Chapter 20 Molly #2
Times Square, with all its bright signs and people pressing around us, overwhelms Elijah, I can tell, but he grins and holds my arm tighter as we manoeuvre through the throngs.
‘You like comedy?’ someone asks, and Elijah stops to talk to him, despite me tugging on his arm. Rookie mistake. The man tells Elijah about the comedy shows happening this weekend and Elijah agrees to attend, which is somehow more shocking than him stopping to talk to a stranger in the first place.
‘People usually ignore them,’ I say while we walk away, the show information tucked into Elijah’s pocket.
‘Why? He was perfectly friendly.’
‘There are lots of people asking for things on the street–everyone’s busy,’ I say, though it feels hollow. I’ve gotten really good at disregarding the pang of guilt every time I ignore someone on the street.
‘If you had an eternity of sleepless nights, what would you do with them?’ Elijah asks, answer enough. I blink, startled by the concept, but when he puts it like that, it makes so much sense. I probably would stop in at a random comedy show–it’s not like I’d be running out of time.
My feet ache from the ice skating and walking, but I don’t want to go home yet, so we stop at his favourite bookstore, and the bookseller he told me about is thrilled to see him.
Their name is Kai and they ask me if I liked the minotaur book Elijah got me.
I tell them I devoured it, which is not a lie–the book was fun and well-written and left me wishing I was still in academia so I’d have reason to write a research paper about monster romance.
Kai tells Elijah that the book of poems he ordered is behind the check-out bar waiting for him when we’re done browsing. It’s another thing I have the urge to steal from him and read under my sheet at night as if it’s forbidden.
I pick a book for him, and let him pick one for me, and he buys them both.
Kai loves Elijah and gives him a discount, ostensibly just for existing and for being so friendly and wonderful.
It gives me a sick satisfaction to be the one standing next to him, keeper of his secret, wearer of his scarf. It means nothing, though.
Not something to be worried about.
We sit shoulder to shoulder on the train ride home and when Elijah walks me to my door, he hands me the paper bag with my book as well as the two ornaments he bought earlier.
‘You didn’t have to get me those,’ I tell him. ‘In fact, it’s a little too much like a date if you keep doing things like that. And we’re just friends.’
‘Another birthday present, then,’ he says. ‘Plus, Dylan told me how much rent costs in this city and it frightened me.’
‘I hope you feel a little more human after a night on the town,’ I say, suddenly nervous to meet his eye.
He grabs the front of my coat and tugs me lightly towards him, and now I have to look at him. I’m blushing, I’m sure, but the cold always makes my nose and cheeks red, so I hope he can’t tell.
‘I would like-like to kiss you now,’ he says. ‘In a friendly sort of way. Not like I would if this were a date.’
‘Friends kiss,’ I agree, though I don’t actually kiss any of my friends.
His dimple peeks out from his cheek, and I want to press my thumb into it.
Instead, I let him pull me the rest of the way towards him again, like he’s done a few times now, and I fall into him like I have each time.
It’s a feeling like a quiet hum instead of an electric zap, it must be the vampire thing.
He must have a kissing superpower–it is the only explanation.
I sink into it, his mouth so soft moving against mine, and press my lips together when he pulls away.
Elijah’s eyes search over my face and I’m halfway to inviting him in but hold myself back.
Friends.
‘Will you come for dinner tomorrow?’ he asks, without offering an excuse.
It’s too close to a date, but I nod anyway and his eyes light with delight. He kisses me again, then leaves, his scarf still around my neck, completely unaware of the tumult of butterflies happening in my stomach.
Texts between Dylan and Elijah on 13 November 2026
Elijah: Hope your trip is good so far.
Elijah: Anything I need to know about the appliances in the kitchen before I use them?
Elijah: I can use them, right?
Dylan: Why are you trying to use the kitchen appliances?? You know how to use the microwave
Elijah: I would like to use the stove and oven
Elijah: A cutting board, a knife, a pot, a pan, multiple mixing bowls, and at least three of the measuring cups
Dylan: ????
Elijah: I invited Molly to dinner. I am cooking.
Dylan: When’s the last time you cooked something??
Dylan: also… Molly you say?
Elijah: I have cooked before, though the facilities were different. I’m sure I can figure it out, I’ve been alive a very long time.
Dylan: I will send you some YouTube videos, I need you to watch them all the way through and then call me if you have any questions.
Dylan: pleeeeease do not burn my apartment down.
Dylan: just get takeout like a normal person
Elijah: I’ve located a fire extinguisher just in case.
Dylan: Sounds promising.