** Eli **
Things felt a bit unreal as Eli pulled into the parking garage of Harper's apartment a week after receiving her surprise text.
That weird night at The Balconies had been on his mind all week. He considered talking to her about it multiple times, just to make sure that she didn't get the wrong idea of why he brought her there. But he wasn't sure how to go about explaining it, and he also didn't want to make too big of a deal out of something that had already turned into a bigger deal than it should be.
Needless to say, it was a relief that Harper was the one who texted him first. She didn't mention anything about the movie though. Instead, she asked to meet again, this time at her place.
This girl was getting harder and harder to read … Had she turned the page on that awkward situation already? Or had he misinterpreted her reaction again to begin with?
No matter. He just had to use better judgment tonight to avoid more mishap. Eli tucked his laptop into the crook of his arm, reminding himself one more time of the revised plan of action typed up in the margins of her draft, and made his way into the building.
It was a nice apartment complex at the edge of Davenshire's commercial district. Judging from its layout and the shiny interior decor, it was a brand new construction and quite a few steps up from the typical home of a recent college grad. Knowing Harper, who would never ask her parents for money to cover her rent, Eli could tell that her company must be paying her a decent sum.
Great way to start a career, he thought with a sense of pride. At nowhere other than Miracles, one of the hottest newcomers in the video game industry, which apparently also treated its employees well.
The elevator dinged, and the brightly carpeted hallway led him to her door. The doorbell rang only once before she answered.
"Hi!" Harper smiled from the entryway. "Welcome! Hope you didn't have any trouble finding the place."
"Not at all, and this place is amazing. Happy Friday!" He pulled her into a big hug.
A gentle fragrance filled his nostrils. Hmm, did she wear perfume to The Balconies as well? He hadn't noticed it then, but the English garden blend was hard to miss this time. Roses, jasmine, and … lilies of the valley? A subtle sweetness perfectly befitting her.
"Come on in." She stepped aside, and the luring scent was gone. She closed the door behind them and led the way into the living room. "I just moved here last month, so it's still a bit … chaotic. Sorry about that."
Eli let his gaze sweep across the room. Well, if this was chaotic, then he didn't know how to describe every other apartment in existence. The space might be tight, but everything was neatly organized and methodically laid out. A small entertainment center graced the wall on the left, every shelf from the top to bottom orderly arranged. A compact couch sat across from it on the right, laden with a handful of fleece throws and fuzzy pillows — always her favorite since she was a kid — looking busy but utterly homey. A short coffee table was tucked in between, displaying various books and snacks, and beyond it, a sliding glass door opening up to the bustling view of the city's nightlife.
"If by 'chaotic', you mean 'cozy' and 'my favorite type of hideout', then I think we agree," Eli observed. "And it's great to see you finally found enough room for all your consoles." He winked at the collection of gaming equipment on her shelves.
"Oh … Some of that is actually for work … I mean, technically my team isn't responsible for testing, but it's always nice to try out the final product." Somehow, Harper looked a bit sheepish admitting it. "Otherwise, I don't really play games that much anymore," she added.
Eli wondered idly why she didn't. Maybe life was getting too busy? Or maybe she had grown out of it with age? A wisp of nostalgia hit him. "I'm not surprised, Harper. We haven't talked for years, and I probably need to relearn everything about what you like."
Harper gave him a small smile and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears. Eli noticed belatedly that she was wearing her hair up again, just like she did last Saturday at the movie. It wasn't something that he remembered her doing much in the past, but the delicate braids suited her, twirling in pretty patterns before coming together at the top of her head, leaving only a lock of loose curls dangling over her shoulder.
She looked different this way, more … mature, perhaps, but of course that should be expected of a girl who was only eighteen when he saw her last.
"I know, I was so bad at keeping in touch," Harper said. "I'm glad we get to catch up now that we're back in the same city again. How is … um, your girlfriend?"
Eli wasn't expecting such a question to follow. "My girlfriend? Which one?"
"…"
He realized he had said something terribly wrong again when he saw Harper's incredulous stare. Oh shit, that was ambiguous. Did he just give her the impression that he was the type of guy to see multiple women at the same time?
"As in, there isn't—" He started explaining, then understood her question in a flash. "Oh, you mean Julie? The one from college? I haven't talked to her since I moved to the west coast."
That seemed to have answered it. Harper's expression recovered, and she smiled again. "Ah, I supposed that's kind of expected. Long distance relationships are tricky. But I didn't want to assume …"
She trailed off, the smile on her face turning a bit peculiar, with a sense of … relief?
Eli studied her, and that odd feeling of puzzlement nagged at him once more. This girl had really changed so much over the past four years. She used to be such an open book, but now, he could barely guess what was going on in her head. Was there something that she was trying to imply?