"Listen, I've got a proposition for you," Azure's firm voice flew across the soft wind of the graveyard, "something mutually beneficial."
Elliot stepped back slightly, "I doubt that."
Azure stepped closer and the street light flickered; he the...
Azure broke the silence first, smirking, "See you at school, Elliot."
Not long after, Elliot watched as Azure sauntered away while a bitter taste began to stain his mouth and his mind raced with the parting words.
He then looked down at the photo in his hand and felt the warm blood seep out of his cut finger. I'm so dumb.
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Luckily, he got home without anymore surprises.
Having closed the front door, and the adrenaline died down, he felt the exhaustion well up in his shoulders.
Then he sank down to the floor, pulling his knees up to his chest.
By then it was 1 o'clock in the morning.
What was that? What's Azure thinking?
Did he really run a background check?
Can he even get me a scholarship?
Why was he at a graveyard so late?
Did I really get 30th?
No, maybe I still got top 20. Maybe Azure was mistaken...
He shook his thoughts away, then winced.
Looking down, he felt blood drip from his cut finger.
A sigh escaped, before he smiled.
I really am so stupid.
He headed to the bathroom where he bandaged his cut finger.
He looked in the mirror; and he looked back. And he didn't know what he wanted. But he wanted something.
Elliot then slumped down at his desk once again and turning on the small lamp, he opened his weekly planner.
To calm himself, he began meticulously planning out the rest of the week: when to do homework, when projects were due, and what groceries to buy.
However, Azure kept invading his thoughts. Stop thinking about him! He slapped his cheeks.
But if he's right... I won't qualify for most of the scholarships in the area. But how would he even get me a scholarship? —who am I kidding even I know how rich he is, he can definitely pull some strings. The only reliable way is to take his offer. ...I don't want to admit that though. He sighed.
***
In the midst of it all, he found himself opening a black binder, scribbling down a string of unspoken words.
The soft sun rose in the distance and he ended up pulling his 24th all-nighter this year.
But at least he had been sleeping more than last year, he thought to himself, while dawn's beautiful warm watercolors dripped down onto the horizon.
