The Way I was Raised

Chapter 7: Tour Guide

*picture is Elijah*
(Elijah)

I sit in my hotel room staring at the small sheet of paper in my hands. That night of the party Trevor handed me a slip of paper with his number on it and told me to call or text him so we can get together again. I have picked up the hotel phone countless times and set it back down more times than I care to admit. What is it about this boy that makes me want to see him again?

Since the night of that party I haven't seen or heard from Nathaniel or Pearl either. I hope they are okay but they are old enough to take care of themselves. Sighing I stand and go to the dresser that holds the hotel phone again and just stare at it.

"Why am I so nervous anyway? It's just some guy." I mumble. I grab the phone and dial his number. After a few rings he finally answers.

"Hello?" a groggy sounding voice floats to my ears.

"Uh hey. It's Elijah." I say.

"Elijah. It is six o'clock in the morning. Why are you up?" he mumbles and breathes loudly into the phone.

"Well you told me to call. I always wake up before the sun rises." I tell him. He laughs and I hear movement in the background on the phone.

"Well you called so lets talk." he says.

"Well. Um what's up?" I ask akwardly.

"Laying in my bed. Want to join me?" he asks.

"Oh um. I-i-" I stutter and he laughs.

"I was joking Elijah. Lighten up a little. What are your plans for the day?" he asks me. I feel my face burning and I scratch the back of my neck out of my nervous habbit.

"I don't really have any at the moment." I tell him.

"Well. Would you like to get coffee? There is a small cafe down the street from your hotel." he says.

"Sure. How about we meet there at eight?" I ask him.

"Sounds good." he says and hangs up. I cradle the phone on my shoulder and take a deep breathe. My heart was pounding hard againist my chest and my breathing was becoming fast. Ever since we talked, ever since we have met, I have not been able to get Trevor out of my head. There was just something about him, maybe it was his style or his personality. Or maybe it was because he wasn't like every other boy I knew. He wasn't Amish.

I place the phone in the cradle and head to the bathroom. I turn the shower on and step into the warm stream. We have been here for almost three days and every morning so far the shower is my favorite part of the day. Sometimes I just stand here for an hour and let the water run over my body and relax; but this morning I was to wired up and nervous to enjoy it fully. Meeting Trevor has me jittery and excited but also tense and unsure of myself.

I wanted to seem like I belonged here and not so inexperienced with life.

After I dressed in my new clothings I finally grabbed my hotel keys and gold card and walked out of my room.  It seemed like hours before the elevator finally made it to the lobby and I walked out into the fresh air and sunlight of New York.

I walked down the side walk still amazed by everything I saw and looked for the cafe down the street. Never in a million years would I have found it if I didn't see Trevor sitting at a table outside. For me he stood out againist anyone or anything. His blue hair was straight and wispy to frame his face perfectly and today he wore black makeup around his eyes and his jeans were ripped from his thighs all the way to his ankles and he wore a regular black flannel and black shoes.

"Um hi." I said and he looked up at me and smiled. He stood and gave me a hug, which I returned akwardly.

We sat down and I looked everywhere but at him for a moment. My heart was racing and for some reason my body still felt his embrace.

"So what have you been up too?" he asks me. I look back at him and shrug.

"Nothing really. I went to buy some food and still working on figuring out the stove in my hotel room. Other than that I mainly hang out in my room." I tell him. He shakes his head at me and sighs.

"You need to get out. You're here for a month Elijah. Explore. Experience it while you can." he says.

"And if I get lost? I can't find my way back alone." I tell him. He goes quiet for a moment and begins tapping his chin. He jumps like someone scared him and grabs my arms. I stare at him like he his crazy and wonder if coming here was a mistake.

"Let me show you. Let me be your tour guide!" he exclaims.

"Tour guide?" I ask him confused.

"I take you around and show you the city. We eat all kinds of food, see different materials, walk through parks, and everything!" he says. I think for a moment debating if I should.

Can I trust this guy I just met? The guy who won't leave my mind and makes my heart stutter and my cheeks flame at his words sometimes.

"I don't know." I say.

"What have you got to loose Elijah?" he asks and arches his eyebrow.

"I guess nothing." I say and grin. We sit there almost all day ordering food and coffee and talking about anything. It was nice. It was different.

"So what is like? Being Amish?" he asks me.

"I guess for me it would be like your life. It is all I have ever known and all I have experienced until now. We all wake up early and start our assigned chores from our family. I wake up before the sun or with the sun sometimes and begin working in our field planting and picking vegetables. Then I tend to the animals and do wood work. Before dinner I get the milk and after I take care of my baby brother Noah. My mother died and my father hasn't been the same since. He has been more mean and reserved from his family. Every Sunday is devoted to The Church." I finish.

"What about clothing and styles and fashion?" he asks.

"Plain. What you saw me in the other day is what I wear everyday. Except for Sundays I have nicer clothing." I tell him.

"Wow. That seems so plain." he says. I grin at him and nod.

"Yes it is plain. We have what we need. Not what we want in life. We live simple." I tell him.

"And is it true you have no power?" He asks me.

"We have generators for some stuff. But everything else is hands on and hand made and fresh." I tell him.

He shakes his head and leans back in his chair.

"It just amazes me. Were from completely different worlds." he says. I smile and nod my head as well. I lean back in my chair and stare at the sunset behind every tall building.

"Do you miss it?" he asks me. I look at him and sigh.

"I miss my family. But I am enjoying the new atmosphere around me. I want to remember this forever when I return home." I tell him.

"What if you stay?" he asks.

"I can't. Even if I wanted to I couldn't." I tell him.

We stay quiet for a moment before the silence was interupted by a weird sound. I look over at Trevor and see he was staring at a bright screen. He looks up at me and frowns.

"I have to go now." he says and stands. I nod my head and stand to leave as well.

"Do you have a phone?" he asks me.

"No. I have a phone in my hotel room." I tell him. He shakes his head and laughs at me.

"First thing we are doing is getting you a phone." he tells me.

"Tomorrow we start your tour. Be ready by ten!" he says and hugs me. He turns and walks away from me. I stand there for a moment and then head back to my hotel.

My head was swimming from my meeting with him and I felt so strange. He makes me feel relaxed and comfortable. Like nothing I have ever experienced before in my life and I like it.

I like it a lot and that scares me even more.