ch4

from reading all those letters."
She nodded. "I'm surprised you actually read them."
"Well, they take the time to write to me. It's only courteous that I at least read them."
"But it takes up so much of your time... you could be off, doing something else."
"Like what?"
"Spending time with me."
"Oh ya," he laughed, looking at the wall to his right.
"What!?!" she laughed.
He turned and looked at her, giving her one of his sympathetic smiles.
"Don't give me one of those smiles!!!" she shrieked.
He kept smiling.
"Stop it!"
He finally started to laugh, seeing how worked up she got over just him smiling. The rest of the meal was enjoyable.
The next day was a little different though...

"Molly, where is Elijah?"
"He's in the mail room."
"Errr..." she softly growled as she walked down the hallway.
There was a loud rasp of a knock on the door. Not waiting for an answer, she burst into the room.
"Elijah," she said with a little edginess in her voice.
"Ya?" he said cooly, looking up from his letter.
"What are you doing here?"
"What does it look like?" he said, noting the obvious.
"I thought we got this straight yesterday."
"What?" he asked, being difficult.
"I thought we'd agree that you'd quit reading and start spending your time wisely."
"No, you agreed that I'd quit reading. I never said anything," he said, looking back to his letter.
"Elijah..." she whined.
He looked back to her. "It means a lot to me that they take time out of their day to write to me. It's only polite..."
"Listen to yourself! You know who you are?!"
He rolled his eyes and looked back at his letter. "Not again," he thought.
"You're Elijah Wood! THE Elijah Wood! You have more important things to do than read meaningless words from everyday people you don't even know!"
"Meaningless words, huh?" he asked, not really listening, so that he wouldn't get mad.
She went over and picked up one of the letters from the 1st pile.
"Dear Elijah,
         I love you so much! Will you marry me? At least go on a date with me? Hey! If you're ever in Nashville give me a call!
                                                                           (# # #) # # # -# # # #
                                                                                                        Love,
                                                                                                            Ashley," she read in a dramatic tone. She raised her eyebrows. "Meaningless words. They don't even know you! Give me a break!"
"What is your name?" Elijah asked in a toneless voice, still looking through his letters.
"Elijah..."
"What is your name?" he repeated himself.
"Heather," she sighed. "But..."
"And my name," he said as if talking to a child, "is Elijah. I'm twenty-one. I think I know what's good for me by now," he said, finally looking a her. "And, my name doesn't change who I am."
"No, but being who-you-are gives you certain rights, and privledges..."
"That's bull," he said, in a dead serious tone, not showing a hint of sarcasm.
She stood there for a minute, seeing if he was really mad. Which, by now, he was.
"You're so cute when your mad," she said, trying to lighten the mood.
When he didn't answer her, she let out an exasperated sigh.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know it was so important to you."
"How could you not? I've told you already, twice!, what it means to me. Were you not listening?"
"No," she thought, but what she said was, "Elijah, I love you. I just want you to be happy."
"You sure aren't acting like it."
She leaned down and kissed his lips, but he just sat there. She quickly straightened up.
"Know what? I'll see you tomorrow. Maybe you'll listen to me then."
"Don't turn this around on me," he said, as she left.