6☕

❝I don't know if you feel the same way as I do❞

Desiree let out a sigh of relief when she saw Elliot coming back with two chocolate muffins in his hand and his cute crooked smile was painted on his face as his eyes met hers.

''Sorry, I took so long, there were a lot of people in the queue.'' He told her with a smile as he handed her one of the muffins and took the other for himself.

''That's okay, in fact, while you were gone I managed to beat my high score in Bubble Shooter!'' Desiree told him with a smug smile as she held up her phone to show him the proof.

''I can't believe that your high-score is higher than mine! What do you say if we make a little bet on who can get the highest score?'' He told her with a mischievous gleam in his brilliant emerald green eyes.

''Challange accepted! But what will be the prize?''

''The person who loses, which will obviously be you, will have to pay for an object which the winning person, which will be me, has selected. Deal?'' He told her in a business-like voice.

''Deal!'' She told him as she took a big bite of her muffin and looked up at him with determination in her brown eyes as he got out his phone from his from jean pocket.

''1...2...3!'' Elliot yelled to signal that they start shooting the bubbles.

They were five minutes into the game and they weren't backing down as they threw at each other snide remarks to try an lose the concentration of the other.

After another five minutes, Desiree let out an angry No! as Game over appeared on the tiny screen of her phone.

''I can't believe I lost, I never lose!'' She pouted as she looked at the triumphant laughing boy in front of her.

''Everyone loses once in a while, but don't worry I won't chose something that you can't afford.'' He told her with a smile as they both got up from their chairs and made their way towards the door.

When they opened the door they were greeted by the cold air and to their dismay saw that it was raining.

''Do you by any chance have an umbrella?'' Elliot asked Desiree as he wrapped his arm around her to try and stop her from shivering so much.

''No, I don't'' She told him between shiver as she huddled closer to his warm body.

''Fuck, I'll guess we'll just have to RUN!'' He told her as he ran out from the entrance of the cafe pulling her with him as she squealed.

Elliot took Desiree to the nearest warmest place he could think of which was the local bookshop. When they entered they were both dripping wet and shivering but he couldn't help and notice that her eyes looked brighter than ever before.

''That was so much fun! Let's do it again!'' She told him with excitement as she pulled his arm towards the front door.

''I don't want you to get a cold or anything so I won't let you do it again.'' He told her, he was certainly amused at her happiness in such a simple thing.

''Fine'' She told him as she pouted and crossed her arms and disappeared into one of the many rows filled with books waiting to be read.

Desiree was sitting on the floor with an open book in her hand when Elliot went next to her.

''Did you find anything that you'd like me to buy for you since you won?'' Desiree told him as she got up from the carpeted floor, which now had a large wet spot on it, with the book in hand.

''I did actually'' He told her as he held up the object which he was holding in his hand.

''Cigarettes? You want me to buy you cigarettes? I'm not buying them!'' She told him as she walked past him and made her way towards the cashier to pay for her book.

''Why not?'' It was his turn now to pout and cross his arms.

''Because smoking is bad for your health, it can give you lung cancer and I read somewhere that for every pack that you smoke you lose four hours of your life!'' She practically yelled at him as she paid the cashier who was looking back and forth between them as if she was watching a tennis match.

Desiree was surprised that Elliot placed the packet of cigarettes back on the shelf and after she mumbled a thank you to the cashier she made her way towards the door, where he was waiting for her with his head bowed down.

''Look I'm sorry that I yelled at you back there, but my grandpa died because of lung cancer which was caused by him smoking so much and I don't want anyone else to die because of a stupid packet of cigarettes!'' She told him as she looked down at the floor and remember her grandpa looking sick in bed and his funeral, and she was sure that she didn't want Elliot to go through the same thing.

After a brief second passed, she felt warm arms wrapping around her waist in an embrace, which she returned as she let out a little sob.

''How long has it been since your grandpa left this world?'' Elliot asked her as he rested his chin on her soaking wet hair.

''Six months'' She told him in a small voice as she looked up at him.

''I am so sorry, I'll promise you that I will try and quit smoking for you, okay?'' He told her in a gentle voice as he removed a lock of damp hair from her face.

''Okay'' She told him with a smile as she took hold of his hand and got out of the bookshop as the cashier awed and they started to make their way back to her house.

☯

During their way back to her house the heavy rain had stopped and they were still holding hands when they arrived at her house.

Desiree was surprised when she saw that her sister was waiting on the doorstep and she quickly glanced at the time on her phone, 5:00. Her sister had been waiting for her for an hour! She immediately let go of Elliot's hand and ran up the stairs to her house.

''Where have you been? I have been waiting here all alone in this freezing weather soaking wet for an hour! A bloody hour!'' Alice yelled at her older sister.

''I'm sorry Al, it's just that I lost track of time!'' She told her as she inserted her house key in the key hole and opened the door for her sister. ''Go take a warm shower and I'll prepare something warm for you to eat.'' She yelled after her as she stomped her way towards her bedroom.

''I can't believe that you let your little sister wait here all alone for an hour, you are such a bad sister.'' Elliot mocked her from the front gate of her house.

''It's your fault that I lost track of time!'' She fired back at him as she pulled her tongue at him.

''Don't blame your mistakes on me!'' He told her with his crooked smile on his face.

''Are you going to come in or?'' Desiree asked him as she noticed that he hadn't moved from the house gate.

''Are you sure that okay with your parents? Letting a boy into their house while they're at work?'' He asked her with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

''I'm sure that they're okay with it, in fact, you are going to have dinner with them so they get to know you and check if your cuts and bruises are healing.'' She told him as he walked up the stairs to the front door and got inside.

''But-''

''No buts my dad already planned everything, I hope you like roast chicken.'' She told him with a grin on her face.

''Oh I do like chicken, I guess I'm staying then.'' He told her with a smile as he followed her down the hall as she made her way into the kitchen to prepare something warm for them and her sister.