The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows

Dinner went okay, as far as I was concerned. My father and you had some shallow conversations about sports and what you wanted to do for college, Margo and I just listened intently and waited for something to happen. I think her and I both really wanted you two to get a laugh out of each other, instead you both just gave half-hearted smiles and short chuckles. When it ended, we walked out of the restaurant, just me and you, and we stood there waiting for my dad and Margo to pay for the dinner.

“Thanks for comin’ out, Joey,” I said to you, nudging your arm with my knuckles some. You smiled and rolled your eyes, bringing me in for a tight hug. The smell that came off of you was that of some cologne; it made you smell like a grown man, musk and all. I just laughed and returned the hug, wrapping myself up in your warmth.

“You don’t need to thank me, Ella, it’s my pleasure,” was all you said, your heart beat speeding up a bit as our hug lasted longer than you and I both knew we expected. I pulled away and smiled up at you, nodding. “You smell great, more orange-y than usual,” you laughed after you stated that, letting go of me. I just shrugged and looked down, seeing a dried up piece of gum beneath my feet. I made a grossed-out face and you laughed, tilting your head.

“I almost stepped on a piece of gum!” I said, squirming away from the disgusting object. You rolled your eyes, a smirk playing at your lips. “Stop, it’s not funny. You know how I am when it comes to gum that has been in other people’s mouths,” I said, frowning at you. Margo and my father returned and we gathered ourselves, walking toward the car. I climbed back into it and buckled up, crossing my legs as the three of you did the same thing.

“Dinner was amazing tonight, thank you so much, Mr. Bishop, Miss Flinn..” you said, nodding toward them. The blonde lady just nodded with a smile, my dad clearing his throat and starting the car.

“No problem, Joey, glad you made it out,” is what my dad replied, looking at the rearview mirror at you. I watched you get a slight smile, though it faded when you straightened up and looked out the window. When we got back to my house, I took off my heels and got out of the Ford, walking up to the front door. I grabbed out my copy of our house key and put it in the keyhole, unlocking the brown door and pulling it open. I walked into the house and whistled for Dex, walking into the kitchen to get him a small bowl of milk.

“Well, I’m going to go change into some comfies and brush my teeth. Good seein’ you, kiddo,” Margo said, walking into the back bedroom and shutting the door. My dad went in after her, something funny about the fact a grown man was basically chasing after his girlfriend to give her the purse she had left out in the car.

“Well, my dad and Margo are weird, sorry,” I said to you, watching as Dex came down the stairs and stretched. I set the milk down and walked over to the hallway to put the heels next to the master bedroom.

“Not…. weird weird… Just different,” you laughed, clearing your throat. “I suppose I should leave, huh?” And I shrugged, nodding softly.

“I guess… I unno, if you want to. I’m sure I can sneak you into my room so we can stay up,” I replied, biting my bottom lip; you knew I didn’t want you to leave and I could tell that you knew it, too.

“I’ll stay, but we got to make this good,” you replied, winking at me. You cleared your throat again and then hugged me. “Bye, Ella! I’ll see you later, call me!” You said rather loudly, walking through the door. I watched it shut, then frowned, thinking you had left. After a few minutes of me just standing there, I heard a slight ‘psst’ and looked up the stairs, your smiling face peering down at me.

“Oh, hi,” I whispered quietly, walking up the stairs and toward you. I engulfed you in a hug and pushed you toward my room, giggling quietly as you stumbled slightly. You ran into the door way and I giggled loudly at that, shutting my bedroom door. “You want the floor or my bed?” I asked, looking at you questionably as I pulled out a pair of sweats and a baggy sweatshirt to slip into.

“Ella, I am not making you sleep on your own floor..” You said earnestly, sitting down on my bed as I wandered into my walk-in closet. I changed and emerged a minute later, pulling my hair into a bun. Smiling and slightly shrugging, I hopped on my bed and sat Indian-style, facing you. “You really looked so pretty tonight,” you murmured, nodding. I just smiled, looking down and biting my bottom lip. “No, I mean it, I’m not joking, Ella. You’re seriously so beautiful and any guy is crazy not to be dating you right now,” you added, ducking down to look at my eyes as I just widened them. I looked at you with a rather surprised look on my face.

“Joey, you’re seriously one of the sweetest guys I know… It kills me inside, you’re just so sweet that I am in awe that all of your girlfriends have dumped you. It’s so sad,” I whispered, closing my eyes as I realized what I just said, frantic on the inside of what you would say.

“Don’t be, those girls were bitches. At least there isn’t any girls now, though, keeping me from hanging out with you. I know it was partially my fault, but that’s because I didn’t want to get killed from some psycho bitch with a freakin’ butter knife,” you laughed then, and it was sincere. You fell backwards and put your hands behind your head, eyes on my ceiling. I did the same, laying next to you, though I looked at your face rather than my ceiling.

“Whoa.. That’s the second time I’ve ever heard you call a girl a bitch ever,” I said after a moment, laughing some. You laughed again, looking at me with a crooked grin.

“Well, it’s true. Bitches be crazy,” you replied, rolling your eyes. You moved some hair away from my face gently and then poked my forehead. “I like you better, though, without all that make-up on,” you whispered, pulling your hand away.

What I did next was so out of character for me, but I just needed to do it. I leaned over and pressed my lips softly to your cheek, kissing it for the very first time. I didn’t know what I did until I pulled away and you looked at me, surprise on your face, just like my own.

“Joey, you mean the world to me,” I murmured, pulling my head away to get a good look at you.
“You, too, El, really… I’d be so lost without you…” You trailed off, looking back at the ceiling. I nodded and grinned, hooking my pinky onto your own. “What are you doing?” You asked.

“I’m pinky promising you, without having an actual promise to it. Got a problem with it?” I inquired. You just shrugged and pulled my hand closer to your own, our pinkies still locked together.

“No, actually. Your hands are really soft,” you stated, looking at me; our faces were two inches apart and the butterflies in my stomach were welling up. It all was happening so fast, I think I got lost in all of our restraint toward one another. We both knew there was something more, but you didn’t dare say it and neither would I.