Letting Him In

Chapter-13

"What am I now? What am I now?
What if I'm someone I don't want around?
I'm falling again, I'm falling again, I'm falling"

-Harry Styles, Falling

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Elijah

Allen's house was, to say the least, magnificent. It wasn't like one of those houses in the locality where Dean lived; it was smaller and cozier, but still splendid. Sitting in an overly-comfortable armchair, Elijah took in the living room. The ceiling was high vaulted, and one of the walls was solely a window overlooking a lake, with black and grey curtains pulled aside to let the sunlight stream in and warm the room.

The kitchen was separated from the living room by a set of wooden double doors; there was a small painting of what looked like it was supposed to be a large family enjoying a picnic on it, which Allen claimed had been drawn by her younger cousin when she was bored and misunderstood what her parents meant by 'painting something'. A spiral staircase led to what Elijah assumed must be the bedrooms.

As him, Kaeden and Allen sat around the table waiting for the others to arrive, they went over their questions' list, trying to make sure they had all the basics covered.

"Um, we forgot one thing," Kaeden said, looking up from his sheet. "Who's gonna question whom?"

"Right," said Elijah, realizing they had indeed forgotten to go over that.

Allen looked at them and shrugged. "Well, I know pretty much everything about Nate, and I've spent a lot of time with Dean; so I guess I'll take Chris. Kaeden, you and Dean are not working together. All you'll do is bicker," she said, rolling her eyes. "So Elijah and Dean, and Kaeden and Nate?" she suggested.

"As much as I'd love to annoy Hernandez, I don't wanna drag this out. So alright, I guess."

Elijah, not really having a valid reason, or at least one he could admit out loud, nodded begrudgingly. As if on cue, the doorbell rang, and Allen left to let the three boys in. As she quickly briefed them on what they were about to do, Nate scowled slightly.

Sitting down on the L-shaped couch adjacent to Elijah, Nate heaved a dramatic sigh. "Babe, I really do care about you," he started. "But really, schoolwork that isn't even mine? I barely do my own," he complained, causing Kaeden to shoot Elijah a look that he interpreted as I told her so.

Allen widened her eyes and shot him an innocent look. "But babe, please?" she said, causing Nate to groan. Dean let out a laugh, coughing out a 'always works', while the others looked on in amusement.

"Alright, then," she beamed. "Should we go off in our pairs, though? If we all sit here, we're never going to get any work done," she advised.

Nate nodded, and suggested, "Well, since you've already made the pairs, Ally and Chris can stay here, Dean and Elijah can go in the yard, and Kaeden and I could take the kitchen?"

As they went their separate ways, Elijah cursed the fact that no one was making this easier for him. All he had hoped for was not having to be alone with Dean; and that's exactly where he was headed right now. Maybe I should start calling him Hernandez like Kade does; maybe I'll develop the same frenemity with Dean. He scoffed at his own stupid idea.

There was a bench by the lake, right under a shady blossom tree. Goodness, Allen's house was on the fringes of the city, but it made Elijah feel like he had completely left New York itself. 

Sitting down on the bench, Dean motioned for him to do the same.

Sitting beside him, Elijah mumbled, "Shall we start?"