Two Pieces of a Puzzle ✔

Chapter Twenty-Two

ELIOTT

It was tomorrow.

Tomorrow was today.

If that makes any sense at all.

I had showed up at the same coffee shop we had met the first time after Elias. He had already been seated at the exact same table when I walked into the shop. I considered performing a sneak attack for a second or two, before giving up and simply tapping him on the shoulder before taking my seat in front of him.

He looked beautiful, as always. His dark hair was styled back neatly, but a few strands still managed to fall over his eye - and he wasn't wearing his glasses this time. That was a shame because it was quite adorable seeing him struggle to see with the humidity turning his glasses white. 

His cheeks looked redder than the first time I had seen him; I couldn't tell whether it was a result of the cold or because he was blushing out of embarrassment. But why would he be blushing?

He greeted me with a warm grin, "You made it."

"'Course I did," I began, drumming my fingers on the wooden table. "You thought I wouldn't?"

"It's not that," he said, shaking his head and looking elsewhere. "Doesn't matter. What are we going to be having?"

"Hold on, I thought you didn't like coffee?" I inquired with raised brows. 

"Yeah, but if you like it then it must be good, right?" 

"That's so cliché of you to say," I scoffed, looking down at my fingers so he wouldn't notice my blush.

"If the truth is cliché, then so be it," he retorted, quoting me. 

"Hey.. about last night- well, this morning," I began. "Thank you for that song. You play really well."

"Which song are we talking about?"

"Both."

He cracked a smile, "Thanks, Eliott. You play beautifully."

I opened my mouth to thank him but he cut me off short, "I saw you come here on a bicycle? What happened to your car?"

"It isn't really my car," I confessed. "It's my roommate's. And I figured you'd bring your cycle too, so I thought we could go for a ride around the area together."

"That sounds great," he began. "And you have a roommate? That's amazing. How is it living with them?"

"It's great," I said with a soft sigh. "He's an amazing guy."

"That's nice to hear. I brought a lock for my cycle today in case someone tries stealing it. I hope you brought one for yours as well."

"I did, don't worry. Anyway, I'm not really in the mood to have coffee right now," I admitted, scratching the back of my neck. "I just thought we'd meet up here and go elsewhere. I didn't think we would be having something so I ate before coming."

"That's fine, I ate as well, I just thought you'd be hungry," he revealed, a shy smile on his face. "Should we get going then?"

"Do you have a destination in mind?"

"I do. I've also been dying to tell you something," he disclosed before grabbing a hold of my hand. 

And just when I thought I was beginning to let go of just how insane he drove me, I felt it again. 

That electrifying feeling. The one where the area in contact with his hand began to tingle and throb painfully, sending bolts of electricity up my arm and right to my heart. My heart that was struggling to stay calm in my chest; and his touch only made it worse. 

"Elias, where are we going?" I questioned as he took me over to where our bicycles were parked. I stood in confusion as the both of us put on our helmets. 

"It's a surprise."

"Come on, just tell me."

"Trust me. It wouldn't be a secret if I told you," he stated with a playful wink before unlocking his cycle and getting onto it - I mimicked his actions.

"Don't even know why I brought a lock with me. It's so dark, no one's out," he pointed out before beginning to cycle the other way. I followed him, still caught up in a state of overwhelming confusion. 

I let myself relax after the both of us fell silent. I let myself feel the breeze against my face and nearly shut my eyes at how good it felt.

It definitely was dark outside. It was nearly pitch black, and the both of us could barely see anything especially because our cycles did not have lights. But still, he led the way and I followed because I trusted him. 

I trusted him with my life. 

I looked over at him. 

He looked so ethereal as the traffic lights and street lights began to fade into the background till they were nothing but big, blurry blobs of colour. He looked so pretty like that, with his head tilted slightly back and a faint grin on his face. 

Then, he reached for his helmet and took it off. 

I watched in awe as the wind blew his hair back, out of his face, and he let out the most melodious laugh known to man. 

I couldn't help the smile that made it's way onto my face. 

Then, he let go of the handles of his cycle and threw his hands up in the air and began to cheer as if he were the last man on Earth. Then, he turned his head back so that he was facing me, "Isn't this fun?!"

I could barely hear what he had said, but I nodded anyway.

I continued to do nothing but watch as he swerved slightly in the other direction before grabbing a hold of the handles once more with a panicked laugh.

What a risk-taker you are.