Anissa's trial was over, and from what he heard all because of a certain blonde. The 09er boys who attacked Anissa were found guilty, which he assumed was why she pulled up to his house of New Years with Mucho Gracias Bitch written on her windshield. "Hey Eli!" She smiled brightly, as he frowned at the writing, "You have any windex?"
He nodded mutely, before going into the house, and coming back out with cleaner and paper towels. She held out her hand, but he ignored, spraying the window and getting to work. "You got plans tonight, chica?" He asked, as she sat on the curb and watched him clean her car.
"There's this certain biker I'm planning on kissing at midnight." She smirked, making him chuckle, "Why you have plans?" She asked.
"Well…" He said hesitantly. "Logan invited us to—"
"No." She said bluntly, "I'm not going to an 09er end of the year party again." Suddenly Eli felt like an idiot, Shelly Pomroy's party was always for the end of the year too just a couple weeks earlier. "Logan invited you?" She said confused, breaking his train of thought. Ever since his abuela's heart attack they really hadn't had much time to talk.
"Uh yeah, he comes by a lot to see Abuela." He nodded, continuing to scrub away the words on her windshield. She didn't say anything, just sat with a look of deep thought. He stored the image in his head to draw later. After he got done the photo Logan had brought over yesterday. When he was done cleaning off her windshield, he nodded her inside.
The kids were still with Anita, but Eli doubted that would last too much longer as soon as Anita realized they were keeping the house. Not that Eli minded his niece and nephew. His sister just had a habit of dropping them off without notice. For right now, they were alright financially and Eli was trying to keep it that way.
"Is that the Sinclair's?" Veronica gasped walking into the living room to see where he had set up shop. It was the room with the best light, and his Abuela liked watching him work anyway.
"Uh, yeah." Eli said, looking at the easel in front of him. It was almost done, and it was gonna pay for one of his classes next fall. "You like it?"
"It's phenomenal." She murmured, "But why?"
"They're payin' 600 for it." He shrugged uncertainly, and she whirled around to face him, her mouth agape.
"They asked you to draw their family?" She asked, not quite believing it and he laughed shaking his head.
"They asked Logan to get the man who drew his mother's portrait." He told her, "They got no clue." He went to the table and picked one of the album his abuela had made him start, with pictures of all the ones he was selling, flipping to the first one which was of Lynn Echolls laughing and showed her.
"Wow, it looks just like her." Veronica gasped, and Eli smiled at the comment. "You're really amazing, you know that." She turned to face him and pecked him on the lips with a smile.
"Thanks." He blushed, kissing her again but longer and harder. She pulled away and looked around, her cheeks crimson. "What?" He asked highly amused by her reaction.
"Where's your grandma?" She nearly whispered, her eyes darting around and Eli let out a laugh.
"She guilted Logan into taking her to the Flea Market. He made the mistake of saying he'd never go."
"Logan loves the flea market, his mom used to take us when we were younger. He goes every weekend." Veronica frowned and Eli thought about the conversation earlier. His abuela hadn't wanted to go out anywhere lately, and Eli had mentioned the flea market opening. His abuela instantly made excuses, and Logan had plopped down next to her.
"I don't blame you, you couldn't catch me dead in the place." His abuela had then scolded Echolls' and suddenly decided she need to get out of the house, they had had her cooped up for too long and Logan could take her.
"He tricked her into leaving the house." Eli murmured, shaking his head with a smile. "Dude's smart."
"Wow, you guys are downright chummy." Veronica said, a weird look on her face that he couldn't quite place, but then it was gone and she was smiling, "So what do you want to do tonight?"
"Well," he grinned, "I got a few suggestions." The innuendo heavy in his tone. "But there's also a party at Juan's." At her frown he continued, "It's gonna be low-key, you can even bring Mac." He rushed.
"If it's shady we can leave?" She asked hesitantly.
"Yep." He nodded with a smile.
She gave a sigh, "Yeah okay. Meet me at my house at 8."
"Where you going?" He asked with a frown as she walked toward the door.
"Well I'm not gonna wear this." She smirked, disappearing and the sound of the door signaling her leave.
He was driving towards Veronica's when he saw a familiar scrawny black kid driving down the street, Eli did a double take before following after him. He pulled up to a house which he assumed was Wallace's, or at least his moms, and turned off his bike and yanked off his helmet as the kid got out of his car.
"Yo." He called out to the kid who had gone MIA at the beginning of the year. "Where you been, man?" Wallace turned around surprised and walked up to him.
"Chicago." He shrugged, "Was living with my dad." Eli nodded, remembering Veronica saying something about that.
