Extending Our Hearts

XXVI. City View

Extending Our Hearts

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❝LET'S GO,❞ Ella says as we get on the highway.

I glance at her before turning my eyes back on the road, "What?"

"I said, let's go to your place," she clarifies. "My shift's already over anyway."

"Alright then?" I utter.

As I change gears, her fingers reach up and change the station.

She jumps up in her seat when a familiar tune comes out the speakers. 

I turn to look at her, "Justin Bieber? Really?"

"Shut up Theodore," she waves her hand.

My fingers tap along to the catchy beat while she hums beside me. 

"Is it too late now to say sorry

'Cus I'm missing more than just your body

Hit it Theo!" Ella sings along.

I chuckle, singing along. "Yeah, I know that I let you down

Is it too late to say I'm sorry now?"

She grins at me and claps her hands in excitement. 

"Ooh! Toretti can sing!" 

I laugh at her enthusiasm as we continue to sing along.

"Woah- why are we going out of town?" She turns around and looks at the sign we just passed.

I glance at her and see her worried face, "Firstly, put on your seatbelt please and we're heading out to my place?"

She gasps, "Wait- you have a place in the city?"

"My granddad gave it to me as a birthday gift, he knew my mother and I wouldn't get along I guess," I answer her.

"Oh," she taps her chin in thought.

"When are you moving in?" She asks.

I shake my head, "When my mom kicks me out I guess, which shouldn't be too long from now."

She chuckles in agreement.

I sit up straight as we near the apartment complex and I grab my ID from the back of my phone case.

The scanner beeps and the gates open revealing a long driveway leading to the front of the tall building. 

I park in front of the glass doors and give the keys to the valet whilst Ella opens the door herself.

"Are you sure this isn't a hotel," she gapes at the lobby area.

I chuckle, "Grandpa had expensive taste, I can't help it."

We enter the elevator and Ella can't help but point at the camera in the corner before sticking her tongue out at it. 

She then erupts in a fit of giggles and I lean against the railing looking at the way her eyes crinkle when she laughs and the way her nose turns a crimson red.

I feel my face become heated when she catches me looking and I smirk at her. "Like what you see, munchkin?"

She rolls her eyes. "What floor are you on?"

I look at the scanner beside me which currently holds my ID as it's also the key for the elevator to work. 

"Nineteenth."

She chuckles, "How do you not know what floor your apartment is on."

"I rarely come here," I shrug as the elevator beeps open and my ID is dejected from the holder.

The opposite end of where we entered opens revealing a hallway leading to my living room. We walk in and I hear her gasp from behind me at the sight in front of us.

Floor to ceiling length windows look over a park beside the complex along with the Phoenix skyline in the distance. 

"Killer view," she says and plops down on the sofa facing the windows.

I throw my jacket on a lone chair beside the elevator doors and plop down beside her.

"Wait until the sun sets," I say. "I can't wait for my mom to throw me out actually," I joke.

She turns to look at me, "Why don't you move out on your own?"

"My grandma mostly, she'll be alone all the time," I answer with a yawn.

She hums in response as we sit in a comfortable silence letting the sun's rays give the living room an orange hue. We don't mind each other's company as we get lost in our thoughts while the room eventually becomes dark to the point we can't see each other anymore.

"What do we do now?" She asks after the sun sets.

I look at the outline of her face and shrug. 

"Movie?" she asks and I hum along.

"Theo," she calls out. "I need to change, where are the light switches."

I chuckle and double clap resulting in the lights turning on.

She raises an eyebrow at me, "Fancy but cozy, huh."

I nod and yawn again resulting in her chuckling.

"Do you have clothes I can borrow?" she asks shyly.

I point to the hallway to the left of the living room. 

"End of the hall, ivory door," I mumble.

I hear the patter of her shoes becoming distant before the handle of the door makes a low squeaking sound. 

A gasp is heard before her voice erupts through the hallway.

"YOU HAVE A WALK IN CLOSET THEODORE!"