affection

seven

tuesday

elliot watches a slow clock while his teacher studies her laptop and her eyes only flick to the students once every five minutes. he pulls his phone out under the desk and types a message to his father to talk, he messages back quickly and they eventually decide tonight over dinner would be best, his treat.

mrs gardener closes her laptop and picks up a book while the rest of students finish short exams. elliot has completed his, he's good at literature. he smiles at the teacher who returns it when he catches her eye, and then goes back to her book. she used to be a librarian, a few years back, she hated books when she first started that job but grew to adore them. the library closed down due to a fire, and said rebuilding would take a couple years. she became a teacher to pass the time, and is still hopeful for the day she can return to the library. she got to keep a few of her favourite books as she lost her job, and she still rereads them time to time.

one of those times, is now. she turns another page, she's already halfway through.

the day passes by slow, the sun starts to set in hues of deep orange and reds. idle clouds float by, he smiles at them from the window in the lounge.

"i'm going to kai's, i'll be home later, mom!"

he's sure his mother heard him.

converses kick stones across the tarmac, his eyes observe the peeling paint on the garage door nobody uses.

he walks, but not far and eventually his dad picks him up in a somewhat flashy car, silence rings loud throughout the atmosphere. elliot turns on the radio, his dad's eyes never leave the road and he's glad.

he eats expensive meat at the restaurant, his father suggested it and pushed it a little too much. it's as if he's trying to spend the bit of money he earns to make him forgive the man. it's civilised, the small talk, but awkward nonetheless.

elliot finishes his meal, "ten days." he says bluntly.

"what?!" his dad asks, his eyes narrow at the boy.

"you have ten days to tell mom what you've done or i'll tell her for you."

his face turns red quickly, and lectures his son sternly. "you can't just demand things of me like that! actually, you can't demand things of me, period. i'm your father, i'm due a little respect, elliot. this is an adult relationship that has nothing to do with you, you wouldn't understand what it's like."

now it's elliot's turn to narrow his eyes. "so you're angry with me...over something you did?" he watches his father redden impossibly more. he speaks again, as calmly as he can, "you're forgetting i have the upper hand here, meaning i can, in fact, demand whatever i like."

"yeah?" he scoffs, "go on then. tell your sweet mother what i did. you'll only break her, is that what you want, lio?"

"don't put the blame on me, you broke her! you cheated on her, like you said...it has nothing to do with me!" the entire restaurant quietens down, cutlery crashes as everyone's eyes turn to stare. elliot gets up from his chair which scrapes on polished floorboards and storms out of the room while his dad grows embarrassed and apologises, profusely.

he gets driven back with the man he cannot stand anymore, more silence but he doesn't turn the radio on this time. instead, he delves in the quiet, he hopes his dad is using it to think the same way he is.

they get to his house, his dad quietly mutters that he should get out first, he'll wait in the car for another twenty minutes.

elliot even quieter, asks him to drop him at another location, which he does.

he stands on the doorstep of his boyfriend's house while his dad's car speeds in the direction they came from. he knocks, and waits but a lady opens the door. he beams at kai's mother, "oh hey sweetheart. kai isn't home right now, probably went off to the skatepark or something, he should be back soon if you feel like waiting."

"thank you, i'll just find him there in case he wants to stay out a little." he notices how happy she seems, she looks healthy lately, too.

"that's fine, hon. haven't seen you around in a while, huh? thought something might've happened."

elliot frowns, "hm?"

"between you and kai, i mean. you should really stay over one weekend, it'd be nice to introduce you to-"

"li, hey!" kai appears from somewhere behind elliot, out of breath and sporting a black beanie, a torn-up skateboard beneath his arm. he pulls the thick fabric off his head, revealing his now messed up, sweaty hair. "you wanna go somewhere?"

he nods, taking one last look at his mom who only grins and closes the door.

...
wc: 855
please vote!
he is hiding things...

probs gna stick to short chapters otherwise it'll never be finished lol. anyway hi.