No Mercy

Hush

Monday arrived, and the halls of the high school buzzed with the usual chaos. Eli and Demetri, both navigating the intricate dance of teenage secrecy, found themselves at the epicenter of a tangled web. The junior prom had come and gone, leaving in its wake a new layer of complexity in their relationship.
As they entered the school, the weight of their unspoken connection hung in the air. Despite the thrill of the prom and the stolen moments shared, the reality of keeping their newfound romance a secret weighed heavily on Eli and Demetri.

In the midst of the crowded hallway, Miguel, their best friend, spotted them. He approached with a concerned look on his face. "Hey, guys. Everything okay? You seemed a bit off last week."

Eli exchanged a quick glance with Demetri, and they both managed awkward smiles. "Yeah, everything's cool. We're just getting used to being friends again, ya know?" Demetri replied, the words tasting bitter on his tongue.

Miguel's eyes narrowed with suspicion, but he didn't press the issue. "Alright, if you say so. Just wanted to make sure.."

"I'll see you at lunch, Demetri." Eli said before walking away.

Miguel rushed next to Eli placing a hand on his shoulder. From afar Demetri watched the exchange with a mix of concern and curiosity.
Miguel pulled Eli aside away from everyone's view with a determined look on his face. "Okay, spill it, Hawk. What's really going on between you and Demetri? And don't give me the 'friends again' nonsense that Demetri spewed out."

Eli sighed, feeling the pressure building. "Miguel, it's complicated. Let's just leave it at that, alright?"
Miguel, not easily deterred, pressed further. "Did you at least tell Demetri how you feel?"

Eli shifted uncomfortably, evading the question. "Look, can we not talk about this now? Th-There's a lot going on."

Miguel nodded, sensing Eli's unease. "Fine, but you know I'm here for you, right?"

Eli managed a weak smile. "Yeah, thanks, Miguel. I appreciate you."

The bell rang and everyone dispersed to their classes. The day seemed normal enough. Drama and rumors being thrown left and right. Boring lectures near the ending if the school proved to be difficult to endure. The usual high school experience. Once lunch hit both Eli and Demetri avoided the cafeteria instead they hid in a stall bathroom like they used to in middle school. The nostalgia gave them a mix of both positive and negative emotions. It was wonderful memories they both shared however it was a shame they had to hide their identity and feelings from the world. Eli sat on the cold marble floor tracing the squared indents with the tips of his fingers. Demetri watched Eli comfort himself and it was only making Demetri all the more upset. The tall teen sighed in frustration getting a worried expression from the other.
"What's wrong, Deme?"

"This," Demetri gestures to his surroundings. "It's ridiculous."

"What?"

"Eli, we're hiding in the boys bathroom because we don't want anyone to see us." Demetri combs his hair with his hand. "Nobody knows about us. I don't understand why we need to hide."

"B-because I want to get used to us." Eli mutters.

"We spend every minute together for years, Eli." Demetri defended. "What's so different now?"

Eli remained silent letting Demetri continue.

"I mean everyone knows we've been friends for like ever and we got back to being friends again. We-"

"B-but we're more than friends, Deme." Eli interjects. "I don't know how to act."

"There's something you're not telling me." Demetri crossed his arms with a determined look. "Are you going to say it or what?"