To The Moon And Back | ON HOLD

04 | Deneb

E L L I E

Lunch rolled by faster than I anticipated. Half of me–the half that is desperate for a romantic movie love life–was looking forward to having lunch with Xavier.

But, the other half–the half that swore to never attend another high school party following the complete downfall of a 4-year crush on an unsuspecting victim courtesy of my experience with the dating life or lack thereof–wanted nothing more than for second period to drag out through the day.

In hindsight, I was shitting my plaid school skirt, but I was also on the verge of a heart attack from just the thought of having to see and speak to him.

When I arrived at the cafeteria, I made it my duty to not ponder on a simple human being as if he were anything remotely close to Taye Diggs or Michael Ealy. He's just a high school boy, Ellie, get over yourself.

"Hey, guys," I mumbled dryly as I lowered myself down opposite Lizzie and Stewart. "Where's your lunch?" Stewart asked, his beady eyes penetrating through mine. Stewart and I have been friends since pre-school. Again, there isn't a magical story behind the making of our friendship, we just stuck to one another because it felt right.

He didn't go to the same elementary school as Alec, Lizzie and I. But since our parents were in the same country club it was easy to maintain our friendship. Luckily for me, he enrolled in this high school three years ago.

Do you know that awkward moment where you have two completely different friend groups that have absolutely nothing in common with one another when you decide to merge them?

Yeah, that's how it was for Lizzie and Stewart. However, over the past three years, we've managed to create a neutral ground whenever we were all together, but spending one on one time with these two has left me baffled as to how they can even stand staying in the same room with one another. "I don't have an appetite," I said, swivelling my eyes away from them.

Alec approached our table, two trays of food in his hand. I groaned at the sight of him, knowing that this was just another one of his, 'my sister is dying so I'm gonna be nice to her from now on' moments. Yes, it felt nice seeing my brother act like a functioning human being for once but again it was just a constant reminder of my impending doom.

He's doing to me exactly what Lizzie and Stewart did, but more subtly. "Hey ugly, hello milksop." He said, acknowledging my friends with his god-awful insults. Lizzie flipped him off whilst Stewart resumed eating his lunch, shaking his head in disbelief. "Lie, I got you lunch. Call it twintuition but I knew you wouldn't get it yourself."

Though I wanted to rip his face off for calling me Lie, a nickname he thought was ironic given my name is Ellie; I thanked him, taking advantage of this rare opportunity where my brother doesn't act like an asshat.

Before I could dig into my lunch, a familiar face appeared at the entrance of the cafeteria. How did I see him so quickly? I was DEFINITELY not searching for him.

Hesitantly, I stood up and shot my hand into the air, waving frantically. "Xavier!" Please god say you've changed your mind and you don't want to sit with me. Please god say you want to see my beautiful face again. Jesus why can't I make up my mind!? At the sound of his name, his head turned towards me and his face which was once solemn lit up.

"E-Ellie, who the hell is that?" Lizzie stuttered as she grabbed my wrist, drawing the table's attention towards Xavier who approached us swiftly. He rose his hand to his head and waved, his smile never once breaking until he was standing directly over me, once again stealing what little air I had in my lungs.