Five Weeks to Forever [BxB]

Chapter 2.

"Yea, I do." I showed him. "But bell bottoms? Really? Aren't those like.. Really old school?"

"I mean, yea." Eloise shrugged. "They're totally making a comeback, though, trust me."

"How do you know that?"

"Because Madeline White made a tiktok about them!"

I gave my phone a droll stare, rolling my eyes as I reluctantly agreed to wear the jeans. Eloise knew a lot more about fashion than I did, so I mostly listened to his advice, as stupid as it seemed sometimes. He was usually right about this sort of stuff.

"Alright," I said after I tugged on the pants and the sweater, turning to look at myself in the mirror. "How do I look?"

Eloise hummed a bit.

"Like a Harvard student going out to their local cafe to drink overpriced coffee and study for their upcoming midterm."

I lifted an eyebrow inquisitively, looking over to my phone.

"In a good or bad way?"

"Good way."

I rolled my eyes at Eloise's weird analogy, saying my goodbyes to him before he hung up on me. Something about him being late to dress rehearsal.

I turned back to my mirror, giving myself another once-over to make sure I actually looked presentable. It's not that I didn't trust Eloise's judgment, it's just that he had a tendency to dress himself as a glitter hoe, and the last thing I needed was to show up at Matthew's house looking more gay than I already am.

I really didn't look half that bad, I realized as I stared at my reflection. At least, my outfit wasn't. I couldn't say the same about the rest of my body.

When puberty left me hanging back during freshman year, it never really seemed to come back around and finish its job, leaving me with a round baby face and a short frame. It didn't help that I pretty much never worked out, meaning my lithe build made me look even more like a twink. I was jealous of all the other boys at school, with their muscular arms and well defined chests. They had bodies to be proud of.

Even Eloise, who was about as anti-exercise as I was, looked better than me. I'm guessing it had something to do with how much dancing he does in theater.

It seemed like everyone around me was fleshing out into adulthood, and I was just.. Being left behind.

"Elliot!" A voice called from downstairs. "Lunch is ready!"

I frowned, glancing over at the digital clock on my night stand, seeing the flashing numbers display twelve thirty on its face.

Jesus, I thought. I could've sworn it was just ten.

I guess time really does fly when you're lost in thought while staring at yourself in the mirror.

Who knew.

"Coming, mom!" I hollered back, smoothing a hand through my hair and adjusting my crooked glasses as I scurried out of my room, heading down the stairs. They led me down to the main living room, adjacent to the kitchen, where my mother was stirring something in a pot. She looked up when she saw me, beckoning me over with a hand.

My mom was a petite lady, with black hair, peppered with gray from age, and soft green eyes like forest leaves. I inherited most of my traits from her, like my height and hair color, but didn't get that last thing. My eyes were a dull shade of poop brown, just like my dads.

When I was younger, I would spend hours wishing and praying that my eyes would magically change colors. I thought that if I had green eyes, then I would be like Green Arrow from DC.

Not sure why I wanted him, considering he's the dumbest superhero in the entire franchise.

I mean, seriously, you had Wonder Woman, a giant, buff, American woman with a truth-telling lasso, you had Batman, a night stalking vigilante and enough trust issues to financially support a couple of therapists, and then you had Green Arrow?

A bi-rate robin hood with a stupid bow and arrow gimmick?

Give me a break.

This was something Eloise and I disagreed on a ton. We liked to get together on Sunday afternoons and binge superhero movies. We got into arguments on who was the best and strongest. I was a diehard Iron Man fan, and he liked Spiderman and the aforementioned Green Arrow.