Gravity is a Bitch

3. Dancing with Doubts

-- Elianna --

I was sitting in the living room when Alex came out of her room dressed in white ripped jeans and a short-sleeve, button-up, v-neck shirt. Her white sneakers and light-wash denim jacket in hand, her long hair swung from left to right in a ponytail. Every time I see her like this, I wonder how she manages to pull off such simple outfits so effortlessly. If I wore something like that, I'd probably be unrecognizable.

"Hi" she said, sitting on the arm of the couch.

"Hi. Slept well?"

"Yeah. I thought I'd be exhausted this morning, but I'm actually in great shape" she said, smiling brightly.

"I can clearly see that. Dressed and all smiley before breakfast? Are you going somewhere?"

"Yeah, Daniel is visiting, and we're having lunch and spending the day together"

"A date with your boyfriend, huh?" I raised an eyebrow, teasing her.

"No" she laughed softly. "There's absolutely nothing between Dan and me"

"You mean, not yet" I was fishing for information.

"No. It'll never happen"

"Why not?"

"I'm not his type, and he's definitely not mine. Maybe that's why we're such good friends"

"I don't know about him, but you're every teenage boy's dream girl"

"Yeah, right?" She turned toward me, suddenly interested.

"Totally. They might find you intimidating with your stoic look and badass vibe, but yeah"

"I'm not stoic!" she laughed.

"Oh, yes, you are"

"No, I'm not. You're the intimidating one. Have you met you?" She burst out laughing, and I couldn't help but join in.

"Okay, okay, I admit it. Sometimes I can be intimidating, but that's only at work, when I have to remind people like Baxter that a woman can run a multibillion-dollar company. Never here at home"

"The first time I saw you, I almost peed my pants. Before I came here, I googled you, and found this interview you did with some guy from a competing company. I swear, the poor guy forgot every other sentence every time he looked at you" She cleared her throat, mimicking the guy's nervousness, and I was laughing so hard I could barely breathe.

"Stop it" I said, shaking my head.

"Yes, you do! And that death stare of yours, oh my God" she shuddered playfully. We heard the doorbell ring, and Alex stood up.

"Elianna, there's a woman here. She's as intimidating as you, she says her name is Grace. I told her to come in, but she wants me to tell you to hurry up"

"Ah, that's Ryan's mom. We're heading to the Country-Club"

"Got it" I grabbed my keys and phone and put them in my bag.

"Have good one, Elianna"

"You too. And you can tell Daniel he can stay the night if you're heading to that party you mentioned. But he'll be sleeping in the guest room, your type or not"

"Okay" she giggled. I left the apartment and went to join Grace.

After more than three hours at the club with Grace and Frank, Ryan's dad, we hit the road for the Sutherland mansion, where Ryan was joining us directly from the airport for family lunch.

When we arrived at Albert's, I spotted Ryan outside, finishing up a phone call. He hung up and pulled me into a hug.

"I missed you so much. I'm sorry I've been gone for so long, but I promise to make it up to you"