When Arlo met Ellie.

chapter 6

Chapter 6: be honest.

**Ellie's point of view**

I woke up late again as usual, wrapped like a burrito. I dreamt about being home, It felt so real to the point that I didn't want to wake up. I stayed on the bed recalling or trying to remember every single thing that happened in my dream. This is probably my most unproductive day here in the shed. I mean, I got up, ate, took a little swim in the river to wash my body and went back to bed. Arlo and I would usually walk around the woods but today it felt like we're separated like we didn't even know each other.

I took the chair in front of the shed to hang out outside while watching Arlo do his typical fishing thing in the river. Sometimes I would stare up in the sky and remember the good times I had with Jackson. remember the Jackson I miss hanging out with. the Jackson that cared about me so much. the Jackson who made a promise that he will be with me forever, but I guess he forgot that forever is such a long time. the jackson I was once in love with.

After our celebrating our first anniversary, Jackson and I spent that last hour up in the room. We laid down and watched the stars while cuddling. He gave me a promise ring and promised me to love me forever

"El, I know we're still young but I just want to tell you how much I love you. I don't even know how to put my feelings into words because it's too much. I don't know what I would do without you. you'll always be my number one and I promise to love you and be there for you for the rest of our lives. I will be there in every moment of your life and I hope you'll be in mine too. I love you, El"

I know we were young to be promising something like that to each other but the sad part is, I believed him. I took that ring off my finger the moment our relationship started going downhill, he didn't even notice that it wasn't on my finger anymore.

When Jackson and I broke up, I looked at him one more time and I saw this guy, a different guy. It was a guy with a cold heart, literally the opposite of the Jackson I first met. I know he was sad when I broke up with him, I felt it. but he wasn't as sad as the fact that the person he promised to love forever is now gone.

"I got a fish!" Arlo yelled, holding up the fish he caught with his bare hands. I smiled at him. I looked at Arlo while celebrating, I see this really this really sweet boy who's finally free. He's so happy.

Arlo thought about saving my life before thinking about his own. A really sweet and caring guy who fights until death. That's why he's worth loving. doesn't have to be me but to whoever's out there that Arlo will love in the future, I just want to say that you will be very lucky to have him.

I don't exactly know what I feel about Arlo, I haven't really thought about it and I don't want to. I just want to enjoy every moment I have with him. but I know there's something between us, and I know he knows it too. I'll just hold on to that.

I went back inside and wrapped myself like a burrito again and just laid down on the bed. Later on, Arlo came in to put the bucket full of fish he caught and walked right out. okay that's weird. no hello or how you feeling? or anything at all. that's new.

The sun is setting and I'm still wrapped around this blanket. Arlo finally came in again and sat down.

"do you want to tell me what's going on?" I said.

"what's going on?" he asked, acting normal.

"I don't know, you tell me," I said, sitting up properly.

"tell you what?" he said, still pretending but I know he's hiding something.

"Tell me why you've been avoiding me since this morning," I said.

"I'm not avoiding you. you're literally the only one in here, why would I not talk to you?" he said.

"You tell me" I answered. He gave me this look and let out a sigh.

"If I tell you then can you please be honest with me" he said. I nodded, "what was last night?" he said. I tried recalling what happened last night and I'm not really sure if he's talking about what I think he's talking about.

"what happened last night?" I asked.

"We talked about our feelings then we cuddled to sleep, what was that?" he said. it is what i thought it was.

"that's why you were avoiding me? I asked again.

"I was avoiding you because you made me feel something last night and I don't want to continue feeling that way if we're nothing" he explained, "look, I can't pretend that, that never happened. not just about last night but this whole entire time, since the beginning. There was this girl who came knocking at our door, getting locked in a room. I didn't know who she was but I saved her. we ran together, still don't know who she was. but now it's like, woah, Ellie Haywards, girl from Kingswood. She had a boyfriend that apparently felt like they were just friends" he added. I just looked at him and waited for more words to come, "Are you even gonna say anything?" he asked but I just stared at him.

"you're so cute," I said, just staring at him.

"what?" he said.

"Arlo, I'm not stupid. We both know we have that mutual feeling" I said.

"you feel it too? what are we supposed to do?" he asked.

"You just leave it" I answered.

"Ellie, I'm being serious," he said.

"and I'm being serious too. Normally we don't talk about it and let it happen until we develop more feelings. We do things that will make us happy and we let our hearts do its part, catch more feelings" I explained, "so calm down, homeboy. you're not the only one who felt something last night" I said, laying back to down, "besides, it's not hard to feel something for you, home boy" I added. He chuckled and watched me lay down, "what do you want to share the blanket or I'll take all of it again" I said.

"take it, I'll just watch you sleep" he answered, smiling, "I'll just steal it later, home girl"

"Alright goodnight, Arlo Kanes." I said, turning around to the other side.

"goodnight, Ellie Haywards" he answered, whispering it.

Then I closed my eyes, letting myself fall asleep.