The year had just started. My sister, Nina, had graduated last year. I walked up the stairs. My feet felt like lead bricks. I took a deep breath, I walked in with the little confidence I did have. My locker stood at the end of the hall. A boy was next to it trying to shove papers in his locker.
"Need help?" I asked grabbing a couple of papers that fell on the ground.
"Thanks." he said eagerly.
I opened my empty locker. He turned his and glared at me. His hazel eyes shined, and his pale skin glimmered while the black clothes made him look mysterious. I quickly shook my head trying to shove books and my jacket into my locker. My messenger bag fell with all my books and papers in them.
"My turn to help." He smiled grabbing a black notebook with loose leaf papers sticking out at every end.
"Lena." I said.
"Eli." He smirked.
His smile was his best feature. His eyes gleamed, his skin sparkled and his smile beamed.
I shoved my books in my messenger bag, my eyes still locked to his.
"Can you show me Ms. Dawes room? I have English and don't-" I was cut off.
"Down the hall two doors down on your right. I'll walk you. I was headed their right now actually.
"Ms. Lena," Ms. Dawes said. "Do you have your assignment?"
I quickly yanked a neat clean piece of paper from my red and black binder.
"Partners for the semester, all of you great writers, but you need another opinion. I had you write a sample letter for me assign you partners. Lena Webster, Eli Goldsworthy-." She continued stating all of the other partners.
Eli turned to me and smiled. I tried to hide my blush, but it wasn't possible. I began sketching Eli's face on the inside my notebook. For the rest of class, I had only one thing on my mind- Eli.
After class I walked to my next class, computer. In the corner of my eye I saw someone pressing a student to the lockers. I hurried over to person who was shoving someone and yanked their arm down. The student fell to the ground and hurried away.
"What just happened?" he nearly yelled.
"You were attacking that guy and I stopped you." I said flatly.
His face was beginning to turn bright red. He lifted his arm when Eli came and stopped him.
"What now?" he yelled.
"Let it go Fitz." Eli said sternly.
Fitz smiled and threw the punch at Eli. He fell to the ground with everyone staring. I helped Eli up and walked him to the nurse.
"Are you ok?" I asked as we walked away from the scene.
He nodded. He walked upright and began hold his face. The nurse saw he was hurt and didn't say anything. I spent most of my next class tugging on my jacket. As soon as the bell rang, I darted out and headed to nurse to check on Eli. I hurried down the hall to the nurse's office.
"Hey, Eli. Are you there?" I asked
"Lena?" he asked.
"I came to see if you're ok." I said nervously.
"Well I am." He said as he got up.
He opened the door for me and walked me to my next class.
The next day he met me at the school parking lot.
"Hi." I smiled.
"Hello." He said walking towards me.
A boy was walking up behind him. Eli turned around and greeted him.
"Lena, this is Adam."He gestured.
Adam smiled at me.
"Torres?" I asked.
He nodded.
"Wait, you're the guy Fitz was picking on yesterday." I said
"Unfortunately." He said sadly.
"I tutor your brother, Drew. Or I'm supposed to next week." I said.
"Aha, you're going to help my brother pass?" He began to laugh.
"I'll try."I laughed.
We began to walk to the school. I saw Fitz in the corner of my eye. I motioned Eli and Adam to move over away from him. Adam hurried inside. When I began to walk through the doors, Eli stopped me.
"Lena?" he asked.
"Yeah?" I asked.
"You look really nice today." He said sweetly.
"Thanks."I blushed.
"E-Li" a familiar voice taunted.
"Fitz." I muttered.
"Two syllables, good for you." He said sarcastically.
"You don't know when to shut your mouth do you emo boy." He said.
"Just apologize for harassing Adam and punching me in face then we can go our separate ways and going on to ignoring each other's existence." Eli said.
"Ok, I'm sorry, for your nards." Fitz said.
"My nards wait-"
Fitz kicked Eli in the groin. Eli fell to the ground curled up. Fitz laughed and walked inside. I knelt down by him.
"Is there anything I can do?" I asked.
"Don't touch anything!" he said weakly.
We walked down the hall to class.
"I am going to punch him." Eli muttered.
"I wouldn't blame you for wanting to. But,-" I was cut off.
"But what Lena?" he asked aggravated.