"You seen V yet?" He asked, a plan formulating in his brain when the kid shook his head no. "Alright, you're coming to a party tonight." He told him, rambling of Juan's address, "Don't show up til like after 8:30."
"Why?" Wallace asked confused.
"Because V needs the surprise." He shrugged, climbing on his bike to meet Veronica at her house. She eyed him suspiciously when he arrived 10 minutes late, it wasn't like him not to be punctual. "Sorry, lost track of time on that portrait." He excused and she nodded, accepting the excuse and climbing on the back.
She couldn't get a hold of Mac and it had put her in a less than celebratory mood. She smiled at the sight of Norris though, and all the boys were happy to see him asking him where he's been hiding, how's his abuela, and et cetera. Veronica frowned at the punch bowl and solo cups, but smiled as Norris offered her a choice of an unopened beer and an unopened soda, and to Eli's surprise she chose the beer.
They mingled and Veronica got to talking to Juan's girlfriend, Carla. It was almost nine, when Eli stepped away from the party and went to his bike to meet Wallace. He was already here, smiling nervously. "You sure this is straight?" he asked, as Eli led him around the side.
"Yeah, man. Everyone but her knows you're coming." That was the truth, he had filled Norris in when he arrived who had let everyone know that the blonde might go into a squealing fit in three…two…one.
"WALLACE!" Veronica exclaimed bolting towards her best friend, "Oh my god!" She squealed, pulling him into a fierce hug as Eli watched the friends unite with a smile. When Veronica pulled away she smiled at Eli.
"This is why you were late." She accused with a grin, stalking towards him as he nodded with a smile. Suddenly he had his arms full of Veronica, her legs wrapped around him and her lips pressed against his. He kissed her back, enjoying the hoots and hollers he was getting from their audience. She pulled away, her cheeks aflame, and he let her climb down away from him. "Let's get you a beer." Veronica told Wallace, pulling him over towards the drinks, leaving Eli with a smirk on his face.
He left Veronica and Wallace alone to catch up, catching sight of them chattering away. It was almost 11:55 when Veronica snuck up beside him while he was talking Norris, "Hey where's your friend?" He asked, wrapping an arm around her.
Veronica smirked and nodded towards the other direction. He spotted Wallace flirting with some girl he didn't know, thankfully not one of his boys' girlfriends. "Carla brought her friend Luci." She told him, "She'll keep him busy til midnight."
"Damn, maybe Carla's got another friend." Norris laughed.
Veronica smirked, with that 'I know something you don't know face', making Eli laugh and ask, "What?"
"Nothing," She mused, and Eli called her out on it, "Alright, I might have a friend…for Norris." That caught his attention because there was only one girl Veronica hung out with, and Norris actually li-
"You better not be fucking with me." Norris demanded eyes wide, "Mac?!" Veronica almost laughed, as she nodded.
"Yeah I mentioned you had wi-fi and she mentioned you guys sit next to each other in computer lab. Didn't know you were such a hacker by the way." Veronica shrugged innocently, taking a sip of her beer.
"And?!" Norris nearly demanded.
Veronica shrugged, "And I called her an hour ago and mentioned you we here." She nodded to the gate where Mac was making her way awkwardly toward the party. Norris wasted no time heading to meet her. Eli laughed at that.
"What, are you playing match maker now?" He teased her.
Veronica smiled up at him, "Yeah, next I need to find a girl for Logan." Eli couldn't help but nod in agreement. As close as he and Logan had become, it was obvious he still held a torch for Veronica.
"TEN!" Juan shouted, as ever body moved around finding who they wanted to start the New Year with. Eli smiled as they stayed still, already together.
"NINE!" More voices joined in, and Veronica smiled brightly looking around.
"EIGHT!" Wallace was whispering something to the Luci girl who was giggling softly.
"SEVEN!" Norris was walking Mac toward the crowd, saying something that Eli couldn't hear, but Mac was grinning and blushing so he assumed it was good.
"SIX!" Juan had Carla on his lap and he nodded toward Eli in respect when he saw his eyes fell on him.
"FIVE!" The blonde in front of him was nearly bouncing in excitement, here bright smile infectious.
"FOUR!" Eli leaned forward, murmuring Te Amo in her ear, as wrapped her arms loosely around his neck.
"THREE!" She replied softly, Je t'aime, and he nearly shivered. Usually the foreign endearments were his thing, hearing them from someone else made him realize how hot it was.
"TWO!" The both couldn't wait, his lips her hers. Both of them clinging to each other, never wanting to let go.
"ONE!" Eli couldn't think of a better way to bring in the new year.
