"Eli, if you drop my stuff I swear to GOD!" Kaitlyn said as she walked into the hallway.

"Well, maybe it would help if YOU carried some of your stuff. It IS yours- HEY! Open the door!" Eli said, nearly being hit as it shut.

Kaitlyn rolled her eyes and used her spiky heel to open the door slightly, giving Eli a chance to push himself in just barely. They finally got to her locker and he set her things down on the floor gently.

"Put those in my locker, sweetie." she said, kissing Eli's cheek as she talked and gossiped with her friends across the hall.

The way that Kaitlyn and Eli met wasn't a fairytale. It happened at a local party thrown by one of the students at the school. Those two months ago, Eli had just went through a horrid breakup with Clare. He wanted to go out. He wanted to get drunk. He wanted to not feel this. He ended up going, and 30 minutes and 4 shots of vodka, Eli was stumbling across the party saying hi to people that he didn't even know. He walked in on a spin the bottle game and eventually, some equally drunk girl got it to point to him. They went into the bedroom and, well, didn't come out until morning. They woke up next to each other, naked. Before leaving, however, the both of them had a sober conversation and found quite a few things in common with each other. Eli talked about Clare and how he did this all over a girl, and Kaitlyn discussed how she's misunderstood because he's rich. The both of them found comfort in each other and eventually tried a relationship.

Unfortunately, Eli learned that Kaitlyn wasn't misunderstood at all. She was your typical 'rich bitch'.

As Eli stuffed his girlfriend's things in her locker, Jake, Owen, and Mo walked by.

"Kaity-kins got you on locker duty again, Goldsworthy?" Owen said, trying to stifle a giggle.

"Ha-ha, that was so funny. Last time I heard that, I laughed so hard that I fell off my dinosaur." Eli snapped, wiping sweat from his face.

"Jesus dude, she had you sweating before the morning bell?" Mo chuckled. "Does she put you in time out too?"

"Shut up, lard ass." he snapped and Mo frowned.

"I was joking, dude." he said, walking off with Owen.

Eli sighed. He had done it again. Ever since they started going out, Eli has been highly irritable around other people. He wouldn't dare speak out of turn with his girlfriend, but her hurtful outbursts and insults cause him to snap at other people a lot quicker than most.

"Mo, wait I..." Eli looked down and shook his head, slamming the locker door shut.

"You know, Eli, you really didn't have to say that. You know how he feels about-"

"I know, I know!" Eli cut Jake off. "I'll apologize later, I promise. I just..."

Jake put his hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to take that shit from her, you know that. She's obviously really abusive."

"At times, yeah. But at the end of the day, she makes me happy." he replied, forcing a smile.

Jake gave him a questioning look. "Do you REALLY mean that?"

Eli sighed and ignored the question. "Don't you have a coming out limelight to bask in?"

Jake grinned proudly. He had recently come out as bisexual, and no one seemed to really mind. And while he got shit from the hockey team, he was more than happy with his life now that he was able to be who he was.

"Fine, I can take a hint. But we're not done with this conversation." he said, walking away.

Eli sighed and watched him as Kaitlyn walked over. "What did he want4? Was he talking about me again?"

"No." he lied. "Have a good day."

He went in to kiss her but she turned away. "Not until you walk me to class."

He sighed. "Right... Of course."

The rest of the day was hell for him. He was scolded by the majority of his teachers for being late to his classes, due to walking Kaitlyn to hers first. She forced him to give her his lunch on account of the lunch at school being horrible. He stood and watched her make fun of other people. Eli didn't know what was making him stay with her for so long. Having her be the void filler for his heart was slowly not becoming fun anymore.

As Eli drove her home, she asked something she hadn't asked in a while.

"Wanna go on a date?" she said almost apathetically. But Eli still smirked happily.

"Uh... sure." he said. "Where to?"

"Gepetto's! I hear they have a killer steak." she said.

"Uh, isn't that a reeeally expensive restaurant? I don't think I can afford that while paying car insurance."

"Oh, this ugly thing? You can stand walking to school for a month in exchange for a date with your girlfriend, right?" Eli sighed. "RIGHT?!"

"Fine..."

"Um, I'd lose the 'tude if I were you. I could leave you whenever I want." she snapped as they got to her house. "Pick me up at seven, cutie."

She kissed his cheek and waved goodbye. Eli sat in the driveway for a good 5 minutes to take deep breaths and control himself before driving himself home. There he got himself freshened up for his date. While looking for a shirt, he felt his phone buzz in his pants He pulled it out and Jake's name flashed across the screen.

LumberJake: Chilling at my cabin tonight. If you wanna hang out, come on by.

E: I would, but I have a date. Maybe next time?

LumberJake: Fine... Good luck, kid.

Eli didn't have to ask what he meant by that. He knew that this would be a very interesting night. He slipped on his shirt and drove off to Kaitlyn's, only to find her already on the curb by her house. He pulled up and rolled the window down.

"Babe?" he asked. She didn't say anything and got into the car. "Kaitlyn, what is it now?"

"You really don't know? You're 15 minutes late, Elijah!"

Eli let out an exhausted sigh before starting his car and driving off. "Well excuse me, your majesty."

"As nice as that title is, I think you should start being a little better of a boyfriend. You've been slacking off lately." Kaitlyn stated.

Eli had had enough. He pulled the car over and turned it off.

"Do you have to be so cruel to me all the time? Cause I'm not the one to be emasculated."

"Well maybe if you weren't acting like such a doofus then I wouldn't have to. You're supposed to be treating your girlfriend like a princess, not a peasant."

