Eli’s eyes were slightly red. It wasn’t too bad. If you looked closely it was noticeable, and if you didn’t pay it too much heed, it could be mistaken for sleepiness. At least he hoped it could be mistaken for sleepiness.
Jenny called up the stairs.
Eli sighed. He’d stayed hidden in his room as long as he could. He picked up his bag, noticing how stiff his body moved, and made his way downstairs. He could smell pancakes in the kitchen. He hadn’t come down for breakfast.
“Take something with you in the car.” Jenny moved a pile onto a plate.
“Thanks, but I’m okay.” Eli hovered in the doorway. His dad was sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper. He saw Jenny shoot him a look, and his dad’s stern expression melted. When his dad opened his mouth to speak, Eli ducked his head. “Let Noah know I’m in the car when he comes down.” He left before they had a chance to reply.
He felt stupid. He got worked up over a stupid picture and got into a fight with his dad over it. Fighting with his dad was the last thing he needed right now.
Noah was only a minute behind Eli. He climbed into the driver’s seat, and Eli could see him looking at him out of the corner of his eye. He didn’t start the car. Eli could only take a few seconds of the silence. “We’ll be late.”
“Are you sure you want to go to school?” Noah spoke tentatively, as if expecting Eli to explode at him. Sort of like he had last night. “I can talk to dad if you don’t want to”
“I’m not missing class because of a stupid picture.” Eli didn’t move his gaze from the windscreen. He didn’t want to see Noah’s expression. Last night it had been blurry, and like this, clear and focused, Eli didn’t want to face it.
“Okay.” Noah started the car, “As long as that’s what you want.”
*
Everyone stared at him. It was more than being the new kid. It was friends nudging each other and pointing in his direction, it was whispers following him down the halls and everyone’s burning stares, that weighed heavy on him. He couldn’t get that word out of his head. The tag for the picture: fag.
“Someone’s in a bad mood.”
Cameron’s voice startled him. Eli had been glaring into his locker, trying to fight down the overwhelming annoyance that was quickly rising in his chest once again. Eli glanced up at him, taking in the tousled hair and relaxed stance as he leaned against the lockers. The amusement in Cameron’s eyes rubbed Eli the wrong way.
Cameron raised an eyebrow. “You’re really in a bad mood.”
Eli’s face must have been saying a lot. “I’m sure you can figure out why.”
Cameron shrugged. Eli didn’t figure he’d care either way, given what his Facebook page was flooded with. Eli noticed Noah down the hall, and the anxiety came back. He rubbed the back of his neck, pulling out the final books he needed, and desperately wished for the bell to go sooner. It felt like since Cameron had shown up even more people were stopping to watch.
“Don’t tell me Noah gave you a hard time about it?” Cameron questioned.
“Did I say he did?”
“You won’t look in his direction.”
“Do you want something?” Eli turned to him again, “Or are you just here to pester me about my mood?”
Cameron looked even more amused. “I’m here to pester you.” Eli glared up at him. Cameron’s smile grew, and he leaned in closer against the locker. “Come on, don’t tempt me like that.” He nudged the edge of Eli’s jaw with his knuckle.
“Tempt you?” Eli’s glare turned into a scowl, “How on earth am I tempting you right now?”
“You know how.” Cameron still spoke in a laid-back manner, but there was more of an edge in his gaze. “Acting all defiant like that.”
Eli’s spine straightened. His anxiety was like a coiled monster in his chest just waiting to explode, and Cameron was pressing all the right buttons to make that happen. “Defiant?” Eli repeated coldly.
Cameron’s expression completely lost its amusement. He was staring down at Eli with a glint in his eye, one that Eli identified as excitement. Cameron wanted him to get mad. The last thing Eli was going to do would be to give him what he wanted.
“Defiant, like when we met.” Cameron explained, “Of course you apologised so sweetly after that.”
Eli gritted his teeth and fought to keep his anger from surfacing. The previous embarrassment from their interactions was being thrown into his face, and a wave of defensiveness was rising. Eli refused to give his internal feelings action. “I apologised?” Eli questioned, “I don’t remember that at all.”
Cameron’s eyes narrowed, and Eli saw his jaw clench.
Eli couldn’t help but smile, pleased that he’d managed to aggravate Cameron the same way he was getting under his skin.
