Does She or Doesn't She?

              

It was getting to be late afternoon and there were only a few families on this side of the beach. But they were further down from where they were sitting. The waves where now coming in a little closer onto the beach as they could hear the children down from them squealing. John was thinking how he was going to bring the subject up so he thought he would start with Dorothea.

“Hey um they didn’t hurt you did they? Those girls back in the Ladies rooms.” He asked her as she was looking out at the ocean.

Turning to look at him and smiling, “No they didn’t hurt me. Like I said a woman came in and they backed down real fast. They tried saying we were friends when she asked if everything was ok and I basically didn’t go along with them.” She told him.

He was shocked that she stood up for herself and didn’t play along with those bitches. “You mean you didn’t play along with them? Ellie they could have hurt you.” He said rather loudly and very concerned.

Looking at him like ‘Who the hell are you to tell me what to do’ “Yeah I did. I wasn’t going to have two bullies who dress like whores tell me what to do. This isn’t high school John.” She told him outright.

“But they could have hurt you! You don’t know these girls. They do Dorothea’s bidding. I don’t know what I would have done if they had hurt you just because you were with me.” He told her sincerely.

“Well they didn’t so don’t worry about ok? What was her problem anyway?” Ellie wanted to know.

“You’re kidding right?” He asked her as she shooked her head no. John just smiled and realized that Ellie didn’t know a lot about stuff like this. How could she from what he knew about her she didn’t seem to get out much. “Ok she’s my ex and didn’t like the fact that I was out with someone new and pretty so fast after our break up. She wanted me to come back crawling on my hands and knees actually. Even thou she’s the one who cheated on me.” He told her again.

“Well she needs to work on her manners that’s for sure. But I set them straight. Even thou they did throw that they were from Jersey around but I didn’t understand what that meant.” She told him confused by that statement.

John just started laughing uncontrollably and she just looked at him like he lost his mind. “Oh my God are you alright?” she asked him truly concerned for him because she thought he lost it.

Once he regained his composure he tried to explain to her that that’s what New Jersey girls say when they are up against anyone who crosses them. It supposed to make them look tough, cool and sexy to the guys in Jersey. She looked at him like he had three heads. “Well that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard! Girls are the same all over the world dummy. Just like my Mom says that all men are the same except they have different faces.” She told him shaking her head and looking back out at the ocean.

John decided this was now or never because talking about his ex was ticking Ellie off it seemed. Or was it just him that ticked her off. He had to know so he just went for it. “Um Ellie we were doing ok before we were talking about my ex and her stupid little gang. Why did you come with me today?” he asked her out right.

She turned to look at him “Because you asked me and Marsha said to.” She told him honestly.

He just looked at her wide eyed. “Marsha told you to come today?” he asked as his stomach dropped.

She looked at him as she noticed that probably wasn’t the right thing to say. But it was the truth. “John I did want to come today but you have to understand something. I’m very indecisive. Oh this is going to sound stupid but sometimes I can’t even make up my mind to go to the store or even the movies without it taking hours too decided. Yes Marsha pushed me to come today but she was only doing it because she wanted me to get out of the house and to enjoy myself. Which by the way I am. Or I was until your friends showed up at the pizza place. But you even made that nice by showing me how much you cared about me and to make sure that I was ok. Oh I’m saying this all wrong aren’t I?” she finally said looking upset.

He moved in closer to her and took her hand in his as she looked down at them.  “Ellie look at me please.” She looked up nervously as he continued, “It’s ok I get it really I do. I’m glad you decided to come today I’m not going to say if you didn’t it would of hurt my feelings I just would of tried again that’s all.” He told her as she smiled. “But I am just going to come up and say that I like you and I was hoping that you like me?” he asked her. Ellie just looked at him and everything started to go into slow motion. John was more confidant in these kind of things. He has had more girls than she had boyfriends. Well all she’s had were crushes actually so this was a little new to her. “Ellie hello Ellie? Are you ok?” he asked her as she seemed a little out of it.

“Hum? Oh yeah I’m fine just fine I think.” She told him as her heart was racing.

“You look a little pale.” He said to her a little concerned.

“Oh don’t worry about that I always look pale.” She said half laughing.

“Ok…by any chance did you hear anything that I said to you?” he asked her really not wanting to repeat himself.

“Yeah I did and yes I like you too John. I didn’t want too to tell you the truth and I was hoping like the others that you would just brush me off once you found out that I was sick.” She told him not only honestly but sadly.

John just looked at her still holding her hand as she tried to have him let it go but he wouldn’t. “What you thought that bad of me that because you didn’t feel good I wouldn’t like you?” he asked her not knowing how he should feel at this.

He had a good grip on her hand as she still tried to get it free. “No I didn’t think badly of you. Don't put words in my mouth. It’s just that other guys that I have liked it seems that either once they found out that I wasn’t feeling good either changed their minds or because my stupid brother scared them off. I mean I can take care of myself I mean jeepers I can take him for crying out loud. He’s only a year younger than me but think’s now that he towers over me that he’s the oldest. If I sneak up on him I can still take him.” She babbled on.

John just stared at her smiling. “Ok, ok you know you babble when you’re nervous. It’s cute.” He told her.

Rolling her eyes, “Oh stop!” she told him smiling back at him.

“No you are very cute hasn’t anybody ever told you that before?” he asked staring into her hazel blue eyes.

“Well no just my parents oh and my uncle. Well he’s my favorite uncle my Mom’s baby brother and he use to live with us so…” But before she could finish her sentence John decided to take a huge chance and kiss her right there on the rocks praying she doesn’t smack him. John took her by surprise and she didn’t know what the hell to do. John could feel how stiff she was and thought maybe this wasn’t such a good idea so but it wasn’t like one of those passionate kisses it was just a simple kiss on the lips and nothing else. He didn’t want to give the poor girl a stroke the first time out. So it lasted probably no more than ten or fifteen seconds and they parted with Ellie looking a little shell shocked.

