Letting Him In

Chapter-40

I wasn't sure what song to use for this chapter, so here's one of my favorite parts from one of my favorite books (six of crows). I think it kinda fits this chapter in an opposites sort of way, because it's a conversation between people who are barely just friends, and yet mean alot to eachother already, and this chapter focuses on Elijah and Kaeden, who've been bestfriends forever and yet their friendship isn't perfect. (Okay I'm done blabbering 😂).

"Jesper knocked his head against the hull and cast his eyes heavenward. "Fine. But if Pekka Rollins kills us all, I'm going to get Wylan's ghost to teach my ghost how to play the flute just so that I can annoy the hell out of your ghost."
Brekker's lips quirked. "I'll just hire Matthias' ghost to kick your ghost's ass."
"My ghost won't associate with your ghost," Matthias said primly, and then wondered if the sea air was rotting his brain."

-Six of Crows, Leigh Bardugo
(❤❤)
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Elijah

The five-minute walk from the parking lot to his hospital room felt like an eternity, making him want to crawl into a dark hole and never come out. When they finally reached the room, Elijah immediately headed to the bed and sat down with his head in his hands. The nausea, paired with a slight dizziness, was making it harder for him to breathe through his nose.

Kaeden sat down beside him, wordlessly handing him a glass of water when he lifted his head from his hands. After a few moments, he asked softly, "Think you're gonna throw up again?"

Elijah shook his head. The nauseas feeling remained, but he was sure he wasn't actually going to throw up; not yet, anyway.

It took a few more minutes for the dizziness to subside a little, and he turned his attention to Kaeden, who was still sitting beside him, a nervous look playing on his face.

Noticing that Elijah didn't look like he was on the verge of being sick (no pun intended here), he went to press the call button. But before he could, Elijah grabbed his writs to stop him.

"Wait," he instructed when Kaeden shot him a confused glance, "we're talking first."

Kaeden looked at him incredulously, but Elijah just rolled his eyes.

"Can we not do this when your'e not looking like, deathly pale?" he reasoned.

Elijah wasn't having it, not this time. A lifetime of being best friends with Kaeden had taught him to recognize when he was trying to stall a conversation. It had also taught him that the longer they waited, the worse Kaeden would beat himself up internally for something that probably wasn't even remotely his fault.

"Nope," Elijah muttered, giving Kaeden a cheeky smile in reply to his glare. With a sigh, the other boy sat back down beside him, and almost instantly the air felt thicker.

"Now," Elijah started, his voice turning serious as he indicated toward Kaeden's arm, "what happened?"

"I tripped during football practice?" Kaeden offered sheepishly, giving him a nonchalant shrug. "It's not a big deal."

Elijah raised his eyebrows. "How do you manage to come up with the shittiest excuses, Kade?" he asked, exasperated by his friend's antics. He hoped to God his suspicions weren't true, but this half-assed excuse wasn't reassuring. "Falling during footall practice does not do that!"

Kaeden swallowed thickly, looking away. "What do you want me to say, Lijah?" he asked hoarsely.

Elijah shook his head. He felt a lump form in his throat as he looked at his friend who was fiddling with his hands, not meeting his eyes.