Change of Plans

19|study time

Wednesday, November 30th

"I have one." I heard a voice from behind me.

"One what?" I said, continuing my activity.

"A nickname." It was ten minutes before the bell would ring for first period and I was unpacking my things into my locker.

I turned around, focusing my attention on the voice, and saw Eli standing there.

A little close might I add.

"And what would that be?" I questioned, looking up into his mesmerizing eyes.

"Well I spent all day yesterday coming up with this." He teased and I rolled my eyes at him. "Basically there is an infinite amount of names I could call you: Isabella, Bell, Bells, Izzy, Isa, Ella, Ells, Ella-Bella, Ellie-Belly, Ellie, Elle, Slim Shady, etc." Eli listed on and on and I laughed at his childish tone.

"HOWEVER!" Eli exclaimed rather loudly, putting his finger in the air, "I am not your average nicknamer and I will not conform to the restrictions given to me by society." I raised an eyebrow and him to which he offered a wink.

"So, welcome to your new name, Langley!" He said triumphantly.

"Goodness." I sighed and hung my head with a laugh.

"Like, goodness gracious that's amazing?"

I laughed, "Whatever you want Elijah." Even though it was literally just my last name.

"Good, because that's what I'm going to call you all the time. Only me." Eli said with the same child like attitude.

"Well shouldn't I have a nickname for you then? How about Cohen?" I said semi sarcastically, but he just nursed the joke.

"That's beautiful, very original." Eli chuckled at me. "Well, I have to go Langley. I'll see you in English."

"Bye Cohen." I smiled and he walked away with a wink.

*

The rest of the day went smoothly. We were assigned homework in English and Eli was going to meet me at my house so we could work on it together.

It took him almost the whole class period to convince me to let him come over. The only reason I caved was because technically doing the homework was on my schedule, now I just had some company while I did it.

That and I was a teenage girl with hormones that Eli happened to know how to mess with perfectly.

At the moment though, I was helping Emma pack because she was leaving tomorrow.

"Eli is so hot. Don't let that one go Bella, I'm serious." Emma swooned.

"Just because he's hot?" I laughed while folding a pair of pants.

"Not just that, because you're good for each other. You balance each other out. Here look, if you have a scale," Emma paused her folding and looked up at me, "and you and Eli's characteristic, are on their own sides, you balance each other so the scale is even."

Emma flipped her palms up and made sure her hands were level, like a scale. "If you take away his recklessness, your side of the scale will go up because your personality is to be obedient so his recklessness cancels that out, or balances that side of you. Your traits cancels his out the same way. Basically, if it weren't for Eli then you would be a prude with no social life and without you, he'd be a druggie that goes to a party every other night. Kind of how you guys were before you met each other." That might have been a little bit of an exaggeration... but not by much.