"Alright, can I have everyone stand up please and come to this side of the room?" Ms. Baker directed to the class, signaling where to go. Everyone stood up and stood aside waiting for instructions. Asher and Elias frowned at each other knowing that this was the seating change.
"I better get placed by Marie." Asher whispered to Elias causing him to laugh. Marie was considered another one of the cutest girls at school, every guy in junior and senior year had swooned over her since middle school. Every guy besides Elias, of course. He never understood why she was so attractive to everyone.
"Yeah, you'll get placed by Marie and watch them put me next to some creep." He joked in response. The teacher then started calling names and assigning them to seats.
"Asher Williams," Ms. Baker called. Asher looked at Elias and fake cried, patted his friend on the shoulder and then made his way to his seat.
Being alone made Elias suddenly uncomfortable as he waited to be called. He was convinced that Ms. Baker was the slowest teacher ever...
After calling a few more names, his name was finally called and he walked over to his seat. It definitely wasn't close to Asher, but it also wasn't across the entire room from him, so he guessed it could be worse.
"Alexander Smith?" The teacher called right after Elias's name, and the tall boy began walking over to his seat which was placed right behind Elias'. Alex glanced at him and Elias looked away quickly.
Elias shifted in his chair uncomfortably when he felt the presence of the boy sit in the chair behind him. It was almost like he could feel his stare. The temptation to look back and find out for himself was almost overbearing, but he kept himself sane.
The rest of the class went on normally without any interaction of that Alex kid, Asher and Elias linked back up and parted their ways when going to second period and that was that.
~~~ At lunch
"This Friday, I heard there was going to be a sick party at Alyssa's. Should we go?" Asher asked, taking a big bite of his sandwich.
Elias shrugged, he was never too into parties. He only went for free alcohol, really.
"Are you crazy, Elias?" Jake exclaimed in shock, shaking hands with Asher in an excited agreement. "You realize we're talking about Alyssa Montgomery, the hottest girl ever?"
Elias shrugged again and widened his eyes as he ate, "Well, I don't know. Who's going?"
"Us." Asher said, causing the boys to laugh all except Elias. "All I know right now is a couple girls and guys from our grade, and all of Alyssa's hot friends." He emphasized.
At this point the boys were peer pressuring Elias by chanting him on and other stupid things guys do when they're trying to get someone to do something for you, eventually, he had to give in. "Alright- fine, I'll go."
"We'll repay you by finding you a girlfriend." Derek suggested.
~~~ The next day
Elias glanced over at Asher in first period. Asher had his head buried in his arms on his desk, appearing to be asleep. He chuckled at the sight and looked back down at his paper when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to Alex with a questioning look.
"Do you have a pen I can borrow?" Alex asked with soft, yet somehow intimidating eyes. Elias paused and began to search through his bag.
"I only have a red one..." Elias murmured, but Alex took it anyway. His slender fingers lightly brushed Elias' ever so gently, it felt like a feather. Nonetheless, the contact still made Elias' breath hitch in his throat. He locked eyes with the dark haired boy for a split second. Alex thanked him and he nodded in return, turning back in his desk to face the teacher.
~~~ After school
Elias and the boys had met up to skate. They had their own secret spot that they had come to since freshman year. It wasn't necessarily hidden, just no one really came to it and eventually they 'claimed' it as their own.
"Where were you, Elias?" Asher asked, walking up to him with a friendly grin.
"I got caught up at the bus. Some lady, she was just, ugh. I don't even wanna talk about it." Elias groaned and shook his head. He laughed a bit.
He began to skate over to Jake and Derek giving them a handshake and making some sarcastic snarky comments. Jake offered Elias a blunt which he obviously accepted without a second thought. He skated around, smoking weed and doing tricks and when it began to get dark, he and Asher sat down on the bench to catch up as Jake and Derek were skating some distance away.
"I feel like we haven't talked like this in a long time." Asher said, blowing out smoke from his mouth. Elias chuckled, coughing a bit from the tingle in his lungs.
"Yeah, it's been awhile." He said quietly, "What's going on? At home and with your family and stuff?" Elias asked, his eyes gazing over Asher in admiration as he placed the blunt in between his lips.
"We've been alright, my parents are good, siblings still annoying, same old same old. Hey- you should come over soon. We haven't hung out one on one in awhile." He replied with a smile, tilting his head a bit in questioning. "We could go swimming or something."
Elias nodded in agreement and Asher nudged him with a laugh. "Yeah, that'd be chill." Elias said, his cheeks slightly pink. That's when he smelled cigarettes. "What's that smell?"
"Someone's smoking cigarettes."
Elias stood up and began to look around. As he walked more towards Derek and Jake, he could hear them talking to someone, but it wasn't each other. He walked in between the two, revealing that Alexander dude from first period.
Alex looked at him curiously and raised an eyebrow, tilting his head up as a greeting. He had a cigarette between his fingers which Elias thought smelled terrible. He always hated cigarettes because they reminded him of his parents who weren't in his life anyore.
"What's going on?" Elias asked, slightly jealous that his friends were talking to this random dude and not him and Asher. There had barely been two days of school since they were back and most of the girls were already drooling over Alex. It annoyed him that he didn't even have to try to get anyone he wanted.
"This is Alex, he's that guy all the girls talk about." Derek laughed with this huge, idiotic smile which made Elias cringe. Asher just stood there awkwardly and silent.
Elias walked towards Alex. He was wearing a leather jacket over some stupid band tee. His dark hair was a mess and he looked very content, assured with himself. Cocky, according to Elias' thoughts. "Can you not find anywhere else to smoke?"
"I didn't realize this was private property." Alex ridiculed sarcastically, a smug and superior expression on his face.
"It's our spot. It has been for years, you'd know that if you've come here before so can't you just go wherever you used to smoke?" Elias' tone was beginning to get more than just annoyed.
"Chill, Eli. He's not bothering anyone." Jake defended, causing Elias to shoot him an offended look.
Alex just laughed to himself which only made matters worse. "I like it here." He said with a small smile. His voice sounded friendly, but behind it there was something else Elias could just not figure out.
"I'm allergic to cigarettes, so..." Asher said in defense of Elias, even though that was a complete lie and everyone knew it.
Alex wasn't dumb, but at this point he was already bored even knowing Asher lied. He stood up, "Alright, I'll go." He glanced at Derek and Jake who waved goodbye to him. He walked off to who knows where and Elias just had his arms crossed in disapproval.
"I hate that guy.." Elias muttered under his breath.
"Why? Do you even know him?" Jake asked, confused and bothered at his friends unnecessary and immature behavior.
"Yes! Well, sorta. He's in my class and he's annoying. He's always acting cocky and like, has this attitude that he rules the world. It's gross..."
"You've known him for two days, Eli. He transferred, don't be that person."
