Picture Perfect

Chapter Twenty - Elliot

Happy Monday, loves. I hope you're all having a wonderful start to the week. Here's some lovely Elliot and Adam time.

Love, Cam

♡

Chapter Twenty

Elliot

I left the gym feeling a tiny bit like I'd been on a reality TV show, but not one of the fun ones, one of the ones that humiliates people for an audience. I felt slightly sick. I hated lying, and I sucked at it, too. Rowan had frequently told me that while I was aces at board games, I would never be able to boss a poker match.

"Balls," I muttered to myself, ignoring a woman in the street giving me a weird look.

Of all the gin joints in the world, I had to be in that one. Typical. It was pretty obvious that Tyler hadn't told Colin, and it certainly hadn't been the time to tell him then, but that had left us in an uncomfortable façade in which we pretended just to have a teacher-parent relationship. Even Saskie had looked awkward, and it was nigh on impossible to make a five-year-old feel any sense of social embarrassment.

I got home as quickly as I could, and showered, trying to wash the cringey feeling off me. It didn't work. 

Spice was feeling particularly dramatic that afternoon, and flopped on the floor at my feet while I tried to dry off, meowing pitifully because she wanted attention. I wrestled with my towel, trying not to trip over her, and then scooped her up and plopped her on the bed as I lay down next to her.

"Spice," I told her, very seriously. "I had an uncomfortable social encounter and I need some support. Can you handle that?"

Spice headbutted my face, probably in a show of affection, but happened to poke me in the eye with her very cold, wet nose. That did not help my mood, but I appreciated the attempt.

"Thank you," I said, and grabbed hold of her for a cuddle. She struggled for about five seconds and then realised I wasn't trying to put her in her carrier for the vets, and settled against me, purring loudly. That, at least, did help my mood.

We snuggled for half an hour, but my brain was going a million miles an hour during it, and Spice didn't help by letting me know she was done with the cuddle by smacking me on the arm and running away.

I groaned and stretched, feeling my spine crack and pop as I twisted it. I was sore from the gym; I'd pushed it a little too hard. I was feeling bruised inside and out, and there was only really one place that made me feel better when I was suffering from something uncomfortable. The weather was nice, for once, and I took my motorbike out of the little shed I had round the back of my house, and dusted it off quickly.

It helped to zip down the streets on my bike, but it wasn't until I reached Rowan and Adam's house that I started to feel a little better. I knew that Adam at least would be home, although I felt a little guilty for not giving him a heads-up. I parked up and knocked on the door, taking my helmet off.

Adam answered the door and frowned. "Hey, Eli. Was I expecting you?"

"No," I replied. "Just fancied dropping by."

"Well, you're always a welcome presence," Adam opened the door and ushered me in. "I should let you know, though, Rowan isn't in. She's speaking today at a group at the LGBT centre, talking to parents of trans kids."

"That's okay," I replied, and flopped onto the sofa. "Is it okay if I just hang out for a bit? I was getting in my own head being alone."

"Sure," Adam said, and picked up the book he had been reading, sitting back in his chair. "Is this a sort of hang-out where you want to talk to me about things, or is it the sort of hang-out where you actively want me to just be quiet and read my book?"