Feeling Intensely

Thrilling Gossip

"Okay, I've got work to get to.", Izel gets up, unexpectedly, making Isiah shift out of the booth to give way.

"We can go to the mall too. We'll help you out.", Liea offers, knowing all too well that she had messed up.

"No, thank you but this is another job.", Izel responds, walking away without so much of a glance at Elleora.

Elleora watches Izel leave and then turns to Liea with a scowl on her face.
"Did you have to do that?", she mouths not wanting to let Isiah know.

Leia shrugs apologetically, "I didn't think that he'd react like that. Izel isn't exactly the most ordinary teenage boy.", whispering loud enough for Isiah to get a hint.
Elleora glares at her, "CAN YOU NOT WHISPER?!"

"What more do I have to do to be a part of your two-person clique?!, Isiah whines, pouting.

Elleora knew that she'd compared Isiah too harshly to Arien and that other than his similar - blatant trustworthiness and physical features, he didn't seem too terrible.

"I don't think you'll be able to handle the 'thrilling gossip' that we adhere to.", Leia teases Isiah, pulling his cheek.

Elleora laughs knowing all too well that they gossiped only about their favourite anime characters and their favourite OTPs, very unlike the 'thrilling gossip' that Leia mentioned.

But Elleora still couldn't shake off the feeling that took over her knowing that Izel had snapped back into his shell. And that she wasn't sure what she had done.

Was it because of, what's his face, Kazmir?, Elleora thought.

She shook her head of the thought, fully aware that Izel had better things to think about rather than a boy that Leia had so conveniently slipped Elleora's number to. And what about this other job, why did Izel work so much?

: ➰ :

Elleora meekly walked towards the old garden around mid-day on Tuesday. She felt almost intrusive. But why the heck should she have to give up such a beautiful space.

Maybe because she would be giving it up to Izel?
She irritatedly thought about his sniffles that night and his book and all sorts of other things in between. Irritated because she knew she would make more out of things than they were which is NOTHING.

She walked, making a list of all the things she could ask, to get to know him better, to understand him.

But no one stood, leaning, against the vine draped wall. She sat criss-crossed like she had done the day she broke down in front of him. She looked around, taking in everything. And she realized how much she had blocked out that day; cognizant of Izel and nothing else.

There was a staircase that led to nowhere because it had been demolished and a stone water fountain. It seemed as though, the garden grew the most extravagant plants in its prime. But it was still beautiful, calm, reassuring.

Elleora closed her eyes, tilting her head up the way Izel did, trying to breathe deeply and understand what it is that Izel felt.

"Why are you always around?! Can't I be left alone for just one second!"

Elleora looked up alarmed to see an Izel that she had never seen before. He looked frustrated. His eyes looked tired, his hair was wild and Elleora wanted nothing more than to stay. Instead, she said,

"I'm sorry, I'll leave. I didn't mean to..", getting up hastily, embarrassed.

She wanted to ask what was wrong but she didn't know if it was the right time. He had just told her that he wanted to be left alone.

"Wait. I should apologize. You should stay.", Izel says, sticking his hand out in front of Elleora, stopping her.

"No, it's okay, you want to be alone. I don't mind leaving.", Elleora responds softly.

"Please, stay.", Izel pleads, sighing, making his way to where Elleora had been and sitting the exact way he had before; one leg sticking out, eyes closed, head tilted up.

Elleora waits, contemplative of whether she should stay, till she finally sits next to him, worried. Who was she kidding, she could never leave Izel like that after what he had done for her the day before.

She stays quiet, looking at him, trying to grasp anything that could tell her what had made Izel so unlike himself.

"Still looking at my watch?", he teases.

Elleora immediately looks away, her face reddening.

Izel takes his watch off, this one a black strapped one. He pulls at Elleora's hand gently and straps his watch around her wrist. Elleora continues to stay quiet, unsure of what could be the right thing to say. But completely sure that she didn't want to give the watch back.

"Why don't you ask me why?" Izel whispers, looking at the sky.

"What?", Elleora asks, confused.

"I didn't ask you Elleora because I didn't think I should."
He pauses.
"Why aren't you asking?"

"Because I don't want you to tell me to leave again.", Elleora blurts, not fully understanding what he meant. She looks away instantly, focusing at his watch and for the first time she feels his eyes on her.

"I'm struggling. We might not have a house to live in, in a week. I couldn't possibly work any more jobs. And I have enough for groceries. But nothing more. Not for Bee's playgroup, if I spent it on rent and I can't leave her at home. Ma's not been coming home for the last month and it's just impossible to do this. Maybe I should drop out and get a full time job. I just- I don't know how to do this Elleora.", Izel rants, ending with a sigh, his hands rubbing his face.

Elleora looks at him, shocked that he opened up to her but more than anything she could have never thought that someone that looked as peaceful and content as Izel could have so much going on in his life. And she could finally connect a few dots and some how understand a few things that just didn't fit.

"Oh God, I shouldn't have said all that. I should just go. Forget I said anything, please.", Izel gets up, avoiding her eyes.

"Come and stay with me." Elleora says quickly.

And Izel stops, reading Elleora's expressions to see whether this also is something that she happened to blurt out.

"I mean it. My parents stay elsewhere and I have the entire house to myself. Come and stay with me." Elleora says calmly, for the first time being completely convinced of a thought that happened to be in one of the compartments of her thought train.