you are the person

i'd never stop looking for 

in a crowded place

-wtm

May 15th:

She borrows her brother's convertible again. In her defense, Mateo left the keys hanging on the rack by the garage doors where anyone could take them. He is away on some company trip anyway. He won't even have to know that it's gone.

Today, Elias is driving, which he hasn't done in years. Technically, he never got his license, but his father has taken him out on many occasions. He could drive by the age of eleven. Mara declares that on these deserted backroads they will be fine, free from cops.

The sun is setting, resting for the night as Elias drives straight towards the red-orange hue. Mara sticks the top half of herself out the window, letting her featherlight self be lifted up by the wind. Her golden straw hair sticks to her face as she laughs maniacally.

"Some moments are just perfect," she breathes, yelling over the loudness of the wind. She slumps back into her seat, his hand resting on her thigh as he is afraid she is going to fall out. Taking his hand in hers, she tangles their fingers.

Elias nods, agreeing. He couldn't sign and drive at the same time, so the car ride is mostly quiet. There is only the roar of wind and the chirps of nature around them to fill the quietness.

They continue to ride down the winding road until a large billboard catches their attention. It is an advertisement to an outdoor theater, Elias looks to Mara beaming. She matches his enthusiasm, bouncing in her seat. She has bolts of energy coursing through her as she squeezes Elias's hand vigorously.

They pull up to the theater, where only a few cars litter the lot. A big white screen is a focal point, and behind it stands a cluster of disordered trees. An old man stands at the front entrance, exerting their money for tickets. Elias buys two, pulling up to a spot in the farthest corner. Away from the families with small children and old couples who are already asleep. Only a few other teens are nearby, and their attention is elsewhere.

The buttery popcorn fills their senses as they hop out of the vehicle, smoothing down their hair and rumpled clothing. Mara grabs Elias's hand, dragging him to the concession stand where deep-fried pretzels are on display. She skips, Elias beaming at her hyperactiveness.

It must be something in the air tonight, but it feels more buoyant. The smog has been elevated, at least for the night, letting them enjoy the moment in its simplicity.

"Are we thinking about having a heart attack or living until we're at least 80?" Mara puzzles, looking at him with wide scintillating eyes. They are behind a group of young girls who can't be older than fourteen. One of them stares at the boy around their age behind the counter, blushing, while the other can't seem to make up her mind.

'Heart attack seems like the only right answer,' Elias agrees, laughing along with Mara. He drapes his tanned arm over her shoulder, teasingly pulling her into his chest. His free hand pokes her side, causing her to jump away from him with a glare.

"I've outlived death three times before," she states, "food is not going to be what kills me."

'Nah, your mouth is going to catch up to you eventually,' Elias teases, stepping up to their turn. The one girl ended up with cotton candy and a darker blush as the boy smiles back at her.

"All of it, please," Mara laughs, looking from Elias to the boy, leaning over the counter. Her voice is slick like honey, sweet enough to catch you in its respects. There you will be lured into the deepness of her eyes and cast into a frosty blue.

The boy is lost to her charisma, staring at her with his mouth parted open. Mara tilts her head while Elias just watches in entertainment. He's gotten used to her beauty, but he understands how she can catch attention. She radiates an air of confidence that can lure in even the coldest.

Mara taps her fingers on the counter, looking back to Elias with an eye-roll. She doesn't understand the stares. She always figured people are looking at her in disgust, not intriguingly.

"Right, sorry," he squeaks, coughing. He pulls out a red plastic tray, managing to pack all of the food on it. Ranging from hot dogs to buttery popcorn, with some sweets in between.

Mara takes the tray as Elias brings his fingers to his chin. He lowers it in a downward swoop, saying thank you in sign language. The boy doesn't seem to understand, frowning as he stares at Elias weirdly. Mara, bless her soul, only scowles at the boy. She thought he was being rude, but Elias had gained much worse looks than the perplexed one the boy was throwing him.

As they walk back to the convertible, Mara grumbles something unintelligible under her breath. Her eyebrows are furrowed as she sets the food down on the hood, Elias coming to stand behind her. His fingers rise to her forehead, smoothing down her eyebrows back to their normal position. He rids her scowl, brushing his hands over her cheeks.

He is getting more relaxed with her. Mara's love language seems to be touch, so he's gotten used to hers. He still flinches when not expecting it, although Mara will only take that as a hesitation. She never makes him feel weird about it either. She will just carefully take his hands in hers. Tapping his palm two times with her fingers.

It has become their little thing, two taps to calm each other's nerves.

"You know, sometimes, I really hate people," she shakes her head, crossing her arms over her chest. Elias pouts, puckering out his bottom lip as he runs his hand down his chest.

"Yeah, I hate you sometimes too," she laughs, shoving him away. He smiles back at her, shaking his head in playfulness. 

They parked so the trunk is facing the screen, folding down the back seats to create a bed area. Mara stuffed pillows and blankets in the back as they now decorate the makeshift base.

The sun continues to set as the starting credits of the movie form on the projector. It's a low hum that catches everyone's attention, a few cars parking in the empty lot areas. Some people sprawl out in the grass while others stay in their cars.

