It All Started with a Beanie

(8)

Erin

When I wake up, on my own for once, I hear voices coming from downstairs. I rub my eyes and check the time.

IT'S TWO IN THE AFTERNOON.

I quickly throw on my some clothes and rush downstairs, finding Elliott and my mom in a conversation.

"Morning, sleepyhead." Elliott shoots me one of those cute smiles and I almost tackle him, giving him a big hug. "I missed you too, dummy."

After we release from the hug, I notice a smile on Mom's face but I decide not to comment on it. 

"How long have you been here?" I ask Elliott after sitting down.

"About an hour or so."

My eyes widen in shock. "An hour?! Why didn't you wake me up?" A small smile comes over his lips but he tries to mask it.

"Well I know you haven't slept well lately, so I didn't mind letting you sleep in late." I look away, hating that Mom filled him in on my restless nights. "Plus, your mom filled me in on all the escapades you've been on since you've moved." He shot me a wink, adjusting his glasses after. 

I feel my face start to heat up and Mom and Elliott start to laugh, which I join in after a few seconds.

For the next few hours, Elliott helps me organize and unpack my room. 

"So what's up with you and Neil?" He's sitting on my bed, folding some of my t-shirts and pants.

"Nothing. Nothing is going on between him and I." I answer quickly, a little too quickly. Elliott notices this and decides to comment on it.

"You're quick to answer." Elliott's version of a smirk appears on his face. "Are you hiding something?"

I roll my eyes and sigh, stepping out of the bathroom and walking to my bed. "No. I'm not hiding anything from you." 

"Can you tell me what's been happening?" 

"What do you mean? I thought Mom told you everything."

"She did." He pauses, pushing his glasses further up on his nose and setting down the shirt he was folding. "But I want to hear it from you."

For the next hour, that's all we do. We talk. That's one reason I love Elliott; he's a good listener. 

"Hey, Erin?"

"Yes?" Elliott looks me in the eyes before pulling me into a hug. We hold onto each other for a few minutes, no words exchanged. 

I whisper a "thank you" and he nods. 

For the next two minutes this is all we do: hug. Elliott always knows what I need and when I need it. That's another reason as to why I love him. Even though we aren't related by blood, Elliott is a brother to me and if I hadn't met him, I know I wouldn't be the same Erin.

"Hey, kids. There's pi-" Mom begins to speak but she stops once she sees the state Elliott and I are in. We break from our hug and that's when I notice tears falling from Mom's eyes, even though there is a smile plastered on her face. 

"Mom? What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing." She gives a wave of her hand and wipes her tears. "I just love seeing the relationship you two have. It makes me happy to know you have each other." She cries a bit more before gathering herself. "Well, the is pizza here."

"What kinds?" Elliott asks.

"Sausage and bell peppers for Ms. Weirdo over there and just pepperoni for us normal folks." Mom breaks out a smirk and Elliott laughs. I punch him lightly.

"Hey! Don't be so violent." Elliott sticks his tongue out at me and I do the same before hitting him again and running out the room. "Erin!" I hear him scream before his footsteps chase behind mine. 

A laugh escapes my lips as I run into the living room. I throw my hands up in surrender as he enters the room. He shakes his head and nods, before going into the kitchen. I follow suite, only to be met by a light punch when I enter.

"Payback." Elliott smiles from ear to ear and I let him have this win for once.

"Fine, ET." I hold up the E.T. finger and he does the same, touching my index finger with his.

Ever since I realized his initials were E.T, that's become out thing. We both love the movie and it just makes our friendship even more unique. 

I walk towards my pizza and pick up a few slices before going to the living room, where Mom is already. "Are you gonna get some?" I say, gesturing towards the pizza.

"I'll wait until you guys finish eating." I nod and plop down. I turn on the TV and try to find a movie to put on. "Hey, ET!" I raise my voice slightly, being louder so he can hear from the living room.

"Yeah?" He replies from the kitchen. 

"What do you wanna watch?"

He walks into the living room with a plate of pizza and two sodas. He hands me my Mountain Dew and sets his Sprite on the coffee table.

"Something not horror?" I give a light laugh before landing on The Conjuring. "Really, E? You know I hate horror movies. Can't we watch Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory or Jurassic Park?"

I laugh and shake my head in a playful way. "It's not even that scary, I promise. Just this once, please." I give him a pouty face and puppy dog eyes.

"Fine." He says this in a grumpy voice and I chuckle. I click play and get up to turn off the lights. I notice his eyes grow wide once the room is consumed in darkness, besides the light of the TV and off Mom's phone.

About two hours later, I'm dying of laughter and Elliott's face is tomato red.

"Oh, shut up." He mutters and causes me to laugh even more. 

"You screamed so many times." I try to catch my laugh. "Your eyes got so wide." I breathe in and out so I can stop laughing and compose myself. "That was the most hilarious thing I've seen you do."

"This is why I don't watch scary movies. Especially with you." He tries to act mad but fails, laughing a little as well.

"You can pick out the next movie." I walk out of the room and get another slice of pizza. I go to my room and check my phone. I notice a message from Parsons. I contemplate on opening it for a second before deciding not to.

ET doesn't come over often, I should take advantage of the time we have together.

I walk back into the living room and notice he put on Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

"Really?"

"It's a good movie, okay. Don't judge." I chuckle before sitting back down, allowing myself to be tortured by the weirdness that this movie brings.

For the rest of the night, that's what we do: we switch back and forth between who choses what we watch until we fall asleep, which happened around two a.m.

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Hey guys!

I don't write a lot of author notes because I know you probably just want to read the story. However, I do have a quick question for the lot of you.

I have a bunch of scene ideas but, I want to see what you guys think. What kinds of scenes do y'all want to see? Who do you want to see more of? Comment below any ideas you have and I will give credit where it is due. 

Thank you for reading this story and not giving up on it. I'll try to upload chapters more often and I hope you enjoy the upcoming chapters!

- Sydney B