Love, Eliot

Fool For You Anyway

A few moments after Rosemary and I arrived at my dorm, Josiah texted me. He said he would pick me up for our date within the hour.

Rosemary and I hurried to remove the tags off our purchases. I slipped into my new dress and tugged at the neckline so as little cleavage as possible would be showing. No need to tempt him.

My friend whistled as I spun in the burgundy skater dress.

"What do you think?"

"I think Josiah isn't going to know what to do with himself," She looked off to the side, "Or Eliot, if that's who he is,"

Eliot.

His name clouded my mind the whole time we shopped in town. I had long since taken out the Ben Wa Balls. Without his instruction or contact at all, I felt it was reasonable to ditch the toys for the night.

As I attempted to style my unruly hair I asked Rosemary what her plans were for the night.

She crossed her arms, "Oh, the usual. A good Netflix binge and my biology assignment."

"Lucky," I forced myself to take a deep breath and fumbled with my necklace clasp. "Meanwhile I'm going on a date with a guy who-"

"Might have been anonymously sexting with you for a year?" Rosemary finished my thought.

I groaned, "What if it's not him?"

"Then you had a nice night with a boy you share something in common with," Rosemary eased my nerves and helped me secure the crystal necklace around my neck.

"And," She walked over to her purse, "If it isn't a nice night then you'll have this," She handed me a can of mace.

I snickered, "I hope this isn't necessary,"

"Me too," She laughed, "I don't want to perform with a blind Roger."

I tucked away the mace in my bag before my phone vibrated. I swallowed my panic.

Both relief and confusion hit me at once as I checked the new message. Eliot still hadn't tried to contact me and, if I was being honest with myself, I had begun to miss him.

I shook off the excess emotion and convinced myself to look on the bright side. Without Eliot distracting me I would be able to enjoy my evening.

Until I remembered that Josiah could be the man I was trying to forget.

"He said he's downstairs," I said while still struggling to calm myself.

"You look like you're going to be sick," Rosemary laughed, "It's going to be okay."

I nodded and sucked in another deep breath.

"Listen, if anything goes wrong call me," Rosemary took my hands and smiled, "Then knee him in the balls."

I laughed in spite of myself.

"Now go," She handed me my bad and spun me around, "Josiah is waiting,"

Josiah waited for me at the entrance to my dorm building. His usual blue beanie hid his sandy brown hair from view, except for the front. Brown hair swooped over his tan skin and sometimes he had to brush it out of his eyes.

My pulse raced as I walked out to meet him. His dazzling smile stopped all my thoughts in their tracks.

"Fancy seeing you here," I waved and then struggled to find a place for my hands.

"Right where I said I would be," Josiah laughed at my awkwardness. "Ready to go?"

"Depends on where you're taking me,"

Josiah grinned, "I was thinking a movie."

"Sounds wonderful," I said as we began to walk through campus.

"I've been meaning to go into town for a while now," He glanced over at me with a twinkle in his eye, "I'm glad you're coming with me."

Heat rushed to my cheeks.

"So," I tried my best to change the subject, "How are you liking English class?"

Josiah laughed, "I'm not but not for a lack of trying,"

"What do you mean?"

"I love literature," He said as we passed the dining hall, "T.S Eliot in particular but our professor is so...stuffy."

T.S Eliot? I swallowed down the panic rising inside of me.

"Yeah," My voice shook, "That essay almost killed me."

"You?" Josiah raised an eyebrow, "I always got the impression that English was a breeze for you."

I laughed, "Why?"

He shrugged, "A feeling I guess."

I shook my head as my phone vibrated in my pocket. I jumped at the sudden sensation.

No new messages. I sighed at the email notification and tucked my phone away.

"Sorry," I brushed a stray hair from my face. Only a few moments into the evening and my hair was already falling out of place. "I thought I got a message."

Josiah waved it off, "I get it."

His warm demeanor sent heat to my cheeks.

Our walk into town was riddled with shaky questions and clumsy eye contact. When we arrived at the crowded theater the fall winds had kicked up.

I pulled my jacket around me and stuffed my hands deep within the pockets.

"Are you cold?" Josiah asked as we waited in the ticket booth line. His gentle question sent my head spinning.

"Oh," I hesitated, "No, I'm okay," My fingers began to lose feeling at the tips.

Josiah smirked, "Right," He slipped off his coat and offered it to me.

"You'll be cold,"

"But you won't be," He said and wrapped it around my shoulders.

His fingers grazed over my skin and sent tingles through me. I looked away before he could see me blush for the fifth time that night.

I almost forgot the likelihood of Josiah and Eliot being one in the same person.

But if he wasn't, his touch still made my heart race all the same. I listened as Fool for You Anyway played through the speakers above us.

I began to realize that Eliot's identity might not matter as much as I thought.

"Right," Josiah handed me my ticket after our turn at the booth, "Here's yours."

"Thank you," I giggled. Why did I giggle?

He stared into my eyes for a moment before opening the door into the theater, and the warmth.I sighed in relief as the heat covered my body. Josiah also seemed pleased.

"So," He started, "I'm thinking popcorn?"I nodded with a smile.

I didn't know why I was worried. Josiah's hand brushed against mine as we waited for snacks and I couldn't help but forget about all the Eliot madness.