Second Chance- Eli Hudson

nine

I could feel Izzie was not feeling herself when she slouched on to the couch, shortly after her father left. She ignored calls on her phone, zoning out watching all the news coverage on herself. She did not seem happy or sad with it, just a neutral tone really. I did not know how to cheer her up, or if I should.

"Hey, you have a lot of missed calls. I think Audrey is upset." I pick up her phone, waving it in front of her face.

"I don't want to talk to her right now." She grumbles, covering herself up with a blanket so that I could barely see the tip of her nose.

"Is something wrong? You can talk to me, you should not feel like you can't talk to me. I'm gonna be here with you all the time."

"I'm fine, Eli. Can I just watch the news?"

"You've watched the same 30 minute clip of what happened last night a hundred times." I exaggerate.

"I'm just watching for future reference, plus there is nothing else on."

"It's 1:30 in the afternoon, I'm sure there is something on."

She ignores, just staring into the television like it was a black hole.

"Speaking of afternoon, are you hungry? I can go grab you something."

"I don't want you going out in public. You could get caught and arrested or something."

"What am I going to be in trouble for? I did not do anything wrong. Plus, you said Acosta was the one that helped you find me anyways. He'd get me out of it."

"I don't know. I don't want something happening to you."

"I'm not a puppy, Iz. I can take care of myself."

"Eli, don't even change tone with me right now. I have plenty of reasons why I don't want you leaving right now. First off, you got shot 6 times last year on this day. Someone could seek revenge and do it right again. Then, people think you're dead so that probably would not go well if someone saw you. They might have a mental breakdown."

I huff on my breath, sitting down in defeat. I hear Izzie's phone ring again at my side and I could not take it any longer, answering it. She looked to me, giving me a look.

A: Hello? Izzie?! What the hell! I've called a million times already. Are you alright?
E: Hey, Izzie really doesn't want to talk right now. I'm sorry, Audrey.
A: Eli? What is wrong? Is she alright?
E: Calm down, she's fine. She's just a little shook up from what happened. She's doing fine, got a couple stitches in her collarbone. She'll live to tell the tale.

A: I'm coming over, I'll bring some food. Be there in 20. Bye.

E: Audrey-

She cuts me off, ending the call before I could argue with her. I could tell that Audrey cared deeply about Izzie. I was starting to think that Audrey had a crush on her, they had been around each other a lot the past year. After I was gone, she pretty much took over my job. She was really the only one that visited her, and I'm glad she had someone.

"Why did you answer that?" Izzie looks to me with a straight face, her brown hair falling in front of her face from her messy ponytail.

"Iz, she'd been calling you for hours now. I wasn't going to let her be worried sick about you all day, she really cares about you, you know?"

"I'm pretty sure she loves me, Eli. It's hard, she's my best friend but she wants more than that. She told me over the summer."

"You are a beautiful girl, I can see why she would think that."

I see her emerald eyes fall to her lap, as her face got red. It was a blush, not a mad mood. I had not seen her look like that for a long time.

"Gosh, making me feel the butterflies in my stomach again." She laughs, moving closer to me.

She places her lips on mine for a moment, sending a peck to them. She lays back on the couch, facing her face to me. She looked to her hair, playing around with it. This was one of her signature moves, I knew it well.

I look across the room, seeing her. She looked to me, giving a small smile. She looks away, messing around with strands of her hair. I walk towards her, knowing what that meant. She always messed with her hair when she wanted me to make a move. She was always too embarrassed to do something first. I stand in front of her, pulling hair out of her face. She looks to my hand on her cheek and places hers on mine, then looks to my eyes. I look up from her face to her eyes, and I pull to her. I place my lips to hers, being gentle and soft. The kiss was slow and tender. She wrapped her arms around me and moved slowly against me, she smiles. Her hands moved to my hair, messing with it. We hear the front door of her house open and duck behind the kitchen counter. She giggles at me, placing a hand over my mouth. She fixes my hair as I see her father walk to the fridge, not seeing us. He walks to his room, disappearing. We both burst out laughing.

She stares up at me, almost like she was waiting. I lean down towards her, placing my lips to hers. She holds my face, moving slowly against my lips. She smiles through it, like she always had. She shifts and continued to kiss me. I had not felt this way in a long time. The door opens and she lifts up quickly, her forehead hitting against mine hard.

"Shit, I'm sorry." Izzie says, holding my face for a second.

She looks to the door and sees Audrey, holding up two bags of McDonalds food.

"Audrey? What are you doing here?"

"I told Eli I was coming. I was worried sick about you and you did not bother to call me back. I understand that you've been through a lot but I want to be here for you too. I missed you." She says, setting down the McDonalds bags on the kitchen table.

"A lot of shit has happened. Long story, really."

"I've got time." Audrey says, pulling out a container of fries.

I shrug my shoulders, looking to Izzie. I was not a bad idea, Audrey should have been in the loop. She's Izzie's best friend.