That night, or morning really, I couldn't sleep. I kept wondering if Eli would talk to me at school. I played out different scenarios over and over again in my head. Maybe he would talk to me about Rico and bowling or maybe things would go back to normal and we would work on our project in the complete silence which ate away at my nerves all through History.
I woke up at five a.m. that morning after finally getting about an hour of sleep. I ate a piece of toast then went back upstairs to start my usual routine. I usually just brushed my hair or pulled it up, calling it a day, but for some reason, I found myself reaching for my curling iron and turning it on.
It took forever to curl my hair but when I looked at the end result, I was satisfied with what I saw. Large and loose ringlets fell down my shoulders and I was happy with the look, the way the curls made my hair look fuller...thicker. When I walked into school, I went to my locker to retrieve my History book. I shoved it inside my bag, scanning my locker for anything else I might need, but finding nothing. With a sigh, I continued to class, anxiety seeming to pump through my every vein at the thought of Eli and what might this day entail. When I got to class, Mrs. Hanson had left and note on the door telling us to go to the computer lab. I read the sign five times before fully comprehending, but when I finally did, I pulled out my school map considering I had yet to learn where the computer lap was. When I walked in, Mrs. Hanson was standing by the door.
"Hi Annabel, we are taking a break from our projects to do some practice tests. Your name is on one of the computer screens where you can go ahead and log on."
"Okay." I nodded, scanning the classroom for the familiar face, taking time to look over every person but now finding the dark headed guy I was searching for.
I found my computer which was right next to Beth. She looked up at me with a smile and I sat down. I looked around for Eli again while my computer powered on, but he was nowhere and I grew anxious as the minutes ticked away and the one-minute bell sounded throughout the school.
"I love your hair Annabel." She picked up a ringlet before letting it fall to my shoulder.
I looked at her, nodding as I offered a small smile. I felt comfortable today, like I'd somehow transformed into a new version of me, a better one at that.
"Thanks."
"Are you coming by the shop after school?"
I nodded, offering Beth a genuine smile that for once I didn't have to force. I didn't really realize it until a few seconds later when she was glancing at me sideways, curious expression adopting her face.
"I was planning on it but if you guys are really busy then I won't bother you."
"Hey, you saved the day yesterday. I couldn't have figured out what I'd done wrong. Annabel, I looked at the book. You fixed every mistake we've made since April. How did you know where to start?"
I shrugged, barely paying attention to her and instead, keeping my eyes trained on the door.
"I don't know." I lied.
Truthfully, it was because of Greyson that I was so good at math and figuring out mathematical errors. He had practically driven it into my head, dragging me along to his study groups where I was forced to hear equations and theorems for four straight hours. I always knew that I didn't have to go but I also knew that if I didn't, I would be alone again in my mother's oversized house. Although, sometimes being home alone was even more appealing than Greyson and his study groups. I looked down at my bag, thinking about all of his messages I had left unanswered since I'd been at my dad's house. When I realized I was day dreaming, I looked around to make sure nobody was watching before I began working on my first practice test, figuring Eli had skipped school, or just History. A few minutes later though, he walked in, his bag over his shoulder, head ducked down like normal as he handed Mrs. Hanson a late pass. He made eye contact with me but was seated by Mrs. Hanson on the other side of the room. Of course.
I tried not to think about him or even Greyson but my mind kept going back to if Eli would talk to me and Greyson's ignored messages. I couldn't help where my mind went and it drove me crazy as I tried to focus on the answers I was being asked. I had to reread a question about the Berlin Wall twice before I could finally answer it with confidence.
"Are you okay?" Beth whispered nudging my shoulder harshly and I almost jumped at the sound of her voice and the contact.
"Yeah. Hey, do you know if Eli hangs out with anybody outside of school?"
She shook her head, biting on her lip as she thought over my question before shaking her head once again for confirmation.
"I don't think so. I don't think he talks to anyone, ever. That's why I was so surprised when he pushed Lance away from you. It was a bit weird, you have to admit."
I took a minute and thought about how Eli talked to me and Rico in the hideout, also having extensive conversations with his old boss, Cliff. He wasn't so shy and reserved like he was at school. At times, he was talkative and social. The boy got excited at the sight of Cliff's pie or winning another round of bowling. Maybe people just didn't know the real Eli. Maybe they only thought they knew him but failed to see all the wonderful qualities he possessed. Maybe they'd refused to appreciate the good things about him that still lived, even under a convincing façade.
