Rumspringa

Chapter 6: Embarassment

After two weeks, Eli still hadn't made a decision about what he wanted to do. He was torn between where he had grew up and me. I didn't want to be the reason that he messed up his whole life. He had been spending three to four nights a week at my apartment. With work, it made things easier. It has also given us time to sit and talk, get to know each other.

"How's it going?" We had both just gotten out of work. We were tired, hurting and really didn't want to move. We had been putting off the inevitable question. Just because we work together doesn't me we get to talk all the time.

"The heart is a difficult minefield to navigate." Eli's words shocked me. That was the single most touching thing he ever said. "I mean, I love you, but I don't think I can just up and leave the family." He sounded sad. I didn't want to stand in the way.

"Can't you find a house in between here and there? Go and visit?" I was literally trying to find any excuse to keep him in my life. This was a desperation attempt.

"It doesn't work that way, I have to pick one or the other." He stripped off his shirt and fell back on the bed. He was about to fall asleep.

"Well, how long do you have to decide?" I had no idea if there was a time limit or something.

"A while. There is no time limit. The catch is, if I go back to the church, I have to get baptized, I won't be allowed to have any further contact with you or any of the modern world.

"Well I'm not gonna talk about it anymore. I'm just gonna try to enjoy the time I have with you. Carpe diem, seize the day, right?" I stripped down to my panties and joined him.

"Hey guy..." the bedroom door burst open I quickly tried to cover up until I realized it was Emily. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"No, we were just talking, is everything alright? How'd you get in anyway, I thought I locked the door." Emily was my best friend, she has been since high school. We were always there for each other, no matter what. "You could have texted, how'd you get in?" Not that I cared, was just curious.

"The spare key you gave me when you moved in." She came and sat on the edge of the bed, not even caring the the two of us were nearly undressed.

"I completely forgot about that." I can't believe that I have had this apartment for two years, wow how time flies. The last apartment I had, some new management company took over and remodeled the place. They wanted double the rent. No thank you. "Anyways, what's up?"

"Can I crash here for a couple days? I can't go back to my apartment." She inched closer towards me. At this point, I didn't even care. Hell, she could fall asleep in the bed with us, I was that tired, that I didn't even give it a second thought.

"Sure, my couch is always available, you know that. What's going on? Whatever it is talk to me, I've talked you through worse." Over the years, her and I have been through a roller coaster of things. Including boyfriends, losses and even an alcohol problem.

"As you know, my building is full of drug dealers," she lived in one of the worst neighborhoods in the state. It was about twenty minutes from here. It always puzzled me why she lived there, but I never asked. "Well a drug deal got out of hand or something. Long story short, the place was shot up. It was a drive by. There were enough shots that it could have knocked the building off its foundation." The building was already on its last legs. I've always wondered how the place hadn't been condemned yet. I've been over there only a handful of times. Emily understood why, hence the reason she was always at my door.

"Well, if you want just grab your stuff, we'll figure out the rest later." By the time I look over, Eli was already passed out. He probably didn't even hear half of what I said. "I'll move you in, regardless of whatever his decision is."

"What do you mean his decision?" Emily looked confused as she stretched out on our bed.

"On whether to go back to the church or to stay here in the modern world." I moved my feet so that she could get comfortable.

"Well, if it's meant to be, it'll happen." Emily put her hands up above her head in a sleeping type position.

I woke up the next morning cuddling next to Emily with Eli nowhere insight. "Good morning love birds." Eli chuckled as stepped inside the room with a cup of coffee.

"Hey. How long have you been up?" I rubbed my eyes and looked my phone to see the time. It was a little before nine.

"About an hour. I got up to use the bathroom and I came back to my spot being taken over." He sat down next to me. I grabbed his coffee and took a sip. "Yuck." I spit it back out. "You what is this?" I swallowed it just to avoid backwash in his cup.

"Coffee." He explained as he took his cup back and laughed.

"You do know there is sugar and cream in there." I pointed towards the kitchen.

"Now why would you ruin coffee like that?" He laughed. "Out on the farm, this is how you drink your coffee, there is no added flavors."

"So how do you make coffee with no electricity?" I can't believe I didn't think of that until now.

"A French press. Makes the coffee by hand. Tastes much different than this and we don't put anything in it. Pure black deliciousness." He took another sip.

"No thank you." Just then, Emily opened her eyes and sat up.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to kick you out of bed." Emily realizing where she was apologized.

"Your fine, it was time for me to get up anyway." Emily yawned and stretched her arms up.

"Are you ok with me staying here?" She directed the question toward Eli. She knew that I would be alright, but since he was a art of my life, she felt the need to ask his opinion as well.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" Eli didn't see any reason why he shouldn't. "But you aren't getting my side of the bed every night. If you insist, you can sleep on the other side of Becky." He chuckled a little as he finished off his coffee.

"Don't I get a say in this?" I was shocked. He had never made a joke like that before. He was really getting the hang of it. "I mean I don't care, it's extra heat for me." I looked over and smiled at her. It wasn't the first time I'd slept next to her.

"Of course you do. I'm just saying." Just then, all 3 of our phones ding at the same time. We all grab for them out of instinct. Even Eli has gotten used to a phone and has social media now. He doesn't use it much, but he has it. We all got the same notification. It was a link to an explicit video featuring Eli and I.

"Are you guys seeing this?" Emily showed me the video. "You were really getting into it." I stared her down. She turned her phone off and set it down.

"How did anyone get that?" I looked at Eli and his reaction. Not what I was expecting. He didn't seem to mind that the whole world has seen manhood.

"May I ask why you recorded that? Not that I care just curious?" Somehow someway, the video got out. He was as calm as can be.

"I wanted to try something new, plus I wanted to spice things up and show you a little about the modern world and technology. It was only supposed to be for us." I was looking for a way to delete it. After a while I found a link to report it.

"Your sex tape is released to the world and you aren't bothered?" Emily looked at him like he was crazy.

"Personally, I don't care why anyone thinks. Also I'm barely noticeable. I'm more upset that she is more visible" His confidence was astonishing. But it was true. The only part of him that you could see was the bottom of his chin. Not very identifying.

"Well, with one that size, he has no reason to be embarrassed." She smiled like she had no shame. She also realized what she said a little late. "Sorry. I didn't mean to.." I cut her off.

"It's fine. Worst case, we sue and get money." I was putting on a front. I was so deeply hurt that I had no idea what to do. All I wanted to do was bawl my eyes out.

Eli came over to give me a hug. "Don't worry, we will figure it all out. I love you." I could see the anger in his eyes. He was beyond pissed. Not at me but at whoever leaked it. Based on what he did to my ex, I'd hate to see what he would do to whoever leaked it.