Saving Eli

Chapter 5||

'Lies and secrets, they are like cancer in the soul. They eat away what is good and leave only destruction behind.'

-Cassandra Day

Last minute preparation was never a good idea but yet a lot of persons, myself included believed that procrastination was the key for success. But as I hurriedly brushed through the pages of my Calculus notebook, I was sure that procrastination was certainly not going to help me in passing this test. I had absolutely no faith at all.

Apart from the fact that our Calculus teacher was a total pain in the ass as he'd see it necessary to pick on me each class, everything he'd taught throughout the semester seemed like nothing more than gibberish to me. Trying to stick the remaining formulas into my brain, I sighed angrily, tempted to chuck the book at Arabella and her calm and collected stature for the exam.

"I can't believe you're so calm right now," I said, annoyance seeping into my tone.

"That's what happens when you study," She said as though she was speaking to a one year old.

"Oh, shut up," I chuckled, giving her a slight shove.

"Now, now Tessa, is that how you treat your best friend?" She asked teasingly, seeming to bask in the glory of being prepared as I wasn't.

In fact, I'd like to believe that Arabella was the only one prepared for the test since about everyone else in the room, much like me, were trying to do a bit of last minute studying. But, there was just about one other person besides Arabella that looked absolutely ready and that was Elijah.

He lazily sat in his chair, tapping a pen repeatedly on his desk with a huff everyone once in a while to prove just how bored he was. He looked completely calm and collected, not a trail of nervousness in sight. And as much as I'd like to believe that he couldn't give two fucks about school, everyone knew for a fact that Elijah was on top of the entire class for Calculus. He was just that good at it. It really did bother me that God had granted him with both LOOKS and INTELLIGENCE. It just didn't seem fair!

"I can see you're ready for this test McCarthy."

With the intention of telling off the person who'd spoken the words beside me, I paused with the realization that there was only one person who insists on calling me by my last name and that person was none other than Elijah himself. The boy who seemed to consume a majority of my thoughts lately.

I cautiously turned around to see that boyish smirk on his face, green eyes lit with menace. I hadn't expected him to talk to me after what had happened last night. The fact that he initiated the conversation shocked me to say the least.

"What gave it away, the hurried page flipping, sweaty palms or my clearly frazzled look?" I rhetorically asked.

He shook his head, that smirk on his face. He was being completely smug about the fact that I was less than prepared and he surely was.

"Procrastination is never the key McCarthy."

"Must you continuously call me by my last name?" There was an obvious hint of annoyance in my tone as I spoke.

"Does it bother you McCarthy?" He playfully stressed on my last name, leaning forward on his elbows.

"Yes, it does, very much," I said.

"Then I guess I'm doing something right," He smirked.

Before I could say anything further, Arabella interrupted. "I really hate to interrupt you love birds but don't you think you should cram a little further, Tess?"