The Falling of Lauren Johnson

Chapter Thirteen

The rest of the night was spent simply laying on a blanket in the greenhouse and talking about the education that I received back in my sector. Elliot scrutinized and corrected everything that I brought to attention, and it was weird, because I was neither offended nor surprised that I wasn't exactly getting the truth in school from my teachers. The whole display between us was very intimate, yet the only time Elliot touched me was when he grabbed my hand to help me up after deciding to head back to the apartment.

The walk back to his apartment was quiet, but I was so caught up with the different lights emanating from some of the buildings, I hardly noticed.

"You know, if we were back home, walking together like this, you'd probably be locked up, and I'd be given community service time." I say out of the blue, only repeating my thoughts.

Elliot just shakes his head and wraps his arm around me pulling me closer to him. Only the second time he has touched me on this date.

"Yeah, well, there is a little more leniency on this side of the river, but if they found out that I was dating an original, I'm sure that I'd be more than just locked up." Elliot replies solemnly.

I'm confused. "What do you mean?"

Elliot refuses to look at me as he speaks, keeping his eyes set straight ahead. "You know they're teaching you all of that bogus, misguided information..." I nod my head in understanding. "...Well, in our form of school, the foremost principal that they taught us was that we are the lowliest of beings. Our primary job on this planet is to make life easier for the originals, and beyond that, we aren't to associate ourselves with them, regardless of the circumstance. I'm sure if they found out that a dupe, er...duplicate, was cavorting an original, the consequences for me would probably be far worse than being locked up. I imagine death would be the probable consequence, because our lives are meaningless to them anyways. "

I pause for a moment. "Cavorting with an original? What do you mean?" I stare at Elliot, and once the thought reaches my lips, we stop walking. He turns his body toward me and wraps one arm around my waist, and brings the other up to my face, pulling a stray hair back around my ear.

"I mean dating, spending time with, or even thinking about an original."

I nod my head and look at the ground. Am I really just someone to cavort with? Elliot must have read my thoughts because he gently lifts my chin up to force me to look him in the eye. Third time he has touched me.

"Lauren, I know we met not that long ago, but I feel very strongly for you, and I don't know why. It's almost like there is an invisible bond between us that just pulls us closer, which boggles me." Elliot says quietly. He looks me in the eye, not with scrutiny but with something that I don't quite understand.

"Elliot, I don't care if you think you're the scum of the earth. I don't care if they think your life is meaningless. I care about you so much, and you're all I think about, but I don't want you to get caught because of me. I'd rather not have you dead because of me."

Elliot gives a small smile, and cups his hand over the left side of my face, rubbing his thumb over my jaw line and my lips. "Don't worry Sassy Pants, if I get caught, it'll be for worse things." Fourth time he has touched me.

"Lauren..." He pauses and the corners of his mouth turn up. "...Could I k-kiss you?"

I return Elliot's smile and nod my head 'yes'.

Elliot leans closer to me and I can feel his breath on me. I close my eyes and pull closer to him. His mint toothpaste smell is prevalent, which make him even more intoxicating. Just as I can feel his lips touch my bottom lip, I hear someone call out his name and I pull away from him to locate the witness to our almost kiss.