Gone Too Soon

Weak At The Knees

“Lexi,” Chelsea sang from her room upstairs.

“What?” I hollered back from the couch.

“Come here,” she whined.

“Coming,” I sighed, discontent that I had to put down my popcorn and go do Chelsea’s bidding.

“Yeah,” I asked peeping my head through the doorway.

“Are you going to get ready to go out with Gabe?”

“I am ready,” I stated.

I was wearing a black skirt- I figure she would like that- and a bright pink v-neck. I didn’t realize more needed to be done for a date. This was already out of my comfort zone.

“No jewelry or anything?” she asked with a frowned.

“Nope.”

“Oh, okay. You look pretty,” she smiled. And while it was obvious she wanted to redo everything I had done to get ready her way, I appreciated that she at least had the manners to fake like she didn’t want to.

In fact Chelsea seemed to be tip toeing around me since the night of the accident. We hadn’t seen each other that often and if we did it was an exchange of polite small talk, not that our conversations used to be all that deep.

We stared at each other sadly for a long lasting second before the doorbell rang.

“Oh,” I blushed, “That’s Gabe.”

I scurried down stairs aware that Chelsea was following behind. I swung the door open and smiled.

“Hey,” he grinned and handed me a rose. Just one. One pink and red rose with a vibrant green stem. I smelt it quickly trying to be discreet, but I knew they noticed. I put the rose on the side table next to the door.

“Hey,” I grinned and waved goodbye to Chelsea.

The two of us walked out to his car. He held open my door and closed it behind me. It was no surprise to me that Gabe was a perfect gentleman. I would’ve been more surprised if he wasn’t.

He started the car and began to drive. A few seconds into the ride he began to talk.

“You look really pretty, by the way,” he smirked.

“Thank you,” I beamed, “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

“One questioned?” he asked.

“Go ahead,” I answered not expecting anything too horrible.

“Are the gaws on your arm a fashion statement meant or something?” he inquired.

“What?” I wondered my hand shot up to my right arm, “Oh… no I got into a little accident Friday night.”

“What? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m doing much better than Noah,” I sighed slightly guilty because Noah was merely covering me. Otherwise he would’ve been fine.

“Noah?” Damn I forgot he didn’t know who Noah was.

“He was the man with John and me on Friday night,” I explained.

“Oh,” he nodded and parked just outside of a movie theater.

“Movies?” I raised an eyebrow.

“You love the movies,” he beamed.

He was right, I did love the movies. I loved the movies because fantasy was always greater than reality for me. I loved books for the same reason. Usually I get a happy ending. And if I didn’t it’s still a better story than my life will ever be. It was a way to live through others since I was crushed by my break up with Noah.  Even though I knew where Noah was and had talked to him multiple times he still wasn’t back in my life. I thought it impossible to move on without him. No matter how he would act toward me. I needed that bitter man’s blessing.