At lunch, Eli wasn't at the wall yet so I sat down and pulled out a book that I couldn't begin to focus on, my nerves and anxiety eating away at me as I waited for him to arrive. I yawned as someone sat right beside me, basking me in their shadow. I looked up to see none other than Eli, those dark eyes peering into mine. He was so close and I grew rigid, my muscles tightened which only caused an uncomfortable ache to rise in my neck.
"You didn't by chance stay up until three a.m. bowling did you?" he joked, as I yawned again, smiling big as I lowered my fist to my lap.
"Yeah, and I still didn't beat you."
In this moment, everything and everyone went quiet and all eyes were suddenly on us, making me very uncomfortable as hushed conversations erupted, a few fingers discretely being pointed our way. Even Beth, Jane, and Marni were staring at us, but when Eli looked around, everyone kind of went back to what they were doing, returning to their pointless conversations.
"Everyone is kind of..."
"Yeah I know, but they will get over it." He said, unscrewing the top of his Dasani and taking a sip of the water. Meanwhile, I tried to distract myself from staring at the way his unnaturally pink lips curled around the top of the bottle.
"I'm sure next week they'll be talking about the cheerleading captain hooking up with a nerd from the chemistry lab." I joked, immediately embarrassed after I said the words, looking away for a moment before returning my gaze to meet his.
He grinned widely and shook his head at my bad joke, his eyes crinkling as he pushed his water aside and turned slightly to face me. His large hand was pressed against the brick, so very close to my jean clad thigh. Something about that close proximity caused my heartrate to pick up.
"Yeah, probably so." He was still smiling and something about that made my embarrassment diminish.
As he looked at me, I wanted to know what he was thinking, if he was feeling this too, the development of something. Whatever it was, I was fine with it. If he wanted to be friends, that was perfectly alright because I felt special merely getting to be the one talking to him when it seemed as if no one else at school was even given the opportunity.
"So, are you on for tonight?" Eli asked.
"Yeah...if you guys want me there."
"Of course. I need some competition and Rico's always sucked at bowling. Don't tell him I said that. He loves the game."
"What a great friend." I teased, playfully nudging his shoulder with my own.
"Hey, basketball is his sport and I'm terrible, despite my height."
"I think I'm terrible at anything athletic related." I nodded, lightly kicking my bag that was sitting upright on the ground, leaned against the wall where my feet were dangling.
"Except bowling."
"Yeah, I guess. I'm not sure if you could even count bowling, but thanks for making me feel better."
When Eli pulled out his IPod, I couldn't control my curiosity any longer. I had to know and felt like I could now ask him what I'd wanted to since the first day I'd seen him with earbuds placed in his ears, head moving back and forth to whatever music he was listening to. He seemed mesmerized by whatever was sounding through those earbuds and I wanted to hear it too.
"What do you listen to?"
He looked at me, appearing surprised more than anything, a dark brow cocking as he uncoiled the wires and connected the end to his headphone jack.
"You want to hear?"
I couldn't help but to nod before he handed me one of his ear buds. I placed it in my left ear and prepared for whatever hardcore track he would play. There was silence for a moment until a song came on. There was a faint drumbeat until what sounded like crickets singing started up, a chirping of sorts being heard. What the crap? He listens to crickets?
"Are those crickets?" I asked.
He nodded, his eyes closed, listening intently to the song as his hands played air drums along with the beat of what sounded like bongos carrying the melody.
I could tell Eli wanted me to, so I listened to the whole thing which sounded like the crickets most of the time until it erupted into a violent wail of a bunch of people who sounded like they were crying or speaking in tongue. It felt like the song went on forever and when it was over, I was waiting for it to start up again. Eli removed his earbud and looked at me. I couldn't help but to admit that I was happy it was over, my heartrate decreasing to a normal rate since all the noise did for me was drive me to a near panic attack.
"So what did you think?"
"Um, it was crickets...and a person crying?"
"It was actually and Moroccan hymn." He corrected, smiling as he coiled his headphones tightly around his iPod.
"Oh."
"It's okay if you didn't like it. I'm sure most people wouldn't." he shrugged like it was no big deal, stuffing his IPod into his front jean pocket.
"It's not that I don't like it. It's just so...different."