After a few seconds went by John finally asked her, “You ok? You’re not going to sock me are you?” he asked dead serious.

She looked at him not really knowing what the hell to say to him. “Nooo I’m not going to sock you. You just kind of took me by surprise.” She said still in a little bit of shock. “Can I ask why you did that?”

“You really don’t know? Well it was the only way to stop you from babbling for one.” He told her chuckling. She just looked at him like she wanted to die. “No I’m kidding I just thought if I just did it…I don’t know cause I wanted to ok. I’ve wanted to all day and now that we’re basically alone I just thought it was the right time. I told you I really like you and we seem to have a lot in common and you said you like me. Haven’t you ever kissed a guy before?” he asked her hoping that she would say no.

“Well no not that I never wanted to.” She said sheepishly.

He just looked at her wondering who the hell she wanted to kiss. “What do you mean WHO you wanted to kiss. Who the hell did you want to kiss then?” he asked jealous.

She looked at him like really but deep down she kind of liked it. But she wasn’t going to show him that. “I’m not going to tell you plus you don’t even know him. Plus if he even cared about me he wouldn’t have gone back on his promise and dumped me for Bernadette and took her to Joe and his prom.” She said angrily.

John noticed that she did like this guy and was still hurt by this. “He said he was going to take you to your prom.” he asked her.

“No he said he was going to take me to my brother and his prom. We’re a year ahead of them. But Harold is our age he must have stayed back in grammar school.” She said.

“Harold?” he mocked.

“Oh hush and it’s Herbie and don’t start!” she warned him.

“Oh like that’s any better.” He started laughing.

“I warned you. After what I just went thru with your ex and her little army of what, whore’ don’t talk pal.” She shot back at him.

“Ok ok but you never said if you liked it.” He said to her.

“I liked what the pizza? Yeah it was good.” She said to him total oblivious.

“No that’s not what I meant silly. I meant the kiss. Did you like it?” he asked her this time being dead serious as he looked straight into her eyes.

Nervously again she said to him and a little more shyly, “Yeah I liked it. So?”  she asked him.

Shaking his head, “You want me to beat this out of you don’t you. You know I’ve met stubborn people before but you sure as hell…” he didn’t get to finish as Ellie interrupted him.

“John what do you want to ask me? You want to go on a real date? Is that it? Sure why not. Oh wait what if I cancel on you last minute because I wasn’t feeling good would you believe me? What if I did say three times in a row? Then would you still believe me? You wouldn’t get suspicious of me. You would start thinking that I was faking all this?” she started on him to see what he would say knowing the answer.

                “What the hell Ellie! What are you trying to do? Push me away before we even get started?” he asked a little angry and confused.

“No I’m just trying to be honest that’s all. And I’m just trying not to get hurt before something starts. I’ve been there done that that’s all. Besides I don’t know how long I’m here for so why would you want to get involved with someone whose only here for a short time? Can you just take me back to Marsha’s and Mike’s please.” She asked him even thou it was killing her inside.

“Yeah sure I must look like a real idiot to you.” He said her getting up.

“No John you don’t. It’s just better that we don’t start something that we can’t finish that’s all.” She said sadly.

“Who said we couldn’t finish this? Next year we’ll both be eighteen and can do anything we want and if and when you go back home there is this thing called the telephone and also we can write to each other in til then. But right now why can’t we just enjoy each other’s company?” he asked her outright.

She just looked at him like a deer caught in the headlights. “Can you just please take me home.” She asked him again looking like she just lost her best friend.

He wanted to scream only because he couldn’t seem to get thru to her. He really liked her and wanted to be friends with her and ok maybe more. But she was too scared to even try. “Fine let’s go.” He said and helped her down. They walked backed to his car basically in silence and drove back home. All the way home he had to hold his tongue because he didn’t want to scare her away. He had to come up with a plan to show her that not all people were what she thought. And the perfect schemer was his Mom. They pulled up to the Levine’s house and he jumped out before she had a chance to let herself out of the car.

“Ah ah I got it. The least I can do is walk you up to the door.” He told her.

“Thanks and I do mean Thank John I really did have a nice day.” She said smiling softly at him.

“Well good I’m glad, and I did think on the way home I’m not going to give up Ellie. When I want something I go after it. You have a good night.” He told her and gave her a kiss on her forehead and walked back to his car and she watched as he drove next door.

When she entered the house the kids came running to her as they missed her and Marsha came out of the kitchen. “Yeah Honey did you have a good time?” she asked her cousin.

“Yeah we had a very nice time. Marsha did you know that John liked me?” she asked her.

Marsha smiled, “I had a suspicion he did why?” Marsha asked her back.

“Because he told me when he kissed me that’s why.” She told her cousin flatly.

Marsha almost died, “He WHAT! He kissed you. Oh my God sweetheart that’s wonderful.” She said happily.

Ellie just looked at Marsha sadly and told her everything that they had talked about and how she felt about getting involved with anybody right now seeing that she’s not going to be here to long for anything long lasting. Marsha said she understood but she also tried to tell her to take a chance and try something different. She said she would think about it but Marsha said that maybe he wouldn’t be around when she came around. That’s when Ellie told her what he said to her. Marsha was a little shocked by what he said and also thought it was cute in a way that he wasn’t going to give up on her. But she told Ellie not to tell Mike what he said. She didn’t think that he would think it was cute. She noticed that Mike was becoming a little over protective of her and realize what he was going to like when they’re daughter began dating. God help those boys.