"Don't you think he'll just try something again? Maybe someone else will get really hurt." I tried to reason.
"Maybe instead of arguing about Fitz, we could hang out at the Dot after school?" Eli asked.
"Yeah that would be great." I beamed.
The rest of the day I was half paying attention, I was trying to make my black jeans, a striped black, purple top and a grey sweater look amazing for my "date" with Eli. It took forever for the final bell to ring. When it did I raced to the front of the school for him. He had beaten me there.
"Hey Lena, ready to go?" Eli asked with his glorious smirk.
"Yeah, let's go." I said blushing.
We walked to black vintage hearse, Morty. I took my seat in the passenger seat. Eli turned on the radio.
"Paisley Jacket, Dead Hand will be on after a few short commercials!" The radio guy yelled.
"That's my favorite song by Dead Hand."I said.
"Same here." Eli laughed.
We drove to the Dot belting to Paisley Jacket. As we got out of Morty we saw a familiar face that we knew would ruin the date. Fitz.
"Eli let's go." I said worried.
He nodded. He drove us to a nearby Starbucks. We sat down in the back trying to get some homework done. But, we were too distracted by each other to focus. We started finding out we had a lot in common. We had the same taste in music, books, T.V shows, movies and cars. His hand reached for mine. His soft fingers brushed mine. I wanted to lean in to kiss him, but I couldn't. It didn't feel right here.
"Let's go. I know a better place to be." Eli said mysteriously.
I quickly followed him to Morty. We took our seats in the car and drove off. After a little while we were in an empty parking lot to a vintage C.D store.
"I'm having a great time." I said.
"The night is still young." He said.
We walked in and directed me to the back storeroom.
"What are we doing here?" I asked.
He took my hand and directed me farther down the hall.
"Eli?" I asked and laughed. "Where are we going?"
"Here" He said.
He opened the door to large room with old bands from the 70's. Albums and were in huge piles all over the room. The room was decorated with white twinkle lights and concert posters. He leaned over to an I-Pod dock and pressed to an I-Pod dock and pressed play. The song "Hotblack" by Oceanship began to play. He reached out his hand. I hesitated, but let him take it. He pulled me in and began to dance.
"Eli, this is amazing." I blushed.
He smiled and leaned his head closer to mine. I pressed my lips to his. I felt his warm mouth intertwine with mine. He ran his fingers through my hair. My arms went around his neck and he slowly took his lips away from mine. I was breathless. Eli leaned again and pressed his lips to mine. The world was spinning and colors were shining, it was a different world.
The next day I didn't see Eli. When I tried to call him it went straight to voicemail.
"Adam, do you know where Eli is?" I whispered.
"No." he responded flatly.
I sunk into my chair trying to pay attention to Ms. Dawes.
After school I walked to Eli's house. I knocked on the door. His mom answered the door.
"Yes?" she asked.
"Is Eli there?"
"Isn't he at school?"
I shook my head. His mom sighed. She scribbled down something on a piece of paper.
"He's probably here." she said as she handed me the paper. Then she shut the door.
I took the the bus to the location which was the side of highway leading out of the city. There was his car with him in it crying. I ran out of the bus to Eli's car.
"Eli!" I yelled.
The rain began to pour. He unlocked the door. He had something in his hand.
"Lena what are you doing here?" he sniffled and shoved the object in his pocket.
"You weren't in school, you didn't pick up your phone and you weren' at your house-"
"You were at my house?" he asked
I looked down.
"Eli, what's wrong?" I asked.
"I'm sorry I gave you the wrong impression, let drive you home." Eli said sadly.
"But Eli, you kissed me back, you took me on a romantic date and we danced, you're saying I need to forget that."
"I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you but I can't."
"Tell me what Eli?" I nearly yelled.
He began to drive.
"Stop the car."
The car didn't stop.
"Eli I said stop the car!" I said on the verge of crying.
I got out of the car and began walking in the rain. He got out and ran to me.
"Lena, what are you doing?"
"Walking home."
He looked into my eyes and could see I was crying.
"Lena." he whispered. "I'm sorry but I can't."
He reached for my hand but I pulled away.
"I thought there was something, but I guess there wasn't." I began crying.
I turned away leaving him in the rain as he watched walk away.
