Feeling Intensely

Izel over Daniel Radcliff?

Four knocks in a beat and Elleora awoke knowing who it was. She had thought of him all night because SHE had sent him an anonymously embarrassing letter and he knew that it was from her. Could it get any worse for Elleora.

But Elleora had also considered other possible reasons for him to have said that.
Like, he could have meant that she had asked him to stay in this house. And that seemed entirely possible. But Elleora's mind was always running on a different track.

"I'm cominng! Give me a few minutes.", she shouts.

"Oh, take your time. I just wanted to let you know that breakfast is ready." Izel said through the door.

Elleora had barely even gotten out of bed and Izel was already up and about and he'd even prepared breakfast. Elleora was impressed but also embarrassed that she wasn't up to help him out.

"Thank you, I'll be right out."

And when Elleora did get downstairs, she saw them waiting for her at the counter. Bee was making a smiley face on her pancake with maple syrup and Izel was laying out a plate for Elleora.

"Good Morning sleepyhead!", Izabella shouts excitedly.

"Good Morning Bee!", Elleora said, her voice having never sounded so happy in the
morning.

"Good Morning Izel.", she then said, softer, not looking him in the eye. Elleora just couldn't get over the fact that she'd now be spending most of her time in such close proximity to Izel. She'd see him every morning, she'd share every meal with him and she'd sleep right after seeing him. And more than anything, she absolutely loved Izabella.

But what if this goes wrong? What if this doesn't lead where she wants it to? What if nothing happens between them and this stays one-sided? Elleora knew that she'd seen plenty of pretty, gentlemanly boys but none that struck a chord within her like Izel did. And yes, she could eventually find someone and they'd be all good. But she only wishes that she could feel that strongly for them.

The rest of the day, Elleora spent in her room, not sure of whether they should see each other constantly. But some time after 4PM, Izabella came into her room and they ended up talking to each other about a lot of things like how rainbows are formed and why only women give birth and how Izabella has nightmares but never remembers them.

"Are the both of you always going to leave me out of such important discussions?", Izel questions, leaning against Elleora's door frame.

"Izzie, you really have a bad habit of sneaking up on people, right Ellie?", Izabella comments, seeking Elleora's validation.

"Well, now that I think of it, yes he does Bee. Maybe he's a secret ninja.", Elleora teases, sharing a look with Izabella. Izabella's eyes widen almost believing it.

"Okay, stop both of you. Come downstairs, lets watch a movie."

"Which movie?", Izabella questions.

"I've got some old DVDs.", Elleora offers, getting off her bed.

"Dibs on choosing one!", Izabella says, running  ahead of Elleora and Izel.

Elleora couldn't digest the change in her life. She just wasn't used to such good company; people that waited for her for breakfast, that wanted to watch movies together, that even spoke to each other.

"ooooh The Little Mermaid!", Izabella shouts excitedly.

"Uhm, no, let's watch something else", Elleora says quickly, her face hot, worried that there was too much Prince Eric and Ariel that had been mentioned and that Izel had caught on.

"I don't mind it.", Izel says casually, looking directly at Elleora, a smirk on his face.

"2 against 1, majority wins Ellie", Izabella declares, handing the DVD to Izel to put it in.

Izabella runs to the couch, settling into Elleora's side. Izel too makes his way to the couch, sitting closely to Izabella, the smile still gracing face.

But towards the end of the movie, Elleora and Izel realized that Izabella had fallen asleep and so Izel carried her upstairs. And Elleora sat downstairs not in the mood to go to bed just yet.

"Well, it's just 8PM, want to watch something else?" Izel questions, getting off the staircase.
Elleora looks up from her phone surprised that he came back down.

"Uhm, we could watch Harry Potter?", she offers.

"Well, I'm in! ", Izel responds, jumping back onto the couch but this time, closer to Elleora but not close enough to be touching her.

Elleora could barely focus on the movie this time. How could she, when Izel sat next to her, his every gasp and sigh a reaction to the movie that Elleora couldn't ignore. She had seen the movie a hundred times but watching it with Izel made it different, made it difficult.

"You can't use the watch as an excuse this time Leora.", Izel says, his eyes still on the t.v, but glinting with a hint of banter.

Elleora's head snapped back to the t.v, her entire body burning with embarrassment. He laughed slightly when she didn't respond. And after that, Elleora's spent all her will power to keep her eyes on the t.v screen.

:                                     ➰                                    :

Elleora's eyes fluttered at the sound of the doorbell chiming. She couldn't understand why the doorbell sounded so much closer than it usually did. And who possibly could be ringing because there were not many people that she knew.

But the thought train halted when she felt her body warm and slow breathing on her cheek. She squinted her eyes open, and she saw Izel's face. And she instantly knew what had happened. But she didn't move. She wanted to note each and every detail like she usually did.

She couldn't have been any closer to Izel. His chest to hers, just her hands in between, her knuckles barely touching his neck. One arm under her head and the other hugging her close. How could there possibly be more space between them, the couch was too small for that.

His face looked so serene. How could someone look so pretty, or was it her that just couldn't get over it. She pushed a few strands of his hair back. Wrong move because his eyes fluttered open. She froze, her fingers still on his temple. She couldn't move; not anymore, now that he was looking at her, so closely.

"You have a serious staring problem Leora. I think someone's at the door.", Izel whispers hoarsely.

Elleora jerks back having finally heard the repeated ringing of the doorbell, falling off the couch and running towards the door, doing everything possible to avoid the situation she had created.

Elleora opened the door and immediately she wished she hadn't.

"Since when do we have a boy staying in our house?"