His smile faltered when he met Cameron’s eyes. It wasn’t excitement or desire present on his face, it was the domineering guy. The one who’d pinned him down and demanded an apology. Eli hadn’t been able to see him, but he imagined this was what he’d looked like. Green eyes that glinted several shades darker, an intense gaze that froze Eli on the spot, and a tense body, coiled and ready to spring at the slightest provocation.
Eli felt if he moved he would be that provocation.
“Eli.” Cameron’s gaze moved to his shoulder, before slowly climbing back to meet Eli’s eyes, “I said not to tempt me.”
Cameron’s voice sent a shiver down Eli’s spine. It came out low and husky, as though he was suppressing the real tone he wanted to use. It was more than enough for Eli to get the picture.
“Hi you two.” Sinclair’s voice broke through their stand-off, “Trying to stir up the rumours? Or perhaps your waiting for everyone to finish getting to class so you can go at it?”
Cameron’s eyes didn’t leave Eli. “Waiting for everyone to leave.”
Eli notived the hallway was almost completely empty. Eli tore his gaze away from Cameron and closed his locker. “He’s joking.”
“I know he’s not,” Sinclair looped her arm through Eli’s. “But tough luck, you’re coming to class.”
Eli was glad when Sinclair dragged him away from Cameron and down the hall. He didn’t think he could have made himself walk away on his own. Even now it was hard to go further away from Cameron.
“You okay?” Sinclair’s gaze moved over his face. Eli felt like she saw straight through him.
“Thanks for that.”
Sinclair shrugged. “You’ll make it up to me Friday.”
“Do I want to know what Friday is?” Eli sighed, relaxing as they entered the classroom. Relaxed, until he noticed everyone’s not-so-discreet glances in his direction.
Sinclair smiled. “It’s just a party.”
Eli didn’t trust the ‘just’ in that statement.
“It’ll be fun,” Sinclair saw his doubt, “don’t worry about it.”
Eli sighed. “I’ll try not to.”
*
“Did you forget?” Sinclair raised an eyebrow.
Eli had been looking forwards to getting home and curling up in bed. “I forgot.”
“You don’t have to go.” Sinclair saw his expression, “Although it would definitely help you.”
“And who exactly says I need the help?” Eli muttered as he sank into the passenger seat of her car.
Sinclair raised an eyebrow.
“I need it.” Eli sighed. “Whose coming?”
“Kaetlin, Zack and Bruce.”
“So, the lunch crew then.” Eli said, “What about Phoebe?”
“Work.” Sinclair answered shortly.
The study session, to Eli’s surprise, actually involved study. Eli sat next to the window, and Kaetlin squeezed in next to him. They both worked on the subjects they had in common. Zack and Bruce kept the table alive with jokes, while Sinclair kept a watchful eye on the counter.
Bruce leaned over the table to look out the window, “It’s the guys from the football team.”
Zack perked up from the sum he and Sinclair were solving. “Let’s say hi.”
Eli studied the group leaving a jeep as they trotted across the road. He vaguely recognised some of them from school, but it wasn’t anyone he’d met before. Kaetlin didn’t get up as the other three left.
Eli was boxed in, not that he wanted to go, anyway. Judging from Kaetlin’s scowl her reason for staying put was entirely different.
“Someone out there you don’t like?” Eli asked.
Kaetlin looked at Eli, seeming to debate whether she wanted to talk, then dropped her pen onto the table and faced him fully. “It’s Travis. We’ve been talking lately, you know flirty talking, and texting and the other day we, uh, we…” Kaetlin’s cheeks turned pink.
“Had sex?”
“Eli!” Kaetlin shrieked, “Oh my god no, we just kissed.”
Other customers cast glances in their direction. Eli tried not to smile. He turned his head to the window so Kaetlin couldn’t see his amusement. “Which one’s Travis?”
“Straight brown hair, tall, really built, he has the red jumper.” Kaetlin answered quickly.
Eli flicked his gaze over the laughing boy. He certainly looked athletic, and his face wasn’t bad either. “He’s pretty hot.” Eli admitted.
“I know.” Kaetlin sighed.
“So,” Eli turned to her, “Why are hiding in here? Shouldn’t you be out there flirting?”
Kaetlin’s expression twisted into a scowl again. “I would, if he’d stop trying to get with anything that bloody moves.”
“Ah,” Eli blinked, “I see.”
“Yeah.” Kaetlin stood up suddenly. “I’m going to the bathroom.” She snatched up her purse, and Eli spotted the edge of a make-up brush coming out as she left.
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