We were both holding our breath and let it out as soon as the door clicked shut in an all out fit of laughter.
“Oh my gosh.”She says, “Sorry, he’s just joking with you.”
“I actually thought he saw my hand under your shirt.”I whispered.
“I think he was already drunk.”She whispered back.“He probably couldn’t see straight anyways.”She looked at me and smiled.“It’s okay.”
I got my nerve back and put my arm around her again, knowing I didn’t have much time left with her and I wanted to make the most of it by being as close to her as I could.I pulled her over to me so that neither of us were sitting on our own cushions, and we were sinking into the space between.
“Do you know how to skateboard?”
“No.I wish I did; it looks fun.”
“I’ll have to show you next time.How about roller skating?”
“I love roller skating!”
“Me too.But do you like roller blades or those old fashioned skates?”
“Old fashioned makes me sound like an eighty year old granny but I like those better cause the other ones make me fall!”
“Yeah, I can see that.Youarepretty clumsy, you even tried to kill the family next to us with a bowling ball!”I teased her and she smacked my arm, “Hey!I did not, they just got in the way of my ball.”
Our conversation was so natural, Iwasa little sidetracked, staring at her mouth half of the time, but I couldn’t get enough of her voice.A few minutes later, my hand crept up her sweater again and this time, I dared to go higher.When I felt her bra, I asked, “Is this ok?”
“Yeah.”She replied quietly and licked her lips.
I felt a jolt of electricity run through me and it made my heart skip.Our eyes were focused on each other, caught in the moment and I could feel her holding in her breath.I let my fingers flick back and forth a few times and leaned in to kiss her cheek just before the front door burst open and Steff came barreling in with Ellie’s brother in tow.My hand dropped so fast that Ellie gasped and jumped.SorryI mouthed to her.
Steff was giving us the run-down on all the shenanigans from their trip to the mall when there was a knock on the door.It was my mom.My heart sank.
THIS WAS IT
I HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE
BUT HOW
Ellie walked with me to the door, and I asked Mom if she could wait in the car and just give us five more minutes.We stood on the porch, and I held her hands in front of us, rubbing her palm with my thumb.
“I’m gonna miss you.”She said, looking down at our hands.I squeezed her hands softly in mine.
God, this is gut-wrenching, I don’t want to let go of her.
“Can I have a hug?”I asked her.We hugged for a while, she leaned her chin on my shoulder, and I pushed a strand of hair behind her ear to whisper, “I want to be your first kiss.I want to be your first everything if you’ll wait for me.”
I wiped an escaped tear from her cheek and kissed her there.Mom beeped the horn.
“Write to me?”She asked, eyes glistening with tears threatening to fall.
“All the time.”I said and walked away; my fingers held on to hers until I couldn’t reach them anymore.My hand dropped to my side, “Goodbye Ellie Belly”, and I opened the car door.As Mom drove away, I waved out the window with my heart pounding.
CRUSHED
I couldn’t sleep again that night and I started writing my first letter before she had even left for the airport.In the morning, I got on the bus and went to school but my stomach was in knots, and I kept feeling like I had to throw up.I went to the nurse, and she called my mom to pick me up from school.On the way home, Mom asked me what was wrong.I told her all of it.I’ve never felt like this before.Mom squeezed my shoulder and said it would be ok, she smiled and told me “That’s what love feels like.”
Chapter Seven
ELLIE
