Oblivious

20 // Smug smile

Abditory
(n.) a place into which you can disappear; a hiding place

-Elora-

Elijah takes my hand under the table.

He's been doing that a lot recently, grabbing my hand. Sometimes when we're walking in the corridors he'll grab my hand and drag my along with him so I don't get lost in the crowd. When we're in English class and he's finished his work before me he'll grab my hand under the table, rub his thumb along the outside of my hand as he waits for me to finish.

When we're sitting at lunch, like right now, he'll grab my hand as his friends talk, place our intertwined fingers on his knee.

Turning one of Elijah's rings I glance at the girl sitting next to me, turning my head away when she looks at me and smiles.

Her names Marla and she's friends with Nils, she's also on the cheer team. She's sat next to me the last couple of days and I've been trying to work up the courage to say hi.

But every time I take a look at her my throat closes up. She's insanely beautiful. Like intimidatingly gorgeous. And there's no way someone like her would want to be friends with me.

But I want to try. I want a girl friend. Elijah's cool and all and I'd never replace him, he's probably my best friend. Scratch that he's definitely my best friend but he's not a girl.

I can't tell him about my crushes the way I could tell another girl, it's just not the same. And I can't come to him for makeup advice and he wouldn't completely understand if I complain about my period.

I want a girl friend. One who knows my house like the back of her hand because she's stayed there so many times. Who's best-friends with my mum. Who'll stay in her pyjamas all day with me, who talk to me about her crushes and understand when I do the same. Who'll dress up like a guy with me. I want the experience of being a teenager girl surrounded by teenage girls.

Tapping her on the shoulder she turns to face me, smiling, blonde hair framing her face. "Hi, I'm Elora." It comes out a little like a squeak and I can hear Elijah snort besides me.

"Marla." God, even her voice is perfect. Nodding her head to the girl next to her she introduces her friend. "This is Daniela but everyone calls her Danny."

I wave. Elijah tugs my hand when I try to drop his in order to face them fully, so I'm left half facing them and half facing the table.

Marla arches a brow and I realise I don't know what else to say. "Was there something you needed?"

Shaking my head I begin turning one of Elijah's rings again. "No I just, um, I just wanted to say your jumpers really cool." I turn back to Elijah as soon as my sentence is out, wanting the ground to swallow me whole.

Leaning my head on Elijah's shoulder I can hear her laugh quietly behind me, saying something about adorable and thanks.

Elijah drops my hand and instead bring it around my waist to pull me closer. His fingers leave goosebumps in their path as they find their way under my jumper to rest on the bare skin of my waist.

My stomach flutters and I suddenly feel really warm. "Are you okay?" Elijah turns in my direction so my head is leaning on his chest instead. His head angled to whisper in my ear.

Nodding my head I give him a thumbs up, refusing to come out of my hiding place. Elijah chuckles and draws small circles on my waist. Gulping I grab a fist full of his jumper just for something to do with my hands.

His other hand, the one that's not drawing on my waist, is taking a piece of my hair and twirling it between his fingers.

"Elijah you in?" I can feel Elijah turn his head to face Valentin, though I don't bring my head out from his chest. "In on what?"

Turning my head to the side I can see Valentin rolls his eyes, Nils sends me a smirk when we make eye contact and Ajax's has his head in his hands. "Beach, Saturday all of us are going."

Elijah stares at him for a moment, his hand still drawing circles. "Yeah sure we're in." Nils reaches across and shakes Ajax who raises his head, annoyance written all over his face. "Cool meet there about one?"

Everyone nods and agrees, Robin makes plans to pick up Valentin, but all I can focus on is the fact that Elijah said we.

Elijah turns back around to face me, lips tilted slightly as he looks down at me. I raise my head form his chest, his hand doesn't leave my waist. "Pick you up about half 12?" He arches a brow when I don't nod my head.

Was I invited?

"Are you sure I'm invited?" Elijah blinks at me twice like he can't believe I'm actually serious, then when he realises I am he gives me a dead pan sort of look. "Of course you're invited Elora."

Looking down at his hands I trace a pattern on his palm. "But are you sure?" I'm probably making this more of a deal then it is, and if Elijah says I'm invited that should be enough, but I just don't want to turn up and everyone be annoyed because I wasn't actually invited.

Elijah rolls his eyes and turns to face the guys. His hand gives my waist a squeeze. "Saturday, Elora's coming." He narrows his eyes at them, sort of daring them to object.

And to my surprise they don't. Valentin just says cool and goes back to eating his chips, Robin smiles at me, Nils shrugs and says a yeah okay.

Elijah turns back to me, a smug smile on his face, I roll my eyes at him not trying to fight my own smile. "I need to go shopping then I don't think I have a swimsuit."

Elijah nods and opens his mouth but someone beats him to it. "You can come shopping with us if you want?"

Turning around I find Marla smiling at me. Elijah squeezes my waist again and turns to face Ajax with a scowl on his face.

"Me and Danny are going shopping Wednesday for new swimsuits if you want to tag along?" Danny turns around at the mention of her name. Looks at me and smiles. "Please do I can't deal with her on my own."

Marla scoffs offended and hits Danny in the shoulder. "You love me really." Danny hits her back laughing. "That doesn't mean your not hard to deal with sometimes."

Marla shrugs and turns to face me. "So you down?" I nod my head furiously, feeling excited. "Yeah I'm down."

~