"What movie are we watching anyway?" Mara urges, sitting back up her elbows, throwing him a glance. Elias now rests in the space next to her, staring towards the moving sky. He is smiling, for no reason in particular other than he is happy.

'I don't know, but it better not be a Disney princess movie,' he tosses a buttery kernel in the air, catching it in his mouth. Mara watches him, her eyes squinting as she shakes her head at his refusal.

"And what's wrong with Disney princess movies?" Her eyebrow quirks, staring at him in a challenge. Her nose piercing caught the sun, momentarily blinding Elias.

She doesn't wear it a lot, ever since her nose got infected. But tonight she decided to put it back in, as well as a few bracelets she stole in her past life.

'They all have the same plotlines,' he shrugs his shoulders, his lips dipping down into a frow. 'The girl falls in love with a man she can't have, someone dies, and they live happily ever after.'

He looks at her, matching her stare with his own equalized one. He never understood the hype as a child, always predicting the ending. It is unrealistic, in his eyes, that everyone gets a happy ending. In his experience, happy endings are a fabrication.

"But you have to admit the characters are hot. For example, Flynn Rider or Prince Naveen. I would sleep with them any day. And they have morals." Elias grins, but Mara is dead serious.

She blinks a few times, her pupils dilating as she stares into his dark brown irises hard. From his lying position, his wavy brown bangs are pushed from his face.

'They're animated,' He chuckles, tossing another popcorn kernel in his mouth. They ignore how the world bruises almost purple around them, carrying out their debate of Disney princesses.

"And your point is..." she urges.

'It's weird,' he snickers, throwing popcorn at her face. She catches it in her mouth, pinning him with a look. Her hands mess with the ends of her backpack, focusing her energy on that so she wouldn't lose it at a simple banter.

"Tiana's pretty hot too," she proposes, "I'd sleep with her. You can't honestly tell me that none of them are attractive. None at all?"

'Maybe Mulan, or Moana,' he gives in, 'I like the ones that fight back.'

"You definitely have a type." She tosses her hair over her shoulder. She falls into a fit of laughter at Elias's scowl. It is humid and sticky out tonight, her usual wavy hair attacked by the heat. It is frizzy too, creating a crown of baby hairs around her hairline.

He grabs her wrists, pulling her down to his chest as he pokes at her sides. She laughs, squirming away from him, sitting at the opposite end of the bed. The movie, Heathers, starts playing on the screen, but they are too focused on each other.

"Hands off, the movie is starting," she grits her teeth.

Eventually, they settle, Mara curling up into Elias's tender side. Both have a blanket wrapped around their shoulders as the nights air turns chill. The way Mara is relaxed, her breath fanned one of his ears while the other is pointed towards the speakers.

"I feel like your Veronica, and I'm J.D in this situation," Mara whispers into Elias's ears. The hums of other hushed voices poked around the area as the acting couple on the screen becomes manic. They are going absurd. It is a comical scene.

'Your definitely the crazy one,' he agrees, wrapping her tighter into his chest. He is freezing, using her body heat and the blankets to keep himself warm.

"You'd never commit arson or poison a person for me?" She glances up at him as he tilts his head down. Neither mention that their lips aren't that far apart, breathing their words onto each other's mouths. They just stare into each other's eyes, half of their faces obscured by the darkness of night that blankets them.

'Probably not. Not unless I go totally crazy,' he shakes his head.

"I might have to rethink this entire little relationship we have here," she teases, biting into some of the cotton candy. They'd managed to finish the popcorn and some of the food, but a lot of it still lingers.

'Me too. You're running my street cred,' he signs. Both of their eyes were back on the screen. But neither are paying attention to the mass destruction going on. Instead, they are wrapped up in the little world they built.

"What street cred?" She snorts.

'As a good child,' he shakes his head, messing with the ends of her sleeves. His fingers brush over her arms lightly, but it feels like sparks are dancing on her skin. She is so hot, laying in the dip of his side, but she can't bring herself to move. She enjoys these moments with Elias. They tend to dull the screaming voices inside her head that tell her to wreak havoc.

"Welcome to the dark side," she whispered, hugging his side. It isn't a romantic moment in the slightest, the actor playing J.D is currently trying to light the school on fire. There are lots of noise bounding from the speakers, but tightness bubbles around them, dulling the ruckus.

'As long as you're there, I don't mind destroying my cred,' he smiles, so softly that Mara's heart flutters. He is melting some of her ice, the thin piece of rope keeping her from losing her mind.

Her mother is going crazy at home with Darla's wedding preparations while her father barely exists in their world. And her brother Mateo, who she can sometimes be cordial with, is gone. With Mara alone in a mansion so eerily large, the voices are screaming in her ears, telling her to get out. Telling her to run away, that they are coming to get her.

Elias dulls those voices, so she goes to him instead.

She will always come to him.

---

Authors Note:

Lots of stuff is happening soon so stay tuned.

Thoughts?

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- Nia

Edited 4/1/22