The Beautiful Monster

After they ate all they could bring themselves to, they headed out of the diner and back into the night. The sun would be rising soon, but Alyssa planned on sleeping until at least noon. She needed the rest, and she bet that Elias did too. He had been with her for hours now.

Elias drove them back to the dorm parking lot and parked near the gate. He turned to her.

"I had fun tonight. Well, this morning," he told her.

"Me too. You completely turned my night around," Alyssa told him. While she was with him, she had completely forgotten about the disaster that happened at the party. He often took her mind off of things. It was another reason why she liked being around him.

"I'm glad. If you ever need a day or night turned around, call me," Elias replied with a playful wink.

That single expression nearly knocked all of the air out of her lungs. Alyssa lowered her head as she smiled, trying to hide her blush. She pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear before lifting her head.

"I will," she said before undoing her seatbelt and opening the passenger's door. She slipped out of the car and was about to walk off until she heard his voice again.

"You look really nice tonight."

Alyssa turned back to him and gave him a grateful look. That was a nice little ego boost. The compliment weighed heavier coming from him because she knew he wouldn't lie to her. Plus, he was incredibly handsome. She didn't think that she was anywhere near his level.

"Thank you. Good… morning," she said with a light laugh. It was automatic to say goodnight, but they were way past nightfall.

"Good morning, Alyssa," Elias replied as he gazed at her.

Alyssa shut the door to his car before heading through the gates toward her dorm. A fluttering sensation filled her whole. She replayed his compliment and his wink over and over again in her head. She couldn't believe that she had already developed a crush so deep that would probably never be reciprocated.

It was like she was trying to break her own heart by developing feelings for someone like him. Then again, better she did it than him. That was an ache she didn't think she'd ever be able to move past.

Alyssa smoothed down her white blouse for what felt like the hundredth time as she walked across campus with Zoe at her side. She had an interview for an on campus desk job that she really hoped she got. The extra money and experience would be great for her, and it wouldn't be that demanding. She would work part time during the week, organizing paperwork and answering phone calls.

"If you pull on that blouse anymore, it's going to rip," Zoe warned her before biting into the slice of pizza she snatched from the cafeteria on their way through campus. "Why did I not plan a lunch break between my classes? I'm an idiot."

"Maybe you can pack something?" Alyssa suggested. She had gotten a banana to go because her nerves basically ate up her hunger. She just wanted to get this interview over with. Then, she could relax. Luckily, she had already gotten her two classes out of the way this morning.

"Do I look like a mom?" Zoe scoffed before stuffing the entire crust of the pizza into her mouth.

A laugh broke from Alyssa as she shook her head at Zoe. She never thought she'd be close friends with such an extrovert, but a lot of things had taken her by surprise this year.

"I've been hanging out with Elias a lot this week," she commented. She glanced down at the tips of her black flats, but she knew that Zoe was smiling at her. She might've mentioned to Zoe that she had a bit of a crush on Elias. She figured that Zoe would find out one way or another.

"You need to make a move on him," Zoe said as she nudged Alyssa's side with her elbow.

"What? No! He'll reject me, and I'll just be embarrassed," Alyssa muttered. She knew that he would be nice about it, but it would still crush her. She could avoid that pain if she didn't even try.

"Aw, come on. You guys have chemistry!" Zoe argued.

"He's just being nice," Alyssa replied. He was a nice person. He knew she was socially awkward, so he was just being accommodating. That was all there was to it. She'd be a fool to look too deep into it.

"He's not that nice to me or any other person I've seen him talk to," Zoe pointed out as she lifted her eyebrows.

Alyssa fell silent. She didn't know how to respond to that. It made a brief flicker of hope spark in her chest, but she pushed it away. It still didn't prove anything.

"He's really sweet. I just don't think I'm even close to his league," she sighed. She had seen so many pretty and smart girls around campus. She knew that some of these people were going to go on and do great things. She hoped to achieve the same, but who said she would? Why would he take a chance on her out of all people?

"You know, you're way prettier than you think you are," Zoe replied as she gave Alyssa a pointed look. "You can deny it all you want, but you don't see yourself how other people do."

Alyssa lowered her head again and shrugged. She knew that Zoe had a point, but she didn't want to get ahead of herself. She didn't want to march ahead with confidence only to get turned down. It would take forever to recollect that crushed confidence.

"I'll see," Alyssa sighed. "I'll see if we get closer. Maybe I'll say something to him then."

Zoe brightened up at that. She threw her arm around Alyssa's shoulders and squeezed her.

"That's my girl! You guys are going to be the cutest couple. I can already see it."