"Yeah, I know. It was part of my anger management to listen to it." He said so easily and at this point, I was confident that Eli would tell me just about anything I wanted to know.
"Why were you in anger management?"
"Um...it was really stupid. I got into a couple of fights while I was drunk right after...um Sophia died. It was just really stupid. I was really stupid. I had to do therapy, anger management, and community service. I had to face the consequences for my bad judgement. I caused a lot of trouble around town. I trashed my mom's office and nearly got fired from the radio station before I quit."
For some reason, I suddenly got the feeling that there was more to it than this, but I didn't say anything else, letting the conversation between us die. I wanted to say something but the last thing he needed was for me to bring up the past, things that were gone and done. When the bell rang, I stood up, quick to grab my bag like I was in a hurry to be somewhere. I wasn't expecting him to but Eli walked with me to our next class which was English and the newness of him walking beside me in school was something I knew I could get used to if given the chance.
During class, I couldn't stop looking at Eli. He sat at his desk, head ducked down while he played with the thick silver ring on his thumb, running his finger back and forth over the silver piece of jewelry. I wondered if it had some kind of meaning or was something special. When Eli looked at me, I smiled and quickly looked away as if it was an instinct to do so.
The rest of the day, was a continual pattern of people staring at me at my locker, in the hallways, in class, and even after school as I walked to the parking lot. I got into my car and pulled out my keys. When I tried to start the engine, it wouldn't turn over and I grew panicked as I turned the key into the ignition again. I tried again and again until I finally realized it wasn't going to start, this fact making my head spin with anxiety.
I sighed, sitting back in my seat. I knew that my dad and Lyla couldn't help me from Hawaii. The parking lot quickly emptied and I pulled out my phone so I could look up the number to Lyla's bridal shop. I jumped when I heard a loud tap on my window, the sound repeating until I dropped my phone in my lap and looked up to find Eli standing outside. I sighed and opened my door to get out, slamming it behind me as I felt a dull ache behind my eyes, the beginning sign of a headache.
"Hey, are you okay? I was walking by and you looked stressed or something."
"Yeah, I am. My car broke down and I don't know what it could be. My dad's on his honeymoon and..."
"It's okay." He said, cutting me off and stepping a little closer, making my eyes instinctively narrow at the gesture that shocked me way beyond what it should have.
I shook my head and he started talking again, his words rushed like he was attempting to say them as quick as humanly possible.
"Look, I can drive you home and then I'll come back and take a look at your car."
"It's okay. I can get someone to tow it to a garage and they can fix it." I waved my hand in the air, causing my keys to drop to the ground which was enough to push me to near insanity. Groaning, I picked up my keys, turning around to stare at my car in pure frustration.
"No really, I insist. Those guys actually know little about cars."
"Do you know a lot?" I asked.
"Yes." He said with a cute, little smirk but I told myself that now wasn't the time to stand here, doing nothing but admiring Eli.
I nodded, tucking my lip between my teeth as I rocked slightly on my heels, contemplating his offer, an offer that I really didn't want to pass up. It insured more time with him which was something I couldn't exactly complain about.
"Alright." I agreed.
Eli opened the car door for me and I got in, fitting my body against the leather of the seat. The first thing I noticed was the smell of his car. It smelled like new paint and air freshener, the combination so foreign and weird. When Eli rounded the car and got in, I tried to close my door but every time I did, it wouldn't latch and would bounce right back, failing to click in place.
"Sorry." Eli said.
He reached across me, picked up on the door, and slammed it hard. When he reached across me, I noticed that he tried not to brush past my stomach, his arm never touching me. What a gentleman.
"Oh and sorry about the smell too. I just painted my door panels and I tried to get rid of the smell with this air freshener thing but I guess it didn't work." He flicked the little tree dangling from his rear-view and exuding a piney scent into the air.
"Oh, that's okay."
He sighed and pointed towards my door, making me look that way, eyes trained on the new door panels but obviously broken door.
"I thought I had that fixed too. I guess not."
"Hey, do you mind if I put on some music?" he asked.
I shook my head and looked around at the piles of CD's on the floorboard and stacked on the backseats. As Eli drove out of the parking lot, fiddling with the radio, I looked out the window thinking about my car and hoping that somehow, Eli would be able to get it fixed.
