It’s almost 12am and I am sitting on my bed with one of my best friends, and longtime crush, Leon. As per usual, we are hanging out while our parents are away on another business trip. We are currently on my bed, trying to fall asleep. Key word, trying. While wrapped up in a soft cocoon of blankets, I scroll through the internet aimlessly. I'm trying to make myself tired, but it's not working . As I continue to zone out and sink into my thoughts, I feel my phone get ripped out of my hands.
“Eva! I've been trying to get your attention for like 5 minutes now! Pay attention to me!” My brown haired friend practically yells.
I blink a couple of times before laughing and playfully responding, “Sorry. It's not my fault you're boring!”
He puts the back of his hand to his forehead and falls back dramatically. “How could you say something like that to me! You're such a meanie!” I can see him trying to hold back laughter as I start to poke him in the sides.
“What did you want?”
He rolls his shining green eyes at me and sighs, “I can't sleep. Tell me a story! You're good at that.”
I shake my head and giggle a bit at his childlike nature before patting my lap. He lays his head down and gets comfortable while I stroke his soft hair. While I try to come up with a story, I stare at the wall across the room, and Leon waits patiently for me to think.
I nod as I find something and begin, “Our story takes place in another world. There are two friends…Ellie and Luke. They hadn't known each other since they were small children. Luke wasn't there to help Ellie when she was bullied in school because they didn’t know each other. She had dealt with that by herself. Ellie wasn't there when Luke's parents were fighting every night during his first years of school. He had to fix the problems himself. However, when they did meet, they had bad experiences that connected them. Even if they weren’t there to help each other when life was the roughest, they were able to become close because they survived their horrible experiences. They knew when the other needed space; opposed to when they needed a friend's comfort.
It was seventh grade when they met each other during one of their parent’s meetings. Since then they were inseparable. Luke was clueless and childish most of the time, but knew how to cheer up Ellie when she needed it. Ellie was absent-minded and clumsy, but listened whenever Luke needed her to. Since neither of th-”
I was interrupted by Leon. “Why does this sound so familiar? I feel like I've heard this. I can't pin it though…” He gazed up at her suspiciously.
“I promise you, you haven't heard this story before. Now don't interrupt. Let's see...
Since neither of them had any siblings, they were often left alone when their parents were away. After their first meeting, they started to hang out whenever their parents left. They never let each other be alone. Ellie was really happy to have Luke as her friend. At first that's all she saw him as—a friend. They would hang out, talk about their problems at school, have small fashion contests, and binge watch movies and TV shows. They would have their arguments, but they always forgave each other, regardless of who's fault it was.
Ellie never really thought that anymore would happen between them; she was content with how things were. Once they reached their first year of high school however, she realized that she liked him. Not one of those dumb crushes that last a couple weeks, she actually liked him. Nothing really big happened to make her realize this, they were just hanging out one day and he was being himself. She ignored her feelings though and kept doing what they always did because that's what made them both happy.
They both dated people throughout the next three years, but they a promise that their friendship would always be more important than any stupid relationship. They kept that promise up to their current age. They're currently seniors and still go to different schools. Not much had changed throughout their years together. Ellie's crush on Luke only grew and up to this day she still hides her crush from him.”
“Does Luke like her back?” Leon yawns, and I can see his eyes almost fully closed.
“I don't know. This is from Ellie's perspective. How am I supposed to know anything that Luke is thinking?”
“You're the one who makes the story.”
“No I don't. I am simply the storyteller. I can only tell you what I know.”
“That doesn't make sense…”
Leon falls asleep after that. I smile at him and carefully move him off of my lap. I get up and turn off the lights before carefully getting back into bed and falling asleep.
I keep telling the story for the next few weeks. Leon continues to try to get Luke's side of the story, but I say the exact same thing every time:I can’t. Leon also points out multiple times that he recognizes the story from somewhere; I only smile and shake my head. I want him to figure it out, but at the same time, I’m terrified.
Our parents are, once again, out on a business trip, and we’re at Leon's house. Sitting on his bed, Leon was in deep thought while I was laying next to him staring into the ceiling.
“Hey Eva?” Leon's voice snaps me out of my daze.
“Hmmm?”
“Your story. You keep saying you don't know Luke's side of the story. That has to mean that it's not made up right?”
“Is that what's bothering you?” I sit up as I speak and turn myself to face him.
“After a lot, I mean a LOT of discussing with myself, I think I've figured it out.”
“What do you mean?” I'm slightly confused but not that surprised. I didn't make it very difficult to figure out. But that also makes me really nervous and I start to feel my face heat up.
Leon just smiled at me. “You only know Ellie's side because you are Ellie. That's why you don't know Luke's side. That’s also why you can only tell so much of the story before having to stop. You have to wait for your life to continue and things to happen. Now, it took me a while to figure out who Luke was supposed to be. But then I looked back on how you described his life. I just want to know why you lied to me? You told me I didn't know this story when the story is based on our life.”
“I never lied,” I start quietly, looking down at the bed, my face burning, ”I said you had never heard the story before. I'm pretty sure nobody else tells you a story about your life.”
Leon smiles at me and pulls me into a big hug. He rests his chin on my head and cuddles me like a stuffed bear. I blink rapidly in surprise and bury my red face into his chest, relaxing into the embrace.
“Wanna know a secret?” He whispers into my ear. Before I can respond he starts talking again. “Luke really really likes Ellie. He's been wanting to ask her out for a couple of years now, but he doesn't know how to.”
“Ellie would love to go out with Luke. More than anything.” I'm blushing quite a bit and smiling like there's no tomorrow. We lay down, Leon still hugging me like a teddy bear. He kisses my head lightly and I fall asleep rather quickly.
I still continue to tell Ellie and Luke's story as per request of Leon. I don't know why but he seems to love hearing it; but it helps him fall asleep. Their story probably won't end anytime soon. Where it will go, I'm not exactly sure. But that doesn't matter right now. Right now is the present and the present is pretty good.
