Ally and Elliott

Chapter 7

''You don't even want to know where these gloves have been."

I pulled my hand away in disgust which Elliot seemed to find hilarious.

What a fool I'd been thinking only moments ago that perhaps this shameless weirdo was my destiny after all.

Ha.

"I don't find you funny." I said crossing my arms in a pretend huff.

"What do you find me?"

"Immature, strange, crazy, childish."

"Immature you say?"

"Yes in particular, I find you immature."

He let out a deep exaggerated sigh.

"Do you know something Ally? During my wonderful time on this planet, I've found that word to be used mainly by the older generation. The ones who have buried their fun and humour and their youthful, joyful, carefree spirit beneath work and stress and worries. They use it to enviously describe those who have gloriously managed to savour it."

"So you're saying I'm old, boring stressed and worried?"

"No."

"Well what are you saying then?"

"I think I'm just saying worried."

"Worried?"

"Yes, I think you're worried."

"He peeled of his gloves and plonked himself  down.

I decided to be brave, ignore the billions of germs that probably had houses and schools on the toilet floor, and join him.

Our elbows brushed as I sat, causing my arm to tingle so I immediately jerked it away.

"I'm not worried about anything." I said, doing what I usially do and lying to avoid having to talk about it.

"You can't lie to me Ally, I have the power to detect falseness."

"Like I said, you're crazy."

"Thank you!" he said brightly.

"What for?" I snorted.

Oh well done Allison, you've completely ruined your chances of him finding you even remotely attractive.

Not that I cared what he thought of me.

"For finding me something I hugely admire in people." his face seemed to have lit up.

"What do you find in me?" I asked, surprising myself with my uncharacteristic boldness.

He turned his face towards me and looked far into my eyes. It felt as if he was searching for something.

"I find you a lot of things, as many things as shells on a shelly beach. Mainly though, I find you fascinating."

It took me a second to process that.

"You really don't know me then."

"I know you enough to know that much."

"You've known me for two days? I've known myself for seventeen years, believe me when I say I'm far from fascinating."

Great, now I felt teary eyed again.

"Why don't you just tell me Ally?"

"Tell you what?"

"What's bothering you, I know what eyes look like when they've been crying." he said softly.

So he had noticed.

"Nothing's wrong Elliot! Okay? I don't need you to try and fix things. I met you two days ago! I'm not about to go and pour all my problems on you."

"You know what someone once told me?"

When I didn't answer he continued anyway.

"The longer you keep things to yourself, the bigger they get, and the bigger they get, the harder it is to get them out."

.........