writing for someone too. Careful what you wish for Elleora.