Chapter Twenty-Five

"I think this place has character." Levi defended the old restaurant he brought me to, as I had been harassing it all night.

I stared down at the food in front of me, nearly gagging at the thought of putting it in my mouth. This place is absolutely disgusting, and yet, I couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled in me from coming out. There are worse places to be taken on a first date. "Character?" I said with a grin, "I'm pretty sure this place is old enough to surpass the definition of character."

His eyebrows shot up, "Oh really? And what would you classify it as?"

"A dump?"

"Ouch."

"You asked."

He shook his head, laughing, "Hey man, I can't help that I appreciate the classics."

"You don't strike me as the classic type."

He snorted, "So now I'm an ignorant douchebag?"

I was pretty sure a cockroach was climbing up my leg. I shivered, assuming it was my imagination, "I was going to say oblivious airhead, but whatever works."

"Damn you're cold."

"Get used to it, the sun isn't coming out anytime soon."

He took a bite of pizza that, just by looking at it, you could tell was a few days old. He started talking about something to do with school, and how nobody in his classes was nearly as hot as I was -I completely zoned out.

My mind began to wander, and I found myself wondering what Ellie was doing. I tried to understand why he acted so weird earlier in the bedroom, and why I desperately wished he had told me that he wanted me to stay.

But he didn't, and so I wouldn't.

I kept telling myself it's unfair to regret coming here. It's completely out of my comfort zone, and I knew it was a last-minute decision that could either go horribly wrong, or just somewhat wrong.

So far, I'm beginning to think it is horribly wrong. I'm certain one isn't supposed to think about another man while on a date with someone, and yet, that's exactly what I'm doing.

I scolded Ellie for not getting out of my head.

We left the restaurant finally when I thought I couldn't handle much more of the smell. I thought we were going to go back home, but Levi drove us up to the town's river instead. "I thought we could do a little walking and talking, yanno." Was his exact words.

I didn't know, because I've never walked alone with a boy I didn't like (at least I think I don't' like him), near a secluded river that has a bad smell, all when the sun isn't out.

Still, I obliged.

"I know I've said this probably a million times tonight, but I think you're really pretty." Said Levi.

"Thanks." I think I said, or maybe I didn't say anything at all, I wasn't sure.

"I'm having a nice time tonight." He spoke up again, after a few minutes of us walking and not talking even though I was pretty sure now was the time we were supposed to be talking. It's what they do in the movies, right?

"That's good." I should have said I was also having a nice time, but I don't think a lie that big could fit out of my mouth.

It was easier to talk to him at the filthy restaurant because there were other people there with us. I feel alone here. I feel trapped here.

Silence wrapped itself around us, and I felt incredibly uncomfortable because of it. I began thinking about how it was so easy to talk to Ellie, he never said much, and yet, I always knew when he was quiet, it's because he'd prefer to listen.

I don't think Levi wants to listen to me, because what I talk about isn't anything he could ever grow to love. I am nothing but a pretty face to him.

And I'm not even that pretty. His standards are just way too low.

"I paint." I blurted out, because he should know. Ellie knows, and he paints with me, I think he only does it to satisfy me. "Do you like to paint?"

Levi's eyebrows sort of rose as if he was a bit surprised I would say something so incredibly lame. "Uhh, that's nice, but no, I don't paint."

"What do you do?"

He laughed slightly but it also kind of sounded like a sigh, "I play basketball, I've already told you that."

Oh, right, he did. "Sports aren't my thing."

He shrugged, "I guess art isn't mine."

So, what is Ellie's thing? "Maybe you should try it."

"Only if you let me teach you how to play basketball."

"What if I want to play soccer?"

He stared at me, then laughed, a genuine laugh at my poor attempt of a joke, "Maybe you should just stick to painting."

"Sounds good to me."

My eyes were locked on the river, the water, though it was green, and trash was everywhere, I couldn't help but admire it. How the moon reflected on the water making it look like a giant mirror. The quiet because it was late and everyone is probably at home, and here we are, walking along a river, by ourselves.

It's so late. So dark out. So incredibly late.

I gasped, I grabbed Levi's arm, "What time is it?"

"What?"

"What time is it?" I said louder, demanding for him to take out his phone and check.

"It's almost eleven." He said showing me the clock on the lit screen. It was almost as bright as the moon.

I felt my entire body scream in disappointment. Disappointment in myself. "I'm late." I said mostly to myself.

"Late?"

"Take me home." I told Ellie I'd be home at nine. He said he would wait for me.

I missed nine. Ellie is waiting.

Levi ran up to me, "Is everything okay, Ripley?"

I glared at him, "Yes." I said, "I just want to go home."

After a while he just nodded, "Uhh yeah, okay, let's go."