Three Eleven Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

For the next few days, I kept a solid eye on Ellie. Everywhere he went, I followed, and whatever he did, I observed, even if I pretended to be doing something else. I was constantly watching him, and I knew he was completely aware of why.

Ever since our confrontation, I feel I've been woken up from believing his little act of innocence. Truth is, he's more aware of things that I thought. He's more brilliant than I've ever realized, and that's saying something.

Even though I don't trust him, there's still a little voice in the back of my head screaming at me that Ellie isn't as bad as I believe he is.

If he's aware, then he knows completely that he can leave the house right now, and never come back. I have no authority over him, though I pretend I do for my own comfort.

He can overrule me in less than a few seconds if he wanted too.

We both sat in my bedroom. I was lying on my bed, tapping away on my laptop, as Ellie was sitting on the floor, reading a book that I didn't bother to know the name of. For background noise, I had my father's old radio on. We were listening to a station that played only 50's music, for my sanity, I needed some diversity as Frank Sinatra was driving me insane.

Ellie didn't oppose to music that was playing, but I could tell he didn't like it by the many times his head flicked over to the radio anytime a more preppy song played. I couldn't help but feel slightly amused knowing I could irritate him, and he'd do nothing about it.

The weather outside has been incredibly windy, it's been so bad that the metal outlining of the house's roof has come apart and is now scraping the side of the house anytime the wind gushes it forward. I decided it was best I kept Ellie upstairs, so he wouldn't get too agitated from the noise.

So far, he hasn't complained.

Scrolling through my website, I observed the list of sold paintings I had, and couldn't help but smile. I managed to sell two paintings in a span of fourteen hours, and it brought me to a state of pure ecstasy. The more money I earn, the easier it is to live without having a panic attack that I'll go bankrupt from Ellie's candy addiction.

He goes through at least two bags day.

He and I haven't said a word to each other nearly all day, which isn't saying much since he rarely ever talks. He reads and paints, and that's about it. I can see it on him though, the longing for more. I'm not sure if he's enticed by excitement, or hungry for a life full of surprises. I don't know what he wants, but I know he can't have it if he is prone to going rabid around others.

I closed my laptop shut, and Ellie glanced up at me. I stared down at him, and for a moment, we stayed like that. Making eye-contact, unaware of what each other were thinking. I spoke up, knowing he wouldn't, "How's the book?" I asked, aware it was a stupid question, but I didn't know what else to say besides starting small talk.

He looked down at the book in his hands, and then back to me. He said nothing.

I sighed, knowing it had to come to this eventually. I tried to avoid it, but apparently, there was no way he was going to break down his walls if I didn't. He has put a barrier around himself since I had argued with him. I didn't think he was the type to hold grudges, but apparently, he hasn't forgiven me.

I need to stop pretending he's incapable of human feelings, because sometimes he displays more emotions than myself.

"I'm sorry." I said, and was surprised just house easy it was to spill out everything else, "I'm sorry for yelling at you, and for calling you by your subject name, and I'm sorry I've been treating you like an object instead of a human being." A look flashed in his eyes when I called him a human being. Something I've never seen him have before. "But you must understand, Ellie." I said, making sure I worded this as carefully as I could. "You can't hurt other people. You can't do it. I know they scare you, but you can't attack anyone who isn't attacking you."

He blinked at me. Silence.

"Do you forgive me?" I asked.

Again, silence.

"Ellie?" The look on his face was unreadable. I realized I was holding my breath, waiting for him to say he does. "Please answer."

"Yes." He finally spoke, and I felt my entire body relax.

"Yes?" I was milking it, but I wanted to hear him say it.

He blinked at me, as he always does, he just stares. "I forgive you, Ripley."

Ripley. He's never called me by my name before, honestly, I didn't even know he knew it. I got a strange feeling when he said it, a feeling I've never had before.

We stared at one another, and said not a word. I found myself getting mildly uncomfortable under his gaze. It was an uncomfortable feeling not because I felt uneasy around him, but because all his opinions of me, he keeps locked up inside him, and I fear I may never know what he's thinking when he sees me.

Whether he hates me, or somehow, he may have a fondness for me. I couldn't even imagine it.

I realized I wanted him to like me. I wanted him to enjoy my company, and not entirely for the reason that he'd stay in the house, but for something even I didn't understand. I'm stuck with him, and he, for as long as he can stand it, is stuck with me. Isn't it obvious we should like one another?

The truthful part of me wasn't convinced that that was the real reason I wanted him to like me. Something about him just made me crave his acceptance, and that's all I care to dwell on the matter.

I was broken out of my trance when the radio began buzzing quite loud in the room. Both mine and Ellie's attention was given to the radio, as a man's voice broke through the buzz.

"This is not a drill." He said, a tone more robotic than human. "There is a severe hurricane warning for the following West Coast areas." He began listing all the towns in which were under the severe hazard, and it just so happened that our town was listed too.

I hopped off my bed, and walked over to the window. I was amazed seeing half the sky was blue, showing what little sunlight wasn't covered, and the other half of the sky was blanketed with a mass of dark grey clouds, all in which were rolling in fast.

"That looks really bad." I said, not quite knowing what to do. I've never endured a hurricane before. Our state has never had one, at least not anytime I've lived here.

This explains the awful wind we've been having. 

Ellie stood up, and was now standing directly beside me, observing the sky outside. He seemed fascinated by what was occurring, and I began to explain to him what a hurricane was. I wasn't sure if he knew anything about storms, so I thought it'd be best to tell him now before the worst part of it comes.

I realized, as I looked out the window again, that the dark clouds were much closer, and now almost covering all the blue of the sky whole. The wind was getting so strong, the window began to rattle, and I pulled Ellie back, thinking somehow, it'd shatter. It didn't.

"We need to get downstairs." I said, just as a loud crash of thunder exploded above the house, making all our electricity shut off.