"Hey, it's okay. We'll get your car running and everything will be fine. Even if I have to order parts, I'll get it fixed." He seemed to have read my mind, glancing my way as he shifted gears.
I looked at him in disbelief. Who the heck is this guy?
"Why are you doing this?" I asked, bluntly and I'd almost had enough of wondering and being confused when it came to Eli.
His eyebrows furrowed and if I wasn't mistaking, for a few seconds, he appeared defenseless and most of all; offended.
"Doing what?"
"Helping me, talking to me, and inviting me to the bowling alley. I thought you didn't talk to anybody."
After I was finished saying this, I suddenly realized that I might have been too harsh. Eli looked away, shocked, making me feel worse about how stupid I'd been. Soon, he was shifting gears forcefully with a clenched jaw and white knuckles from clenching his fists too tightly.
"I'm sorry....I just...Beth told me you didn't talk to anyone and I guess along with everyone else, I'm wondering; why me?"
"I told you already though, Annabel. You're different and it's nice to talk to someone who doesn't see me as the guy who killed his girlfriend."
I wasn't expecting this. My heart was racing now. I took a deep breath. I wanted to tell him that he didn't kill her and that a drunk driver ran a red light but I couldn't bring myself to speak under the immense amount of pressure I felt to defuse the conflict. I also just didn't want to make things worse when it was pretty clear that Eli didn't want to get on the subject of his past.
"Well, thank you for helping me today. I live in this neighborhood." I pointed to my right and Eli turned without a single word, only focusing fully on the road.
I was already regretting what I said because it seemed to make Eli grow quiet again. In all honestly, that wasn't my intention and if I could have rewound time, I would have taken back my words and just thanked him for being so nice and offering to fix my car.
"It's okay. I know you didn't mean anything." He looked at me briefly and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
I nodded, wondering if he was trying to make me feel better or genuinely meant his words.
"I didn't. Last house on the right." I told him as he approached a stop sign in the neighborhood, slowing down but failing to actually stop completely. As dead as our neighborhood usually was, I always did the same after looking to make sure no one was coming.
He drove until we got to my house and when he was parked on the side of the street, he looked out the window at it and so did I.
"Nice house." He pointed towards it, leaning slightly over the console to get a better look.
"Thanks. I think my dad likes it."
He nodded, tugging on his lip and gripping the steering wheel tightly, making his veins protrude against the tanned skin of his hands and arms. Please spare me my life, Eli Caulder.
"Hey, if you can't get my car running, do you think you could give me a ride to school tomorrow?" I asked, distracting myself from how attractive he really was.
"I'll get your car running, but yes I will."
"Great. Thank you again."
He nodded as I reached for the door handle, pausing for a moment when he said, "I'll go get my tools and then go back to the school."
I nodded and climbed out slowly, trying to close the door but having it bounce back, almost hitting my knees harshly.
"Bye, Eli."
"Bye, Annabel."
He reached over and closed the door for me before I started walking towards the house. I unlocked the door as I watched Eli drive off in his black car. The words he had said to me kept replaying in my mind. 'I told you already though, Annabel. You're different'.
The way he'd said it was so matter of fact like he was so sure of the words he was saying to me. How was I different? Maybe I understood him but I wanted a real explanation from Eli. I know for sure that Beth doesn't think he killed Sophia. I'm sure lots of people don't, so his reason doesn't make sense. Out of all the kids in our school, he chooses me to befriend?
I couldn't stop thinking about him. Every time I did something, my mind would drift back to what Eli said in the car. I'd think about how his dark brown locks laid perfectly against his forehead and how his dark eyes were so intriguing, that attractive crease seeming permanent between his brows. Sophia had to be absolutely gorgeous. Eli Caulder was so astonishing and I tried to imagine him in the school parking lot, working on my car, grease smeared across his cheeks and hands which only made him appear more attractive. Why did he say he would do that, fix my car? I wasn't used to any of this. Maybe I was making a big deal out of nothing but I couldn't help but like the thought of hanging out with Eli and Rico tonight. It had been a long time since I'd looked forward to something so much. A few hours went by and I hadn't realized I was pacing in the living room until I heard a knock on the door. I jumped at the sound and scurried into the foyer, thoughts of my car out the window, replace by thoughts of only...him.
A/N
Annabel is getting pretty attached; wouldn't you say? (; Vote, share, and comment. xx.
Faith <3