Gage Cilleti has just begun his junior year of high school, and is becoming more and more involved in his school's activities, considering he'd been playing baseball since he was just seven-years-old.
Elijah McCay has just dropped out of school, du...
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Classes ran slow, as I found myself dozing off in both math, and chemistry. I felt bad about it, of course. Especially considering my chemistry teacher, Mr. McClain, was probably the nicest guy on earth, who just happened to be really, really boring at teaching.
I spent hours waiting for lunch, and I now know, that I will never skip breakfast, again. My mother tried to get me to eat, but I had been so anxious, that I merely skipped out of the door, and bounced onto Harold's school bus.
Once chemistry ended, my lab partner, who also happened to Austin Geller, tapped my shoulder. "Gage—dude, class is over. Wake up."
I thanked him, collected my books and textbook, and practically sprinted into the lunchroom, instantly taking a seat beside Rick. "What the hell, G! You can't just scare me like that, for all I knew, you could be some theatre freak hitting on me for a dare."
I only rolled my eyes, and reached over to steal one of chilly-cheese fries. "Don't be mean, they're nice, decent people. Aside from you, who likes to cause chaos and havoc wherever he goes."
"The people need chaos and havoc, G. Because without me, all they've got is Karim Girard, and her necessity to scream whenever she hears new gossip." I laugh along with Rick, as I continue to steal his fries, his hand occasionally swatting mine away.
Minutes later, Terrance Ford took the seat beside me, as Austin Geller took the seat beside Rick. I gave him a look, when I notice that Rick is mildly irritated when Austin took the seat beside him.
"Guess what?" Terrance asks with a sly smile, his eyes catching mine. I shrug, not being able to speak, in fear of my voice wobbling. "No, G, you have to guess. That's why I said, 'guess what?'"
"You guys are disgusting," Rick spits, reaching over toward Terrance's plate to steal his sealed apple juice. "Just say what."
Austin leans forward, his lips curling in a knowing matter. "Terrance and I just found out who's gonna be coach's Jr. Coach."
Rick instantly plopped his apple juice down, his eyes finding mine. And, I, too, found myself being even the slightest curious about who coach had asked/picked. "Well, who is it, Geller?"
"Elijah McCay," Terrance spoke, as I instantly felt chills running down my spine, my ears hinting a deep, deep, deep reddish coloring. I hadn't heart that name is two-and-a-half years, since he had graduated from Wayland, and was accepted into Michigan State.
Rick gave me a knowing look, him deciding against speaking, only shoving a chilly-cheese into his mouth. "Hello?" Terrance spoke again, "didn't you hear me? Eli's coming back."
Elijah McCay had gone to Wayland way back when I was a freshman, and he was a senior. Surely, he was going on his fourth year Michigan State—so what was he doing coming back to Chicago? Had he gotten expelled? Had he been kicked out, due to bad grades?
I couldn't help but think the worst of Elijah. Especially remembering what his personality had been like, back in his senior year. But that still didn't stop me from having the biggest, and largest, world's greatest crush on him.
My crush on Elijah had happened long before I was out. Before I had ever remotely considered coming out. Maybe that was why we never got along. Maybe he could sense that I was a liar, and that I had a secret. A humongous secret.
But although—a personal secret.
We had only had one conversation in all of his time being here in Wayland, and it had given me the absolute worst first impression of him.
"G—G—Gage, come on, lunch is over. We've got to get to fire science."
I disregard my thoughts, haul my backpack back onto my back, and made my way behind Rick, following him into our shared class, which I kind of absolutely hated—fire science.
Once school ended, I followed my teammates, and lots of new freshman's to the boys locker room, where tryouts would inevitably be held. And for some reason, I was nervous. I had never, ever, ever been nervous for tryouts but I guess after finding out that Elijah would potentially be there—I was terrified.
Making my way through rows of guys my age and younger, I found my locker, and pulled my uniform, and baseball cap, that I had been more than excited to finally wear again, since summer first started.
I planned to be on my very best behavior—physically. Because I just know, that if I were to be passed up for captain, I'd most likely lose my cool, and try to jump in front of a moving train or bus.
But I'd never say that out loud, of course.
Coach quieted us all down, as we made our way back out to the field, my body finally feeling as though it was home—back on a field, and finally sand again. And while looking over at Rick, I could tell that he felt the exact same way.
The rules were appointed to us, as Terrance made his way toward me, flirty smile still present. "Seems like Eli isn't back, yet. I was really hoping I could show out, you know? Let him know he isn't boss around here anymore."
Terrance's words make me scoff, as Rick and I begin a game of toss, before Coach Witherspoon appoints drills. "You're an asshole."
"Why?" He asks, as though not seeing the problem. "Because I want him to know that I'm not the same little freshman I was before, you should be trying to do the same thing? You have no idea how he used to talk about you before."
I paused, keeping the baseball tight in my grasp. "Yeah, Terrance, I actually do. So, fuck off please, you're getting in the way of me making you look like absolute shit on the field."
With that, Terrance nodded with an, "oh, so that's how it's is?" Rick waved him off, signaling to me that I didn't need him. Or any guy, for that matter.
