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We looked out for each other. He copied my homework, tests, and quizzes so he would pass. If a girl was getting too clingy for him, I got rid of them. If a guy was trying to get with me, we had a signal that told him if I was okay with it or if I needed him to intervene.
Eli was just… comfortable. He was the first person who I felt like I could be my authentic self with. If I was having a shit day, he was there with things to cheer me up. If I was having some kind of anxiety, he’d cuddle me and tell me it would be okay.
Sophomore year, we branched out a bit with our drug experimentation. In particular, we got into stimulants. Sleeping was a waste of valuable time. There were parties to attend. Trouble to find.
Things spiraled out during our junior year. That winter, I was sitting in health class when Eli strolled in and sat down next to me. He looked like hell, which was odd because he needed his pretty face to attract the ladies.
I knew Eli’s parents weren’t the greatest. Mine weren’t either. Mine, because they rarely seemed to give a shit what I did. They ignored me. Eli would tell me that his parents, in particular his mom, hated him. I believed he believed it. They certainly spoke to him that way.
“Shit went down last night,” he whispered.
I glanced at the teacher before hissing back, “I told you to stay at my place. You were too drunk to go home.”
“It was bad, K. Like the cops were called.”
Ignoring the fact our classmates were already shooting us looks, I stood up, grabbed his arm, and dragged him to the hall. “What the fuck do you mean the cops were called? Your dad called the cops?”
He scrubbed his hands over his face. “It was the neighbor.”
I put a hand on his arm and glanced around the hallway to check for people who might overhear. “The neighbor? What the hell happened?”
“My mom isn’t my mother.”
“Look, I know you hate her. I’m not a fan either, but—”
He knocked my hand away and rubbed at his eye. “No, last night I found out that she literally is not the woman who gave birth to me.”
“Connect the dots, Elijah.” As I was saying this, the teacher, Mrs. Lamorne, came out into the hall to reprimand us for leaving class. I gave her a ‘try me, bitch’ look and I could see her ease up a bit.
Eli looked over at her and then at me. “Long story short, there was an argument, and my dad threw me off the front porch. Like shoved me down the stairs.” Mrs. Lamorne’s eyes went wide before she went back into her classroom, shutting the door behind her without a word.
Rage filled my body. Eli was six inches taller than me and wasn’t scrawny, but who the fuck pushes their kid down the stairs? I was ready to beat the shit out of his parents myself.
“And that’s when someone called the cops?” I seethed.
“I guess.” He shrugged. “But I also lost my shit and punched him in the face, so we both got hauled in.”
I ran a hand through my hair. “To recap, Angela isn’t your mother, Jack shoved you down a flight of stairs, you punched him, they brought in both of you on a domestic dispute and then, of all places, you came here?” Why the hell was this kid in school?
His posture sagged. “It’s where I knew I’d find you. You were already here when they released me.”
“Are you okay? Where is Jack?”
He nodded, but then shook his head. “I don’t know.” Scanning him for injuries, I noticed some scratches and bruises on the parts of his arms that were exposed by his short-sleeved shirt. I had so many questions.
We needed to get this sorted out.
“Meet me outside. I need to go in there and grab my stuff. Do you have a coat?” I asked, and he shook his head. “There are a couple hoodies in our locker. Grab one; it’s cold.”
I slipped into the classroom to gather my stuff. “Miss Roberts, a word?” Mrs. Lamorne called me from her desk at the front of the room. “I can’t let you leave without reporting it.”
“Give me ten minutes?” I asked.
“I can’t give you special permission because your father is a congressman.”
My cheeks immediately flushed with irritation. “That’s not why I’m asking. I’m asking because my best friend’s father assaulted him last night, and this isn’t where he needs to be right now. You heard him. I’m not saying don’t report us leaving, I’m asking for ten minutes before you do. The last thing he needs right now is to explain it to administration.”
To my surprise, she nodded. I thanked her and made my way to our usual spot outside. I led him away from campus to where I had texted someone to pick us up. A car rolled around minutes later, and I tugged Eli in.
