A/N : Takes place during episode 1x02 vaguely after the lunch scene. I will also be copy/pasting this into my CLCP Multifandom book since it applies
Eli and Demetri left lunch together with the mutual agreement to skip the next class. Eli was still a little down from what those girls had said, and Demetri was humiliated by the fact that the new kid brought unwanted attention to their table. Both just wanted to disappear.
"Do I really look like I went down on a lawnmower?" Eli asked quietly as they ducked into the old band room. It was quiet, and no one ever checked for kids skipping in there. After all, what kind of loser would skip class in an old band room?
"No, you don't" Demetri assured him, picking up a tuba and blowing into it, disappointed to only hear hot air come out of the horn as he did so. "Those girls are just assholes" he continued, sitting back down next to his friend, who had a hand covering his scar. "You look great"
"I look like a freak, Demetri" Eli countered, lowering his hand away from his scar as though to emphasize his point. Demetri sighed. He always hated whenever Eli got down on himself like this. He also didn't understand how anyone could look at him and think he was ugly.
"Eli, look at me" he said gently. Eli reluctantly made eye contact with him, though quickly broke it because he was too uncomfortable. "You do not look like a freak" he told him. "And you don't look like you went down on a lawnmower. Those girls are just assholes, and in only a few short years, you'll never have to see them again anyways, okay? You're the most handsome guy I know"
"Do you really mean that?" Eli asked him with a small, hopeful smile. "Y- You're not just saying that because I feel bad?"
"I am nothing if not a blunt bastard, you know this"