Until I Found You

Chapter 11

The next couple of days go by in a breeze and soon it is Friday morning. I wake up to a text

Eli: won't be at school today sorry

Me: That's fine, are you ok?

Eli: Yup

I sigh and get ready, sometimes it really does feel like Eli has no interest in talking to me and others it seems like he could possibly enjoy spending time with me. I push the thoughts away quickly, if i've learned anything from the past couple of days is that its better if I don't continue to think about him it only makes the infatuation I feel towards him worse. 

Yup that's what it is, not a crush that's for sure. Why does my mind even keep going to crush, I don't have a crush on a guy, that's not possible, I like women and that's it, not that there's anything wrong with that it's just that's not me, I'm not gay. That can't be me. This little infatuation will pass.

As I'm sitting at lunch with my friends Aaron comes up to us and sits down, I can feel the heads in the room turn. "Have you heard from Eli today?" he asks me looking concerned.

"Uh I mean I did earlier but briefly" I tell him. "What did he say?" he asks not taking his gaze off of me. "He said he wouldn't be at school today and that he was fine" I tell him honestly growingly getting more concerned. 

Aaron doesn't say anything he just sits there and bounces his leg. "Is everything ok?" I ask him. "Do you know what today is?" he asks me narrowing his eyes. "uh Friday?" I tell him and he sighs. "oh, right yeah" he says but I can tell that wasn't exactly what he was looking for.

"Can you do something for me?" he asks me glancing over to my friends who are definitely listening in. 

"Uh sure" I tell him and with that he grabs my arm signaling for me to get up. I get up and follow him into the hall getting a little more skeptical about what exactly is going on here. 

"What's your number?" he asks giving me his phone to type it in. I type in my number and hand it back to him. 

"I need you to go over to Eli's house after school, I would do it myself, but I can't miss another practice" he tells me looking down at his phone typing something.

"I just sent you the address, he's not going to want to let you in, but make him, I don't care how mad he acts keep pushing him to let you in, use me as an excuse if you have to, and text me to let me know how he is" he finally finishes. 

"Ok what is going on? You're scaring me, why am I doing this?" I ask him feeling the buzz of the address I just received. "It's complicated ok, please just promise me you'll go. You're the only one I could think of that he'd let in, just please go" he pleads with me and I nod "I will, but we really aren't that close, we only started talking a few weeks ago, I'm not sure I'm the best option" I warn him in which he shakes his head, "you are" is all he says before walking off.

After school I did as I was told, I avoided telling Callie and Oliver about what me and Aaron talked about in the hall even though they begged me to because I really didn't know how to explain it and somehow, I didn't have a great feeling about this. 

Most likely due to the secrecy of whatever the hell this is. Like seriously I have never been more confused then after meeting these two.

I pull up to the address listed which I recognize since its down the street from Callie's house like she had mentioned. 

I park on the side of the street and walk up to the door. I ring the doorbell and wait. Shortly after the door opens to reveal Eli in Pajamas, his eyes look puffy and red which catches my attention first. His face goes pale when he sees me.

"What are you doing here?" he asks raising his voice slightly. "I just wanted to drop by and make sure you were good" I say trying to sound as casual as possible. 

"I told you I was fine" he said starting to shut the door, but I caught it. "Wait, why don't I come inside" I say quickly, and he lets go of the door. "You really shouldn't be here" he says, and I can tell I'm starting to piss him off. 

"Maybe not, but I'm worried about you" I tell him, which honestly isn't a lie, he looks terrible, well as terrible as he could possibly look looking like that. I see a glaze go over his eyes at that sentence as if I had just broken him. 

"Go" he tells me attempting to shut the door again. "Eli i-" is all I can get out before he covers his face in his hands "go please just go" he begs me but I hear his voice cracking which makes my heart drop and suddenly all I can think to do is hug him.

His arms drop from his face as soon as I embrace him and wrap around me. I can hear him sniffling and the last thought in my mind is letting go. 

I do though after a couple minutes as I feel I could only get away with hugging him for so long before it becomes truly weird, but as I let go, he wipes his eyes. 

"I'm sorry" he says in which I shake my head "you don't have to be sorry" I tell him walking fully into the house and shutting the door. 

"but I am staying" I say and he gives me a slight smile. I have so many questions running through my mind, but I know that's not what he needs.

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Ahh sorry i haven't uploaded in like a month, lots going on with finals and stuff, but i did pre-write some chapters so they should all be out shortly! 

Next one: Wednesday 1/1/25 @1PM PST