Her Name is Memory

27| glistening eyes

Chapter 27

Why can't I see tomorrow
Even when the pain begins to fade?

~Nathaniel's Lyric Journal

"Okay. I will admit this. This is pretty nice," Elise declared, leaning onto me more comfortably. .

"I'm not going to say I told you so but I- ow! You didn't have to hit me," I said, rubbing my arm. 

She giggled.

The surprise was setting up a picnic by the lake, with everything include food from the diner, music from the wireless speaker, and in time for the sunset. After eating and talking for a couple of hours, we ended up laying on the blanket under the stars. It was a little hot, but I was content. With Elise's head on my shoulder and her hand on my chest, I felt at peace. 

I turned slightly to see her smiling at the stars. "I hope this was private enough for you."

"This is the best date I have ever been on," she sighed, her hand settling comfortably on my chest. 

"I'm glad," I told her, relishing the feeling of her body on mine. 

When I looked down at her, she was looking at the stars, maybe thinking about the heavens like she said before. I wondered what made her think like that, bringing my mind back to the first words when she met.

"Something on your mind?" I asked her.

She turned to me, and lifted herself up to look at me. "Kind of...This is all so great. Amazing. I just want to say that I really like being with you. I'm not ashamed of you, and I know you were bothered when I said about being private-"

I placed my hand over her mouth to stop her. My cheeks were heating up from mentioning that, and I just needed her to stop. 

"I should probably explain that," I began, thinking where to even start with her. I felt anxious explaining it, so I looked at her blonde hair falling over her face, framing her face perfectly. I reached out for a strange, letting it run through my hand.

I explained all about Emma, explaining from the moment we met to the moment we broke up. She still kept herself up, nodding her head intensely as I spoke while my fingers were toying with the ends of her hair. Saying out loud didn't bother me as much I thought it would. Maybe it was Elise's look of understanding that made me glad I wasn't with Emma anymore-despite what I felt at the time. 

"It was humiliating that I was kept a secret because she was ashamed to be with me, and about something I couldn't control. So when you starting saying those things about keeping it a secret...it just reminded me of her. I'm sorry if I got freaked out about it," I finally finished. Elise was watching me for a few moments, her fingers were running over my arm. 

I must've spoken for so long. Jeez she doesn't want to hear about this. 

"Sorry for ranting," I said, wishing I knew when to shut up. 

Elise shook her head. Her eyes looked sad, and I wanted to leave so badly. Not me from telling her, but knowing that Elise was sad over something irrelevant. Emma was old news and I didn't want her to think I cared about what she thought about me. 

Before I could say anything else, Elise leaned into kiss me. Not a passionate kiss, but a soft kiss that left me demure. 

"I'm sorry you went through that. It was never like that for me," she whispered against my mouth, her finger running down the side of my face. "She kind of sounds like a bitch."