Amelia watched as a series of emotions flickered across Elijah’s features, each one lingering just long enough to catch Amelia’s attention, but short enough to be considered fleeting. She could see from the way his eyes glazed over as he looked above her head – his height was never so apparent as when they were dancing – that he was lost in his thoughts, though where he went when he disappeared like this Amelia would never know. She knew that this was likely the frustration others felt about her when she slipped into her alternate reality where her solitude was acceptable.
Bemused by Elijah’s changing expressions, but getting nowhere on figuring out what they mean, Amelia dropped her eyes to his chest. Amelia had never thought much about the future, because she didn’t like to think about things she had very little control over. Yes, it was true that she had a type-A personality that sparked things like goal lists and “five-year plans”, but she knew that much of this would be in vain. She had read somewhere once that fate laughs at those who plan.
The future, although she didn’t like to admit it, was as unclear to Amelia as it was to everyone else. By working as hard as she did in class, obeying all her parents’ wishes, and living to meet everyone’s expectations, Amelia wanted to believe that she was guaranteeing herself a future that she could be proud of, but she was too much of a realist to fall under the delusion that there was any sort of guarantee of that. Everything she had done, all the time she had spent “bettering herself” by her mother’s wishes, all of it could be for naught. It was that uncertainty that prevented Amelia from seeing too far into the future. When she extrapolated from this moment into the unknown of the future, she could see only herself, standing alone in a shadowed scene, the edges and details blurred.
Logic really puts a damper on imagination, doesn’t it? Amelia’s mind prompted as the scene in her mind was brushed away by Elijah’s deep laughter, making his shoulders rise and fall. Whatever he was thinking about, it had brought a smile to his face, and this time the emotion lingered long enough for Amelia to imprint his expression on her mind.
Sometimes, when she looked at Elijah, Amelia was truly blown away by him. Truly, he was a handsome individual: his face was perfectly symmetrical, his complexion flawless. His dark hair fell in curtains around his face, giving him the look of a knight who had just removed his helmet after a battle, always just slightly in disarray from the number of times he ran his hand through it. His jaw line was straight and pronounced, and his eyes deeply set and dark, holding secrets Amelia was not sure she would ever know.
But more than all of this, Amelia was captivated by his smile. When Elijah smiled, his entire face changed. He seemed to glow from the inside, a light that, as far as she could remember, she had never seen in another individual. His smile came easily and often for no reason – at least from what she could tell – and for all that it puzzled her, Amelia would never have wished it gone. Elijah’s smile perplexed her because she could not understand from where it came, or why, but for once she did not resent that which she did not understand. Although he did not know it, Amelia basked in the glow of someone who seemed to be truly and unequivocally happy – the kind of happiness she was envious of, but never so much so that she would risk lowering her defenses to gain that same joy.
Amelia realized belatedly that she had been staring at Elijah while he was lost in his own thoughts, but she was able to compose herself as his eyes returned to hers, his words answering those she had accidentally let slip a few minutes before. Amelia rolled her eyes playfully at Elijah’s words, not believing for a moment that anyone would ever believe Elijah to be boring. The boy was many things, but dull he was not. As if to prove this to her, Elijah’s lips darted down to hers, pressing gently and only for a few seconds, but enough to make heat rise from Amelia’s abdomen all the way up to her face and neck.
He has a point, Amelia’s mind insisted, trying to pull her down from the floating sensation that seemed to be a package deal with Elijah’s kisses, If he were not talented or spontaneous, you likely would have learned to avoid him by now, like all the others. It is because he perplexes you that you continue to see him and put up with his encroachment on your solitude. He is like a puzzle you haven’t solved yet.
Wow, psychoanalyze much? Amelia’s subconscious countered sarcastically.
Amelia smiled outwardly at her internal battle, one that she knew would forever rage. Logic and emotion were meant to exist mutualistically within a person, but Amelia was upsetting the balance by giving all power to one piece. But it seemed Elijah was intent on renegotiating the contract and splitting the power more evenly, a feat which Amelia still did not believe him capable of, though he was making one hell of an effort.
“Well I hope my lack of spontaneity has not become tiresome for you,” Amelia finally responded, smiling gently up at him even though she knew this could possibly be a legitimate concern, “Though you might have enough in you for both of us.”
“I have had a really nice time tonight,” Amelia said about a minute later as the song that had been playing ended, replaced by one of an equal tempo and rhythm so their swaying needn’t have ceased or changed. She was slightly embarrassed reflecting on the events of the evening and what had occurred between them, but her words were spoken honestly. It had been and would be a night to remember. “Thank you for accompanying me, and for the necklace. I will have to find some way to repay you for that.”
by 
