Obsession

6. Dinner

Ellie's POV

"You might not remember, but I've met you years ago," Xander broke the silence. I shook my head trailing off with, "No I literally just met you the other day-"

"You used to wear that ugly old red sweater with Rudolf the red nose reindeer every December," he recalls so easily.

"Not funny," I slap his chest and tried to frown but his low chuckles made me want to join him. That sweater was what Grandma Lilith gave me for her last Christmas. The next day, she passed away in her sleep. Even though it was an ugly sweater, I loved it and wore it to remember her by.

"And there's this cute thing you used to do with your hair where you would tie it back, but it would end up as a side ponytail," he points to my hair which I self consciously fixed. Those were dark days when I didn't know how to fix my hair. Not like I've actually improved.

"How did you even know all that?!" I exclaimed blushing furiously.

"I've watched you for a long time," Xander shrugged. From all the weird and creepy things he has said to me today, this one surely puts the cherry on top. It was as if he had this weird obsession of me. Casting those thoughts aside,

"So then how did we meet?" I asked utterly clueless of my past with him. I'm sure I'd remember something as big as this. Who can forget a preteen Xander? I guess me.

"That's for you to remember, and for me to know." Xander strokes my cheek as I tilt my head letting him. It killed me to not know what he meant. If I've met him before, I should remember easily!

"I like you Ellie. I like you a lot. I will never, ever, let anyone- even me- hurt you. I promise. So please give me a chance," Xander's voice broke into a whisper filled with sincerity.

"Okay," I managed to squeak out. A part of me was convinced, and wanted to give it a chance. Hoping it'll all work out.

It was obvious how he had a temper. A bad one at that. For now I'll just try to calm him down, because who knows what he's truly capable of. And I'm hoping I won't find out.

"What was that?" Xander brightens up as if he's received the best news of his life. Completely tossing aside the spike of anger he had from earlier. I roll my eyes and blush,

"Okay." Xander wraps his arms around my torso, lifts me up in the air as he laughs in glee. Giggles pass my lips as I wrap my arms around his neck and let him support all my weight with his strong arms.

"But we'll start off as friends," I wiggle out of his hold and gain my footing back. Xander shrugs with the wide smile still stuck on his face, "I'll take it." His minty breath mixed with another smell. A smell I was rather too familiar with. Alcohol.

"Holy fuck! Are you drunk?!" I exclaimed. He busted out laughing clearly not denying it.

"You're drunk?" He nods.

"And you came here to talk?" He nods once again.

"You seriously just talked to me, possibly asking me out, and you're drunk?" He shyly nods.

Pinching my nose, I took deep breaths trying to calm my frustrations. Xander holds me by my shoulders, no longer having the goofy smile.

"You were that important." I furrow my eyebrows in confusion not knowing what his aim was. If this was his way of being romantic,

"I don't understand." Xander shrugs not particularly caring to explain further.

"Okay, so how about we hang out some other time when you're more sober?" I suggest and took his hand ushering him over to where our two weird best friends head off to. Xander shrugs and intertwines our fingers with a smug smile. I roll my eyes and let it be. From other people's eyes we probably looked like a couple, but I made it clear that he'll have to win me over before I'd actually say yes. His weird temper and fixation on me makes this decision a tough one.