The Boy From Everywhere

Ch. 6: The Visitor

"Ah... My hands hurt," I muttered under my breath as I looked at my hands, red after my aunt hit them a little too many times with the broomstick.

How does she manage to never run out of anger like that, I wonder? Or does she just keep generating them until she dies?

Not that it'll do me much good wondering about it. Ah, maybe I just got unlucky today by coming home late. I guess, I could blame Eli, but not like he knows what's going on...

I grimace as my gaze falls to the side, all while I leaned against the side of my bed in my dark room, waiting just a little bit more until I can be sure my aunt is asleep. Again.

Perhaps, it would be better for me to catch up on sleep now, though, since I didn't have any homework, but hey! Why would I say no to a chance for an adventure!

I headed out again that night.

Not really knowing where to go, though, I didn't really know what to expect or happen. Maybe I could just go to the library again and look for something to read. Maybe I could look for a new place to explore. Or maybe I could just let my feet lead me wherever they wanted to go...

Who knew choosing that last one, though, would end up leading me back to the very boy I almost blamed for my misfortune today.

"Gahhh!"

No, but seriously. Why does he keep screaming everytime we run into each other?

And just how many jobs does this guy actually have??

I almost glared at Eli as I stood at the entrance of the convenience store we literally met at just this afternoon, all while he stood behind the counter, in uniform, looking really spooked as he looked at me.

"O-oh... H-hi?" An awkward smile made its way to his face, and he waved once, still looking stiff, however, and confusing me even more.

"... Hey."

I eventually made my way into the aisles, looking through the products. As I did, though, I really couldn't help but feel like I was being watched, and looking back at Eli a few times, I definitely caught him looking at me a few times.

Now what exactly is going on here...?

"Ah! Here's one," I mumbled under my breath as I found a pack of band aids, and I picked them up and then went to the counter. "I'll take this."

"O-oh... Just that?" Eli asked as he picked it up.

"I don't have any money," I replied almost immediately.

"Oh, that makes sense," he mumbled, and then he scanned the package before checking the price and then passing the package back to me. "By the way... you're not exactly leaving already once you're done buying here, right?"

I furrowed my brows immediately as I looked back at him. "... Why?"

"Please don't leave," he begged all of a sudden, and my eyes widened as I continued to look at him in utter disbelief.

"Now why are you-"

"I-I made a mistake!" He quickly confessed, and then he continued all while I felt my expression twisting more and more as he spoke. "I-I-I was bored. And I'll admit, reading scary stories while I'm working the night shift alone definitely wasn't the best idea to deal with that, but I really couldn't think of anything else at the time, and now I don't think I can handle being all alone for tonight any longer, so please don't leave!"

Oh, boy...

I feel like I met a completely unique human being. And I thought moving in with my aunt was chaotic enough. But apparently, I ended up gaining a different kind of chaotic. Not that it's bad or anything, but...

What exactly am I supposed to do here?

Eli looked at me, his innocent-looking eyes sparkling as he begged, and I could have looked away except I was already trapped the moment I looked at those eyes of his.

Ah, whatever. It's not like I had any plans, anyway.

"Can I have my band aids, first?"

"O-oh, sure! Do... Do you want it in a bag, or...?"

"No need," I replied, and I eventually took the pack, and then walked to the eating area, on the other side of the store, but still in sight from the counter. I eventually opened the pack of band aids before pulling my sleeve, exposing a cut on my arm from a splinter. If you could call it that. Granted, it was definitely big enough to cut my skin and make me bleed.

I heard Eli speak from the counter all of a sudden, however, just as I was about to apply the band aid on the cut. "Uhm, Hannah...? Do you need any help there or anything?"

"I'm fine, thanks," I replied nonchalantly as I placed the band aid and closed the pack it came from.

"A-are you sure?"

"Yes. I am." I kept the pack in my backpack, and Eli continued talking.

"I mean, if you need anything, you can just tell me."

"No, I'm fine." And then I took my journal out of my bag, only to pause when I realized something.

Eli was bored. He had been since he decided to read scary stories to the point he ended up scaring himself. He didn't just need a companion to not get scared. He needed one to keep him entertained too, apparently.

An unimpressed expression must have formed on my face as I turned around to face Eli, and he flinched for a moment, looking at me curiously before smiling.

"So, uh... wanna talk about Pokemons?"