Accidentally Bent (Boyxboy) ✔

Chapter 5: Thomas

A/N: 27.04.20

You guys might see random "Rowan's" here and there. Eli's name was originally Rowan but then it made me think of Roman's name from WLTVO and I decided to change it last minute.

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Hey Homies, It's your author from the future! I finally decided to make a YouTube channel!! I'm thinking of posting vlogs, book reviews, giveaways, and writing tips/advice! If you guys are interested, please subscribe!

Youtube channel: letsgohomehidee

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*Thomas's pov*

I walked home with Eli's quarter pressed inside my palm. My hand probably smelt of sweat and metal by now. My mind kept wandering to Steven's hand that was on Eli's thigh and I felt strangely annoyed. I never liked the jocks of our school, anyway.

When I turned around the next block, I stopped. Eli's "broken bike" (it looked perfectly fine to me) was still where he had left it. He didn't bother picking it up after we crashed and simply just left it there. I was surprised no one came by to steal it, but then I remembered that we weren't in the poor neighborhood yet. My neighborhood was another few blocks away.

I slipped the coin in my pocket and sighed, lifting the bike onto its wheels. The handle was bent and the chains were broken, and apart from a few scratches, it looked like it could still work.

I pushed it back to my house.

"Where did you get that?" Elle asked when I carried the bike up our porch. She was sitting on the stairway. I shrugged.

"Found it."

"You just found a brand new bike on the streets?" she asked, cocking a brow.

"Was lucky day."

I kicked the kickstand of the bike and left it near the ledge of our front porch.

"It looks broken," Elle murmured, glancing at the drooping chains.

"It is."

"What about my spoon?"

"Bent."

She sighed, running a tired hand through her dark brown hair. Elle looked exhausted and I felt guilt rise up my chest. I was about to speak but she beat me to it.

"Shouldn't you be at work?" she asked and I flinched, scratching the nape of my neck.

"I got detention," I admitted. When I entered the house, she followed me, and I could feel her glare bore a hole in my back.

"You what?" she snapped.

I bet our mom would have sounded like that if she had stuck around. I pushed away from the thought.

"It was an accident, okay?" I said, crouching down to grab the toolbox from under the sink. I heard Elle groan.

"Everything is an accident with you, Thomas." She spoke in an accusing tone. "What happened? Did you get into another fight?"

"Why does everyone think that I fight? You think I like beating people up?"

"No, but you like playing the hero and saving people who can't defend themselves," she implied. "Which always gets you in trouble."

I winked. "Call me batman."

Elle rolled her eyes but when I tried to walk past her. She grabbed my arm and stopped me, quickly studying my face to make sure I didn't have any injuries.

"What happened then?"

"Someone crashed into me."

Her eyes widened. "With a car?!"

"No, a bike. The one that I brought home. I didn't get hurt and nor did the guy who crashed into me, unfortunately, but I'm stuck scraping gum in the cafeteria for the rest of the week. It's a long story. Anyway, Jayden's covering my shift tonight so I won't lose my job this time, and I'll email my boss to switch my afternoon schedule to a night one. It'll be fine, we'll still get our money," I reassured her.

"Tommy, it's a school week. You're going to be exhausted if you switch to night shifts," she murmured. "When are you going to study?"

Elle's cheeks looked hollow and her dark circles under her eyes made me feel bad, but I didn't comment upon it.

"I'll knock out a few hours of sleep," I shrugged. "It's not a big deal."

"You need that scholarship."

"I know!" I snapped, pulling my arm away from her grasp. She looked hurt but after scraping gum for the past two hours, my patience had reached its limits. "I know, Elle, I fucking know. If I don't get a scholarship I can't go to college. " I tried to keep my voice low so Molly wouldn't overhear. "You don't think I know that?"

Elle frowned, guilt swarming in toffee eyes. She took a step back and we stood there in silence.

"I'm sorry for putting so much stress on you, kid," she finally spoke. I gave a lazy shrug but averted my gaze, my grip tightening around the metal toolbox. I heard her laugh half-heartedly. "Fuck, I wish I didn't have to put any stress on you at all. You're 16, you shouldn't have to be worrying about this kind of stuff."

I finally looked at her and managed a small smile. "Fucked up parents, what can I say?"

Elle smiled back, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Not much, I guess."

"Sorry for getting detention," I mumbled.

"You really didn't get hurt?"

A bump on the back of my head but I didn't bother mentioning it and I shook my head. The tension had finally broken off and she gave me a clap on the shoulder.

"Then go fix your broken bike," she said. "I gotta get to work."

Elle went up to her room and I sat on the porch and took out a hammer and pliers. As I started working on the chains, my mind drifted elsewhere.

Money was always a problem in our family. Our dad lost what we had while gambling and resorted to his anger with alcohol. He rarely ever came home, maybe once every three months? But you could never predict when. Even though we never knew when he'd show up at our front steps with an empty bottle of whiskey in his hand, we were certain of one thing. He'd always leave.

And our mom? Who knows. We've haven't seen her since their divorce.

I didn't really know her since she left when I was young, and when Molly was just a baby, but Elle had it rough.

Life wasn't easy, but we made the most out of what we had. I was content with my shabby neighborhood, our broken-down house, our leftover foods, and friends that replaced our family. What more could I ask for?

My mind suddenly drifted to Eli's face. That angelic demon child. The way he smiled at Steven made me roll my eyes at no one. What did he see in that guy anyway? Wasn't he a cheater? Did people even know that he was, I dunno, not straight? Wait, why should I care?

I eventually finished fixing the chains but my hands were now covered in dirt and grease. I stared at my palms, the smell of rust stinging my nose.

"I really am filthy," I laughed to myself. I swallowed the pain edging in my voice and stood up, taking the bike into the house so it wouldn't get stolen by the neighborhood kids.

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A/N: Please don't forget to voteee 🥺💞

Have you guys ever confessed to your crush (if you've ever had one)? Or do you guys stay lowkey?