Help! My Classmate is a Size-shifter

1. The Not-So-Strong Tough Guy

[warning, minor violence and mention of blood]

The first thing that came to mind when i thought of Elijah Stoll was alone. He always seemed to be off on his own and I've never really seen him talking to anyone that wasn't a teacher. Of course that's probably because of the standoffishness and over all cold aura he gives off. Like the kind of person you've never talked to but definitely wouldn't be put against on any kind of tussle.

Anyway, he's wired, and up until a week ago i wouldn't have even considered talking to him. we had our separate lives, i had my place as class rep, popular guy and the one dude everyone could rely on, and Elijah, well he was just alone. Up until that day, last week, when everything changed.

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i was walking home after school when i heard a commotion from a nearby alleyway. i went to check it out only to find two of my upperclassmen cornering someone. their backs were to me so i decided to watch and see what was going on before acting.

"heh, get a load of this freak" the one with black hair said.

"yeah, what you gunna do now that all your goodie too shoe teachers aren't around to protect you huh?" jeered the other.

"i'm warning you, b-back off" i couldn't see the person speaking, but i heard his voice behind the gritted teeth with which he spoke.

"aaw, what are you gunna do huh? shoot rainbows at us?" one said, the other laughed at the comment. they both closed in on the boy, fists clenched and raised in a perfect setup to pummel the guy.

i waited to hear if the guy would fight back, but i couldn't decipher anything of the sort. i turned the corner just in time to see the black haired man deliver a mean uppercut, then he proceeded to kick the boy back to the wall. the smell of old garbage mixed with the new fume of blood fumigated the alleyway.

"h-hey!" i yelled without thinking. the other of the group turned to face me.

"well well well, looks like we have a witness" he moved toward me and i caught a glimpse of the victim. it was Elijah, THE Elijah, the one who was supposed to be invincible. the one who no one messed with. i didn't have time to think before the other guy lunged at me.

I'm really glad that i joined the football team because otherwise i don't know how i would've reacted. thankfully, i shoved him off me causing him to land against the wall. then the other guy turned to look at me.

He growled at me. He actually growled and then clenched his fists while talking a few steps toward me.

"listen here punk, you'd better get out of here and forget you saw anything or your next"

"yeah right, like I'd just leave after seeing what your doing to him" i swung at him, my fist balled and made contact with his cheekbone.

he stumbled backward but quickly recovered. he spat liquid red on the cold alleyway floor.

"oh your going to regret that" he threw himself at me, i barely dodged. i know when I've lost, and when facing the both of these two gangsters i realized id have to make a break for it.

i grabbed Elijah's hand and pulled him with me. he quickly realized what my plan was and ran as well. together, the both of us ran out of the alleyway and down the street.

the potent smell of blood and sweat still clung to us as we ran along the hot summer pavement. perspiration trickled down my face as we ran, hand in hand away from the men.

finally we came to a safe space on a nearby balcony. i let go of his hand and gasped for air. my throat stung with dryness as slumped against the metal fence.

he sat down next to me. i could see his pulse thumping rapidly on his neck and he turned to look at me.

"w-why did you do that?" his voice was strained from panting.

"what, save you from those thugs? that was nothing. i could've taken them both but i just uhm..."

"sure...which is why were currently hiding from them on the rooftop of an abandoned building?" he said sarcastically. i laughed at that, he really didn't seem as cold as people said he was.

"yeah yeah, whatever. why were they attacking you in the first place?"

"oh uhm, they tried to inject me with some kind of serum, i got 'em to stop halfway through because i was feeling weird but they did get me pretty good" he showed me a recent stab wound on his arm.

"wait, what the heck, why would you even agree to something like that in the first place??" i exclaimed.

"well i mean, the pay seemed to be good, didn't know it would hurt so bad though" he shrugged, his raven black hair coming down in strands along his face.

"well you shouldn't take shots from random strangers offering money. that's like a massive red flag"

"yeah whatever, honestly i didn't think anything of it. its not like they were trying to kill me or something, i think they just wanted to try out a new vaccine of some kind"

i reached over and tucked his hair behind an ear, we locked eyes and i pulled away blushing "s-sorry, i just-"

"n-no, its...its fine" he blushed cutely and looked away.

we sat there for a few minuets in comfortable silence before Elijah stood up.

"looks like its getting pretty late, i should probably head home." he brushed the dust off his cloths and reached out an arm to help me up.

"yeah, i guess. will i see you tomorrow at school?" i asked, grabbing his hand and getting up.

"yep, oh, what was your name again?" he said, pushing a strand of black hair back.

"Brian"

"see you tomorrow Brian"

"tomorrow." and then we parted ways...