Prince Charmink

15- Didn't even realize

It's been three days. Three days since I've last seen Elijah. He isn't picking up his phone, nor does he text back. I can't believe he actually broke up with me because I found out that we went to the same school.

I also haven't talked to Stacey yet and Jason was currently at my place, watching some t.v. He was my pillow these past few days. I told him about what happened over the phone the same night Elijah and I had a fight. Toby took me home that day and told me that everything was going to be okay and that Elijah just needed his space. Yeah right...

"Could you turn that down, please?" I asked my brother, while looking over another test. I was currently in my room, correcting the children's maths test, which usually always cheered me up. But there was no test that could, after what happened. Gertrude, the secretary also saw that I was in a bad mood and asked if my family was okay and if I wanted to talk about. That just reminded me of the day I spent with Elijah and I became even grumpier.

"Stacey keeps calling me, asking if you were okay." Jason informed me, coming to sit on the edge of my desk.
"I don't want to talk to her. Besides, how did she find out about mine and Elijah's break up?" I glared at him and he held up his hands, an innocent look on his face.

"I swear, I didn't. I haven't seen her since Sunday." He told me.
"Whatever, maybe they're on talking terms now. Maybe they're even a couple now. I don't even care." The pencil I had in my hand broke and I sighed. That was the fifth one this week.

"Okay, I think Stacey's a bitch too. But she wouldn't do that to you." He said and I placed my face in my hands. I knew she wouldn't. No good friend would go out with another friend's ex boyfriend.

"I know. I just don't understand him, Jason. We had an amazing day together and he acted so loving and caring all the time. How could he just break up with me?" I asked my brother the same question over and over again. I just felt like there was way more to it than it seemed.

"Maybe he really was an asshole. I told you, we had a lot of jocks back then that had bad reputations. Maybe he was one of them and doesn't want you to think bad of him. Or maybe he's ashamed. Remember that raping incident in junior year?" He asked me and I gasped.

"That wasn't Elijah. No way." I grimaced and Jason shrugged.
"Would explain a few things. And you're judging him, see?" My brother said. Who wouldn't? But he's not a rapist, no way.

"If I could just see his picture." I said, looking around my room. I've been trying to get a hold of my yearbook for ages, just to see how he looked like back then, but I can't find it. And Jason didn't even have his anymore.

"You wanna look for it again?" Jason asked and I shook my head.
"We won't find it, it's gone. It wouldn't surprise me if he threw it away." Thinking about it now, I'm pretty sure Elijah had something to do with my lost yearbook.

"We just have to look harder, come on. One last time. Maybe I'll even recognize him." Jason said and already started looking for the damn book. I sighed and looked around in my room. Then I moved on to the living room and kitchen. I've already turned the apartment upside down before, so I just barely looked this time.

"You fucking idiot!" I heard and rushed back into my room. I saw Jason sitting on my bed, the book in his hands. What the heck?
"Did you even look under the bed?" He frowned at me and I thought back. Oops.

"Give it to me." I said and he handed me the yearbook. I quickly searched for the page and looked at Elijah's picture. My jaw fell open. Jason started laughing uncontrollably.

"Lanky woods." He managed to breath out and then pointed at me, still laughing.
"You didn't even realize your boyfriend was lanky woods!" I slapped his hand and then looked back at Elijah's picture. His face was pulled in a blank expression, he didn't even smile. When I looked at his senior quote, it was blank. He was the only one who didn't have a senior quote under his name.

"You know if we ever get back together, I'll tell him about your reaction and he'll beat you up." I snapped at my brother and he stopped.
"You wouldn't." He glared at me.

"If you don't stop, I will." I glared at him and he sighed before nodding. We both looked back at the boy with the braces and the thick glasses. I couldn't even make out his eyes because of the glasses. He looked nothing like he does now.

"It makes so much more sense now." I whispered, running my thumb across Elijah's picture.
"What do you mean?" Jason asked me.

"It explains his dislike towards Stacey. It makes sense why he didn't want to get to know you guys in the first place. I mean, you guys made his life hell." I glared at my brother, making him lower his head in shame. Him and Stacey weren't the only ones who bullied him, but they definitely started it.

"I feel the sudden urge to apologize." He said.
"As you should." I said and he looked at me with raised eyebrows.
"Should I?" He asked me and I shrugged. He stood up and  closed the yearbook.

"Let's go then." He said and I frowned.
"Why me? I don't need to apologize, I never bullied. Besides, I don't even know where he is right now." I sighed.

"Yes, you do have to apologize. You invaded his privacy. That's enough reason. Besides, it's fucking time you two talk. Now that you actually know what reason he had not to tell you." He said.

"What? This? How is him being lanky woods a reason for him not to tell me?" I asked and my brother shot me a look.
"Are you serious? His pride is hurt. Would you like your boyfriend to know what a looser you were in high school? Not saying that you were, just you know." He said.

"What's the big deal? He got bullied, but that's nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, you should be the one feeling ashamed. I should be mad at you for bullying him." I glared at Jason.

"Hey, I changed. I want to apologize, so come on." He said.
"Then go, you don't need me for that." He groaned at my response.
"I'm not going if you don't come with me." He said stubbornly.

"Then don't go and I'll tell him you know that he was lanky woods and decided to not apologize to him." I glared and he glared back at me.
"He'll need to pick up your calls for that." He smirked and I looked away from him. He sighed.

"Sorry, that was a low blow. But I really think this will be good for you two. He'll see you again and realize what a big mistake he made." Jason sat back down next to me. I shook my head.

"It doesn't work like that, Jason. He was really upset." I told him.
"But what happens now? What if you never see each other again?" He asked me.
"Then that's it. It's not in my hands, it's in his. I can't force him to stay with me."

And that was the sad, but utter truth.