Alice's Umbrella

Chapter 13: Junior Mints and Danielle

Alice didn't know why she was so annoyed by Danielle, but she was. The girl was nice enough, albeit obnoxiously upbeat-but Alice still found her kind of insufferable. She knew it was irrational, but it probably had something to do with how she couldn't take a hint about Elliott's disinterest in her as anything more than a friend. The bubbly blonde was sitting on his left at the moment, Alice on his right; the other people she only vaguely recognized from school were on the other side of Danielle. Elliott had just sat down after ducking out to make a trip to the concessions stand. The movie had already started, so he didn't say anything when he returned. He just held up the box of Junior Mints he'd bought and shook it in her face.

She smiled at him, nodding her head and holding her hand out while she waited for him to tear open the box. He tipped some into her outstretched palm, and she nudged his arm with her elbow in thanks, popping them into her mouth. She focused her attention back on the film, a B movie that was mildly amusing. She was absorbed in the action minutes later when she caught Danielle leaning over to whisper something in Elliott's ear. Alice tried to watch from the corner of her eye as he nodded, pouring some Junior Mints into her open hand.

Alice scowled to herself and averted her gaze back to the screen, but when she saw Danielle squeeze his knee and let her hand linger there, Alice craned her neck to stare at him deliberately. His eyes were wide, his lips pursed; he made eye contact with her from the corner of his eye. The lights from the screen reflected off his pink cheeks; he was clearly embarrassed, and she bit back her smile, watching him try to discreetly shake Danielle's hand off by wiggling his leg. When that didn't work, he cleared his throat and crossed his ankle over his knee, causing her hand to fall away.

Alice bit down on her lip and looked away, trying not to laugh. After a moment, she pulled her phone out and sent him a text: She's persistent.

His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he waited a few seconds before he checked it, attempting to do it so Danielle wouldn't realize they were texting. He shielded his screen from her view as he read, shooting Alice a look before he responded. I know.

She tapped out another text: Why don't you just tell her you don't want to date her?

I don't wanna be mean. I wanna be friends with her. And we have classes together. It might get weird.

Alice rolled her eyes. You can't be friends if she's still thinking she'll get to suck your dick someday.

When he got her text, he snorted and quickly coughed to cover it, nearly spilling the Junior Mints in his lap. He looked at her pointedly then, and she returned his stare, lifting her eyebrows. Elliott shook his head at her then put his phone away, signaling the end of their conversation. She just smiled to herself and put her phone away, too, snatching the box from his hands to grab some more mints.

After the movie-and without further incidence involving Danielle-Elliott drove her back home. It was after 11, and they still had school the next day, but they sat in his car talking a little longer, anyway. She'd put her seat back some and propped her feet up on the dashboard. He was twisted in the driver's seat some, facing her, his head leaning against the headrest. She was fidgeting with her hair as they talked, absently unweaving the braid and running the crimped tendrils through her fingers.

"Our parents are getting awfully close," she mused, and he hummed in agreement, drumming his fingers on the console in time with the soft music pumping from his car's stereo.

"I know. We might not even need to do anything after this point."

"Think they would tell us if they started dating?" she asked, turning her head to look at him. He smiled.

"I have no idea. Parents are weird about that kind of stuff." He pressed his lips together, looking pensive. "Not that I've ever dealt with my dad dating, I mean."

She nodded, combing her fingers through her hair. "Yeah, me either, obviously." Their parents might be getting closer without their intervention, but she still felt like they needed one more push. She thought about what they could do next. "You know...there's that Veterans' Day Parade next weekend. Big town event. What if we all go together?" she suggested.

Elliott seemed to be contemplating it, then he nodded. "Yeah, I think that's a good idea. There's a concert after, then fireworks...It'll be very romantic," he said, wagging his eyebrows, and she grinned at him.

"If they don't fall in love by then, then I'm afraid it's a lost cause," she sniffed dramatically, hastily replaiting her hair and tying it off. Then she sat up and inclined her seat back up to its normal position. "Okay, I guess I gotta go. Thanks for letting me tag along on your date," she cracked with a smirk, and he rolled his eyes.

"I could be getting my dick sucked right now if it weren't for you," he shot back, a teasing lilt to his tone, and she feigned indignation before she leaned over the console to hug him. He wrapped his arms around her, squeezing tightly.

"I'll see you at school tomorrow," she said against his shoulder, and he nodded. He smelled like the old coffee shop, an odd mix of cinnamon and dill. She pulled back some, gripping his shoulders. "Oh, yeah, almost forgot," she started; he raised his eyebrows expectantly, and she grinned at him, tapping his cheek. "Tag, you're it."

He groaned loudly, and she laughed as she released him, straightening up. "That was sneaky," he accused, tugging on the hem of her shirt as she twisted around to open the car door.

"Constant vigilance, Matthews!" she reminded him, sliding out and slamming the door behind her. She spun around to wave at him through the window; after he'd returned the gesture and started his car again, she turned back to her house and headed inside. Her mother was asleep, so she moved quietly through the house, used the bathroom and slipped into bed once she'd changed. Shutting her eyes, she settled down into the mattress on her back and waited for sleep to take her.

But the thinking came before the sleep did. Alice rolled onto her side and thought about Elliott. A deep flush came to her checks as she thought about his cute face. With a smile, she curled into a more comfortable position. The scent of her shampoo from her pillowcase filled her nostrils as she breathed in.

And, strangely enough, so did the lingering impression of cinnamon and dill.