After they finished, Elias walked downstairs a bit wobbly to see that Asher was back. The boys all stared at him wide eyed, big grins plastered on their faces as if he had just won some sort of trophy or championship.
"What did you guys do?!" Jake demanded to know, eager and curious.
Elias shrugged mysteriously, "I don't fully know myself." His eyes darted to Asher, "There you are. Where the hell were you?"
"I'll tell you later." He mumbled with this attitude Elias couldn't quite figure out.
~~~ Monday, at lunch
"Wait, you're saying you and Claire are back together?!" Elias yelled at Asher as he ate his ramen noodles. "Didn't you say that she was a psycho just a few days ago?"
"Hey- this isn't as crazy as you hooking up with Alyssa, I have so many questions!" Asher replied, laughing a little at Elias' reaction.
"No, this is about Claire. Man, what are you doing, Ash? I'm just looking out for you, you know. Why... just why?" He said genuinely concerned, and he really was just looking out for his friend.
Asher shrugged and took another bite of his noodles, "I don't know, she just seemed different. At the party she texted me saying she was there, so I decided to meet her-"
"And then you two had sex?"
"No! We just made out. Nothing terrible; but... it was nice. I kinda missed her."
The boys were sitting at their usual spot at lunch, a small round table under a big tree in the back away from where everyone else sat. They called it the back tables. There was a few more tables around here, but only the unnoticed people sat here. The people who weren't in a category, they weren't considered popular, losers, weird, they were just random students who usually skated and didn't talk too much.
That's why it was such a shock when Alyssa even stepped foot on the back tables territory. She was wearing some plaid skirt and a white ruffled shirt. Jake and Derek stopped eating their sandwiches in surprise. She headed over to Elias and stunned him with a peck on the cheek.
"Hey, there. You wanna come sit with me?" She asked, tilting her head innocently with pleading eyes, though Elias knew after that night that she was anything but innocent.
He looked over at his friends for approval. Asher nodded and nudged him, Elias stood up, "Sure, where at?"
"I'll show you." She said, linking arms with Elias and they began walking away. For as long as he could remember, he always sat at the back tables during high school. He had barely even been over at the main tables. Especially Alyssa's table, it was probably terrifying.
Once they made it to the table, Elias tried not too make eye contact with too many people, but then that became quite difficult when Alyssa introduced him to the table.
"This is my boyfriend, Elias- but you guys can call him Eli." Alyssa said and smiled, sitting down.
Elias froze. Boyfriend? Why did she just introduce me as her boyfriend? Were we dating? He thought. He sat down in confusion and people started to talk to him, introducing themselves.
"Wow, your second boyfriend in a week. What'd you do to the last one, kill him?" A voice spoke, and Elias looked up to see that Alex had said it. His heart was racing at this point, he was scared she'd lash out or something, but everyone just laughed as if this was a normal comment Alex would make.
Alyssa chucked a book at Alex's face as hard as she could, "You asshole!" She laughed and then looked at Elias who was clearly uncomfortable. "He's joking, my last boyfriend was like... I don't know, a month ago?"
Elias just awkwardly smiled and continued eating his food. He felt very out of place, he could feel Alex's eyes on him.
~~~ Later
Elias went to his locker to put his books away as he usually did at the end of the day. Asher didn't come this time, so he was alone. He opened his locker and another piece of paper slipped out, this time he caught it in his hand. He opened it to see red writing once again.
"Out of everyone, really? -S.A" The letter read. Elias stared at it for a solid minute. What did this even mean? He had no idea what this letter meant or whatever S.A was talking about or when they were putting these notes in his locker, let alone why they were.
It was very intriguing to him and mysterious, but he couldn't find himself to deeply care about these letters. He thought it was one his friends messing with him, or maybe someone had the wrong locker. He stuffed the letter away to be forgotten about, just like the other one.
~~~ Tuesday
Elias was writing notes for school on a sheet of paper in first period when there was a tap on his shoulder. He looked over to see Alex, blank expression on his face and these little eye bags under his eyes. "What?" Elias asked rudely.
"So, you're dating Alyssa?" Alex asked, trying to hide the hostility in his tone.
Elias was quiet, wondering why this dude had a sudden interest in something about his life. "Why do you wanna know?"
"Because, Alyssa's my friend."
"Why didn't she tell you then?"
"She already did at the table, yesterday."
"Then why are you asking if you already know?"
"Damn," Alex exclaimed in defeat, "so many questions. Is this why no one likes you?" When Elias gave him an angry look he put his hands up in surrender, "I'm only kidding. Or am I?"
"For a junior, you act like you're in second grade." Elias said, turning his body back forward so he could continue what he was writing.
Alex cleared his throat, "I'm actually a senior."
That did get Elias to stop and think for a moment, though he tried not to. "That's worse."
"Don't be so sensitive."
"I'm not!" Elias yelled a little too loud, getting more than just Alex's attention.
"Elias, Alexander. You get one warning. Keep it up and that's detention for both of you." Ms. Baker said. Elias' cheeks were bright red as he heard Alex's small chuckles from behind him.
God, I hate that guy, he thought.