"Kaitlyn, for fuck's sake, I'M the peasant here. I carry ALL of your stuff, you always fuck up my lunch, and you can be really demanding sometimes." he said.

"Oh quit whining!" she snapped.

"You know, you really had me fooled with that 'I'm misunderstood' line. Congratulations. But everyone, including me, understands you. You're a CUNT!" he yelled, but immediately regretted it.

Kaitlyn was a little shocked, but smiled. "Wow, Eli. You know, this must be why every girl you've been with LEAVES you. You're a sorry excuse for a human."

Eli looked down in shame, the words stabbing him in his soul. But she wasn't done.

"That Julia girl got lucky. " she said coldly, smirking as Eli's eyes filled with tears. "Oh, are you gonna go cry now? Well guess what? You just blew it. Good luck being pathetically alone, Elijah. Take care." she said, getting out the car.

"On second thought, don't."

Everything else was almost a blur. Eli furiously wiped his tears as he sped away to the one place other than his own house that he felt welcome. He got out of the house and walked to the door. He took a second to compose himself as much as possible before knocking on the door.

The door opened and the sound of country rock nearly blew Eli's hair back. Jake stood in the doorway, hand in a Cheetos bag, hair a mess, and towering Eli with his roller skates.

"Eli... Hey." he said. "You ok, buddy?"

Eli looked down. "….. no."

"Do you need to come in?" Jake asked.

He nodded and lightly brushed passed him walking straight to the bedroom. He tried his hardest to keep himself from crying again as he sat down, unbuttoning his shirt. Jake slowly glided into the room and started taking off his skates.

"You wanna talk about it?" he asked softly. "You can talk to me. Really."

Eli sighed and turned to face his friend, tears in his eyes. "Jake, do you think I'm... pathetic?"

Jake furrowed his brow. "Of course I don't."

"…... She dumped me." he said, one tear falling.

Jake, on the inside, was relieved that his friend didn't have to deal with someone as hurtful as Kaitlyn. But at the same time, he knew how much it sucked to be on the receiving end of a break up. And knowing Kaitlyn, Eli was most likely not let down easy.

"I tried so hard for her. I tried SO hard. And in the end, I got burned." he said, standing up. "But this is all my fault though, right? I'm pathetic. I'm a sorry excuse for a human being. Just like she said."

Jake frowned. "Eli..."

"No, Jake, it's true! What am I? What am I to anyone anymore? That's why Clare left. That's why Imogen left. That's why EVERYONE LEAVES! She's right. Julia got lucky. It was fate, her being taken away from me. I don't deserve her. I don't deserve anyone. I... I..."

Eli then broke down into tears. Jake stood up and approached him slowly. He then wrapped his long arms around him. Eli sobbed into his chest and eventually hugged back. Jake rubbed his back.

"It's ok... It's ok to cry. I know, man. I know." Jake soothed, sitting Eli down.

Letting go him finally, Jake wiped away his shorter friend's tears. "Please don't cry over her. It's not worth your tears, man. She's a bitch, we both know that."

Eli sighed and nodded, knowing this was true. "Yeah... I guess I just wanted someone to, I don't know, care about me. I guess I was a little desperate."

"Well... Your family cares about you. Your friends care about you... I care about you."

Eli still looked down. "Thanks."

Jake frowned. "Come on, Eli. Smile! Be happy." As much as he tried, Eli still stared at his shoes.

"I'm not really in the mood for smiles, Jake. I think I'm gonna just crash tonight. Thanks Jake." he said, kicking off his shoes and getting under the blanket. "I'll leave tomorrow."

Jake frowned and got up to leave, but he decided to try one more thing. As Eli sulked under the blanket, he suddenly felt himself being jumped on and couldn't move. He was then rolled off of the bed and onto the floor.

"Jake, what the hell? Get off of- EEP!" Eli felt a slight poke at his sides.

Oh no, he thought. Jake was tickling him. Eli went into the best armadillo position he could make.

"Oh, is Eli ticklish?"

"Jake, I swear to God, don't." he pleaded.

But Jake didn't listen. He went in and attacked Eli's sides. He watched as Eli burst into a fit of adorable giggling. Of course this only lasted 20 seconds before Eli started begging.

"OK JAKE! I'M HAPPY! STOP!" he yelled between laughter and Jake eventually stopped.

"Sorry." Jake chuckled. "I just feel a lot better when I see you smiling."

"Well, you definitely made me smile." Eli said, slightly annoyed but a bit glad that he was trying at the same time.

Jake eventually got off of Eli and put him back into bed, tucking him in and jumping in bed with him.

"Oh, I'll take the couch if you want me to."

"Psh, no. Come on, Eels. Sleep with me tonight."

Eli chuckled a little. "Eels? Do I have a nickname now too?"

"Do you like it...?"

"Well, it's not emo boy. So yeah, I like it." he said.

"Good, I'm glad."

"Look, uh... Thanks for cheering me up, Jake. It may not have been MY idea, but I guess you could say I'm glad you did." Eli said.

"Don't mention it, buddy." Jake said. He took a deep breath and gave Eli a small kiss right below his left eye. Eli began to blush for some odd reason. "You're cute when you blush."

Eli raised an eyebrow. "You think I'm cute?"

"Sure, I guess."

"Oh... Well then..." Eli smirked and gave Jake a kiss in the same spot, this time Jake was the one to blush. "now we're even."

Jake slid a bit closer to Eli and wrapped his arms around him comfortingly. "Don't leave tomorrow morning... Kay?"

Eli nodded, resting his head on his chest. "Okay."

A/N: Wrote this for lonelybelovid. I don't know. I might just continue a little.

BTW. Good to be writing again!