The Religious & The Damaged (UNDER EDITING)

3

Elias

  I walk into Ridgewell High. It looks like just any other high school, nothing special.

  I push my way through the crowded hall, my phone in my hand. I stare down at it as I try to find my locker. I get shoved past and I drop my phone, and I look over my shoulder at the person but they're too busy with their friends to know or even care that they bumped into me. Typical.

  I huff and look back in front of me. I flinch, my body reacting with a sudden step back when I make eye contact with Kelsey, who stands in front of me with her arm extended out to me—my phone in her hand.

  "Kelsey?" I say, my voice audibly surprised to see her.

  She offers me a smile nonetheless. "Hey, Elias. You dropped your phone." She says. I look down at her hand, then back at her. I don't make an attempt to grab my phone because—for whatever reason—I'm still in shock. Her smile falters. "It.. is your phone, right?" She asks, a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

  My eyes widen and I act in a state of panic, snatching my phone from her hand. "Yes." I blurt out. "Thank you." My eyes shift down because I'm embarrassed.

  If being a freak wasn't enough, I'm also embarrassingly socially awkward. I hate when I get like this. And I guess Kelsey senses it because she cups her hand over my elbow and leans forward to get a look at my face, her smile returning.

  "Hey." She starts, her voice gentle and sweet. "Don't sweat it. It's okay."

  I meet her gaze, hers is soft and her smile is inviting and quite comforting. While I probably look like a fucking idiot in the eyes of everyone around us, next to her.

  She takes a step back and takes a brief glance behind her before settling back on me. "Hey, I was just going to meet up with Nick and our friends. Wanna come with?" She invites.

  I nod lightly. "Yeah, okay.." I say.

  Her smile grows. "Great. Come on."

  Her hand takes mine and in one swift movement, she turns and leads me through the school until we're in the courtyard.

  I spot Nick with a small group of students and Kelsey and I walk over and she lets go of my hand once we're close enough.

  "Hey guys. I brought Elias." She introduces me. She steps aside to put me on full blast, but I know it's not intended to be that way.
I feel myself growing panicked again, but I somehow power through and smile.

  Nick smiles and—like yesterday, he greets me with a fist bump, in which I return. "Hey, man." He says, a big grin plastered across his face. And suddenly, my smile isn't so awkward.

  "Hey." I reply.

  Nick steps next to me and spreads his arm across my shoulders as he pulls me into his body, and I get that same whiff of axe body spray as I did yesterday. He gestures to the other half of the friends and I look over.

  "That's Joey and Spencer." He introduces, and I make sure to pay close attention even though it's only two other people.

  "Hey." Joey greets me, flicking her curly jet black hair from her face. I smile in response, and my gaze shifts over to Spencer.