Loving and Learning

First Flighting Part 3

The air was getting cooler as Dante sat surrounded by Elvira and her family on a blanket as they all ate the kibble they brought with them. Though Dante ate, he could only muster a few bits of kibble at a time as he watched Elvira slowly eat hers, giving him the occasional worrying glance. Between that, and the guilt, and nervousness with everyone here, Dante felt he was gonna barf everytime he swallowed. Neither had said a word to each other since what he said to her and it seemed the awkwardness hadn't gone unnoticed as Deidra and Juday were watching them both, Deidra looking a bit uneasy and Juday still holding his unchanging blank face. Cleo however didn't seem to be paying attention as she hogged the entire conversation, talking about her sports competitions, though Dante was hardly paying attention.

"Why....just why did I have to mention about that restaurant from yesterday? This is hard enough as it is." He thought to himself.

Knowing Elvira and just exactly she and her family went through as strays, it was breaking him. Her father was dead, her mother had abandoned her, so many traumas behind that peppy smile and he was about to add another.

"I just want to protect her. She deserves better than me, besides she wouldn't want anything to do with me anyway if she knew what I did to my family, not that I would blame her." Dante tried to persuade himself.

It got to the point where he had to try to resist even giving Elvira so much as a teeny glance, because one look at her and he felt himself wanting to hold onto her.

But......you don't have....to let...her go.

Dante's ears slightly perked at the sound of a still small voice.

You....don't need...to worry.

Dante closed his eyes, feeling a bit angry.

"Stop telling me lies! I have to do this, I have no control over myself. I won't risk endangering her." Dante continued to say to himself.

Suddenly he saw Elvira and everyone else getting up, all the food in their bowls gone, while his wasn't even half-empty.

"Did you not like the kibble?" Elvira asked.

"Uh, no it was fine....i'm just not very hungry right now." Dante said, giving a nervous smile at her.

Elvira didn't look like she was buying it but didn't question further. Cleo quickly ran back out to the field.

"Come on Juday! I want you to teach me those new skateboard tricks you learned." Cleo called out excitedly.

Juday said nothing and turned to Elvira.

"Can I ask you two to clean this up?" He asked. "Cleo brought a wagon, you can put everything in there.

Elvira simply nodded. Juday turned to go into the field, but not before taking Deidra and hoisting her on his back, who looked on as they left Dante and Elvira alone, clear worry on her face.

Dante just proceeded to pick up the bowls and place them in the wagon, trying to resist talking to Elvira as she folded the blanket.

At times Elvira would stop to peak small glances at Dante, trying think of ways to talk to him.

"Surely I made him mad, he's seems so annoyed with me, and about what he said.......surely he didn't mean...am I just a?" Elvira worried in her mind.

One last look at him, she noticed his conflicted looking face. He looked at her and briefly smiled before looking surprised and turning away.

"No I'm just overthinking things. I'm sure it's nothing and he's maybe just having a off day. Sometimes I wonder if he likes-"