Chapter Nine

Unwanted Feelings

It was Friday afternoon and Savannah was getting ready to go to Mitchell's birthday dinner at a local diner. She struggled to piece together an outfit that conformed to the dress code of 'neat casual.'

After hours of frustrating wardrobe changes, with the help of her mother, Savannah was in a cotton, long-sleeved, turtle-necked black top, blue denim high-waisted jeans and ankle boots.

She slicked her hair into a bun, put her beloved birthday necklace around her neck and put earrings on. She gathered her things and waited for Leon to pick her up.

At a quarter-to six, Savannah saw through her bedroom window, Leon pulling up in his small white car. The diner was in the heart of the city, without a doubt it was going to be crowded, it was a Friday night after all.

This made Savannah feel uneasy, crowded places usually brought out the worst in her, although she knew Leon will be by her side, she couldn't help but feel anxious.

Leon pulled up to the parking lot of the diner, the struggle to find an available parking space was immanent.

"You go inside, I'll try and find someplace, I doubt I'm gonna find parking anywhere near here," said Leon exhaustedly. If Savannah wanted to be perfectly honest she would rather Leon drive her back home than enter the crowded restaurant to find Mitchell alone.

She somehow felt that if she spoke her mind and how she felt about it, she would be letting him down, after all Leon had done and sacrificed for her, she thought being brave for a moment or two was worth it for a friend like him.

With that in mind she smiled and nodded as she exited the car and shut the door behind her. It was a beautiful evening, patches of clouds covered the sky as the setting sun peaked through, the cool Autumn breeze blowing the dead leaves on the streets.

Savannah took a deep breath and opened the door of the restaurant. The atmosphere was lively yet calm, varied tables filled with friends and families enjoying each other's companies.

The wooden tables and the soul music playing in the background made Savannah feel at ease, in a strange way it reminded her of her home.

"Hi Miss, how can I help you?" asked a tall, dark and mysteriously handsome waiter, Savannah snapped back into reality and spoke with as much confidence she could master.

"Hi... um sir, I'm here for a dinner party..."

"whose?" he asked, Savannah searched his chest, a name tag indicated that he was 'Evan.'

"Me... I'm..." Savannah had forgotten what the question was, what was wrong with her? She didn't fully understand if she was getting flustered because she was nervous or because she found this devilishly handsome waiter attractive.

"I'm sorry, I meant whose dinner party? The host?" he said smiling down at Savannah

"Oh!" exclaimed Savannah, chuckling at her stupidity, "Mitchell Jones, I'm here for Mitchell Jones."

"Sure thing.... I'm guessing you'd be..." he traced his finger on a guest list then stopped, "are you Savannah?" he asked smirking, "Yes, I am," Savannah smiled nervously, afraid to ask how he could've guessed.

"Ah, you just look like a 'Savannah,' follow me," he walked as Savannah followed, she felt like she had to speed walk to keep up with him, each long stride of his equalling about three of Savannah's.

"Hey! You made it!" exclaimed Mitchell as he got up and greeted Savannah with a warm hug. He made his way back to his seat in the middle surrounded by two friends on each side.

They were seated in a large booth that could fit about eight people.

To Mitchell's right sat Emily Sanders who smiled at Savannah from ear to ear, beside her was a boy who looked awfully familiar, he had brown eyes and dreadlocks up to his shoulders. Savannah couldn't recall if she'd seen him at the library or at school.

To Mitchell's left sat two complete strangers, a sweet-faced girl with blonde curly hair that fall past her waist and beside her was a boy with shiny jet black hair and high cheekbones.

"Where's Lee?" asked Mitchell, "trying to find a parking spot," smiled Savannah.

"Well other than Leon, the gang's all here!" exclaimed Mitchell, "Savannah, this is Emily, who you already know," said Mitchell, he pointed at Emily as she smiled and waved to Savannah.

"This is James," said Mitchell, pointing to the boy in dreadlocks, "He's in the environmental sustainability group, been my best bud since fifth grade, moved to Holy Cross last year."

"This is Amanda and Vince, I met them in an environmental rally three years ago." Savannah smiled politely and greeted all of them with handshakes, she didn't know if it was the appropriate thing to do when meeting new people but went with it anyway.

Not long after they were joined by Leon who enlighten them with the fact that he had to park at a bowling alley a few blocks away.

They ordered their meals and drank their drinks, Savannah found herself more comfortable than she would've thought socialising with Mitchell's friends. If she didn't give herself the chance to get to know the Mitchell he actually is instead of the façade she painted of him, she wouldn't have attended.

She would have been surprised that he didn't invite anyone from Leon's gang, not even Caleb or Ethan.

"I've got to say Mitchell, I'm really surprised you'd have a dinner to celebrate turning eighteen instead of a full blown bonanza like most people our age do," said Savannah as Leon scoffed as if she offended him.

"I'm the principle's son Savannah, you really think I could get away with things like that?" chuckled Mitchell as he rolled up the sleeves of his denim jacket.

Savannah shrugged, "even if I was allowed to throw parties and whatnot, it's not particularly my thing," he said resting his face on his palm and staring at Savannah in a way that she wasn't used to. He looked into her eyes but it felt like he was looking way beyond that.

"Mitchell, is the most low-key dude I've ever had the pleasure of knowing," commented Leon, pushing his hair upwards as he spoke.

"Except when it comes to plants and vegetables," snickered James, the whole table erupted with laughter, Savannah covered her mouth to keep herself from snorting.

