little lies

"What are you doing here?" She said, pushing the drops of rain back in her hair. She hugged herself thinking she was pretty much a mess. If she cried softly now, Rex might not even notice.

"I was getting gas." He pointed to the gas station not so far away.

She sighed then. He wasn't following her.

"So what are you doing off down here?"

"Nothing, just taking a walk," she lied. This was probably not a time to bring up Kyle.

"You look cold." He stared at her.

"No, I'm just fine." She lied again. Ellie was drenched and she thought her teeth might chatter any second.

He pulled out his sweater from behind the seat. "Maybe this will help."

She pulled the old gray sweater over her head. It swallowed her, but it smelled of him, like cinnamon and hot chocolate. She smiled slightly. She didn't want to smile too much.

It was raining in sheets.

"Do you have to go right home?" He started his truck up. She shook her head, no. She didn't want to go home. She wasn't sure what she wanted to do.

"You look upset. Did something happen?"

"No, nothing happened." She squinted. That was just it. Nothing had happened. She hated being so bitter. Maybe if something happened, she wouldn't be so bitter.