The New Kid (Book 1)

Chapter 18

Colton

It's been one long and totally awful week.

Apparently, I had been sick with something more than just a simple cold, although I forget exactly what the doctor had said, mostly because I couldn't focus enough to actually listen. But what I got from it all was that I needed to isolate myself everyone until I was better.

Including Elliot.

We have been talking everyday, though, so at least there was that. Although the one thing I didn't tell him was that I would be back in school today, and I couldn't wait to surprise him.

It was Monday morning, meaning I had missed an entire week of school. I was so sick of being home that I actually wanted to go back. Anything to get out of here, although I was mostly just excited about seeing my boyfriend.

Once at school, I made my way straight to Elliot's locker, where I knew he would be. As I got closer, I saw him standing there, with his back to me. Perfect.

I wrapped my arms around his waist and he jumped at the contact, turning around. As soon as he saw that it was me, his eyes widened and his mouth fell open and he stood there speechless for a moment.

"Colton?" he finally said.

"Hey, babe," I said with a laugh.

"Can I kiss you?"

I nodded. "I'm not contagious anymore."

I barely even got the complete sentence out when his lips were pressed against mine. I melted into the kiss, pulling him closer to me as his arms wrapped themselves around my neck.

God, I missed him.

A warning bell rang out through the hall, making us step back from each other, huge smiles on both of our faces.

"I missed you," Elliot said, before turning back to his locker to pull out the rest of his books for class.

When he shut his locker a minute later, he faced me again and I noticed something. I studied him for a second, and just as he was about to question me, I spoke. "Did you grow?"

He laughed. "Yeah, a little bit. I have to get new jeans soon." Just by one glance down at his ankles, I could tell that they were, in fact, getting a little short, but they weren't too bad yet.

"You know, if you keep growing, you might end up taller than me. And that's totally unfair."

"How is that unfair? Because you're older than me?"

"Yup." I gave him a quick kiss. "Now I need to go to my locker before the late bell. You coming with me?"

He thought for a second before shaking his head. "I promised Emily I'd help her study for the quiz we have later before first period because someone told me he still wasn't coming to school today."

I smirked. "Sorry. But lying is a lot easier when I'm texting." I motioned down the hallway to where he first class was before he could say anything, then gave him a quick kiss. "Go. I'll see you later. Good luck on that quiz."

"Thanks." He smiled, kissing me again. Then I watched him walk down the hallway away from me.

~

Just from my first two classes, I had already gotten so much work that I needed to make up. It was totally ridiculous how much I had missed. Why did I have to get that sick?

Sinking down into my desk chair in my pre-calc classroom, I sighed, trying to figure out what the equation on the board was supposed to mean. I had absolutely no idea.