Before Savannah knew it an hour had already gone by, she had never had this much fun with this much company or laughed so hard in one night.

Evan the waiter came carrying a cake as a waitress behind him came with a bottle of wine. They all sang Mitchell a happy birthday as he blushed and sang along.

Savannah regretted eating all of her meal, making her way too full to enjoy her cake, after no more than three bites she felt as if another would have her throwing up her breakfast lunch and dinner.

Everyone on the table's glasses were being filled with wine, which surprised Savannah, she felt she was a little premature to enjoy beverages as such.

When the waiter came around to fill Savannah and Leon's glasses, Leon asked, "can I please just have a cola, I'm driving,"

The waiter held the bottle up to Savannah and although she was reluctant, it was obvious that Mitchell wanted her to have a drink.

They made a toast and drunk their drinks, Savannah tried not to wince in disgust, it tasted terrible, like a combination of nail-polish remover and expired grapes.

As time went on, Mitchell's friends would say their goodbyes and go home until it was down to Savannah Mitchell and Leon.

"It's been a pleasure mate, but I've gotta get this one and myself home," yawned Leon, "Ah come on, its only 7pm," complained Mitchell.

"It's alright, thank you guys for coming through, shall we?" said Mitchell grabbing his wallet and making his way to the waiter.

After the three paid, they made their ways to the door, "Sav, you wait here with Mitch while I bring the car round," smiled Leon as he hurriedly walked out the door.

Savannah and Mitchell sat on an outside bench, she waiting for Leon and he waiting for a parent.

"Beautiful night," breathed Mitchell as he stared towards the sky, "I know... Autumn is one of my favourite seasons..." commented Savannah, she felt rather foolish, she wanted to contribute to the conversation but she felt as if she was making it about herself.

"Thank for inviting me tonight Mitch...ell" she said after a while,

"please call me Mitch Savannah, all my closest friends do," he smiled. Savannah's heart fluttered nobody other than Leon had ever regarded her as a 'close friend.'

"Your friends are great," complimented Savannah,

"yeah, thanks," he chuckled, "it says a lot who people make friends with and the company one keeps... a great person makes friends with great people..."

"Not in Leon's case," Savannah thought out loud, she instantly regretted not biting her tongue, the silence in the air made what she said worse and worse as the seconds went by.

"Leon's a good dude... we've both known him long enough to know that. He's been a good friend to me, despite all my flaws... we're doing the same for him despite his fatal flaw of trying to see the good in everybody... even if it destroys him.

"He makes friends with people who don't deserve it, he's help me through tough times... we're sure as hell are lucky to have someone like that."

Savannah didn't know what to say, but she knew exactly what Mitchell meant and she absolutely agreed with him.

"I don't know where he'd be without you. When you two grew apart in eighth grade, it destroyed him. And when you two made amends you he was on cloud nine.

"You bring out the best in Leon, he talks about you in a way that makes anyone want you in their lives.

"You're a good friend to my boy... and I hope you know how much you mean to him."

Savannah didn't know if it was because of the wine she had drunk or because of the way Mitchell was talking about him, but she felt unfamiliar feelings of affection towards Leon. She nodded and smiled at Mitchell and tried to shake those unwanted feelings off.

She wondered why Mitchell was telling her all this, before she could ask, Leon pulled up and honked. She and Mitchell both stood, he bent down and hugged Savannah than let go and stared at her the same way he did in the diner.

"I told you what I felt you needed to hear, you're a good friend Savannah, a good person.... and you make great company... don't ever doubt it."

Savannah nodded, her heart was pounding and her lips were quivering, she attempted to smile but was sure it looked like a grimace and jumped into the passenger side of Leon's car.

Leon drove and was going on about something Savannah didn't listen to as her mind was racing.

She looked at Leon as he smiled at her and the same feelings that were growing at the pit of her stomach when she was speaking to Mitchell about Leon came back except stronger and harder to control. She didn't understand what was wrong with her.

"Is everything alright?" asked Leon, puzzled by Savannah's unusual behaviour,

"yeah... I just don't think I should drink again," breathed Savannah,

"Sav, you had half a glass of wine, slow your roll," he said pulling up to the Brown driveway.

"Well, I'll call you tomorrow he said as he leant in and wrapped his arm around Savannah's neck, if she wasn't used to it she would've gasped out loud.

"See ya, Lee" said Savannah as she bolted out of his car and through the front door.

"Savannah dear, how was it?" asked Savannah's mother as Ben and her father sat on the dinner table.

"It was great," smiled Savannah, "I had a shepherd's pie... ten out of ten," she laughed awkwardly.

She looked around to change the subject quickly and noticed that Ben didn't have is drumsticks around him, in fact they were no were to bee seen. Now that Savannah recalled, the last time she remembered seeing Ben with his drumsticks was the night before her birthday.

Realising that she had been standing silently for a little too long, she bade her family goodnight and ran to her room to make some sense of Mitchell's words and her feelings.

Her and Leon have always been close, it was universally known, she knows what Leon thinks of her... but to hear it from someone else mouth, in someone else's words made it somehow more powerful.

She paced her room and tried to get her thoughts in order. Was she growing feelings of deep affection towards her best friend of thirteen years?

Is she just moved by Mitchell's true words honouring Leon, causing her to see him in a different light and feel that way for him? or was she just a little too tipsy and a lot confused.

She took a long hot shower and lied in bed, repeating to herself that she was not growing deep feelings of affection like never before towards her only greatest friend, that she is just experiencing a confused mess of emotions that are just temporary, because that scenario is the safest and most comforting one.