Accidentally Bent (Boyxboy) ✔

Chapter 30: Eli

A/N: 13.07.20

Q/A: Do you bite your ice cream or lick it?

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*Eli's pov*

Thomas told me that he'd introduce me to his best friends: Jayden and Rhys. I knew I was the one who told him that I didn't want to be a secret but I also didn't want other people to know my secret. Steven and Thomas were the only ones who knew that I was gay, and as easy as it was for Thomas to come out of the closet, I didn't know if it would be that easy for me. 

"I don't want to," I told Thomas when Geography was over. 

"You don't want to what?"

"To come out of the closet to your friends."

Or come out of the closet at all. 

People were already suspecting that something had happened between me and Steven since we were no longer seen together. Even though they didn't know that we had been dating, they did know that we have been best friends since elementary school. So seeing us eat at separate tables caused rumors.

"Alright."

I blinked. "Wait, that's it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Aren't you going to try and convince me at least?"

"It's your choice," he shrugged, stopping at his locker and putting his books in. "We can tell them when you're ready."
That had to be the most caring yet annoying thing he could say. I didn’t know how to feel about it. Then I remembered how drama-free Thomas was which was both refreshing and hard to get used to. The cheerleaders used to bicker about the smallest things. 

"Okay," I mumbled. 

"Okay," he smiled. We went to the cafeteria and got our food. Instead of joining the popular table, I followed Thomas to his usual place. I could feel people's eyes follow us but kept my mine straight forward. Then again, it wasn't every day you'd see Eli Golden, one of the richest and most popular guys at school, eat with anyone other than football players and cheerleaders. 

Thomas sat down beside two people who I was guessing were his best friends: Jayden and Rhys. I thought they would stare at me like the outsider I was, but instead, they casually went on with their conversation. 

"Oh, hey Tommy," Jayden greeted. "Now that you’re here, can you tell Rhys that I didn't eat her snicker bars?"

“Sure,” Thomas said, turning towards Rhys. “Rys, Jayden totally ate your snicker bars.”

Jayden let out a loud gasp. "How dare you!"

"We all know you’re addicted to chocolate," he said. 

"It is not an addiction, it is simply a necessary staple food that motivates me to get out of bed," Jayden said before glancing at me. "Come on, Eli, you're on my side, right? Tell Thomas and Rhys that they're wrong."

I stiffened when he said my name. It was the first time we've met but he spoke as if we've known each other forever. 

"Oh, don't bring Eli into this, thief," Rhys snapped. 

And that's how the rest of lunch went. Thomas, Jayden, and Rhys made the most simple stories sound funny and I found myself laughing with them. I realized that I had been overthinking and eventually forgot about the weird stares people were giving us. 

Jayden and Rhys were nice to me and didn't treat me differently. Until now, I had been sitting across the cafeteria, staring and judging them for smiling and laughing, looking down on them because they didn't wear brand clothes or the hottest shoes, and now I felt bad. Because even though they weren't filthy rich, their hearts were full of gold. I don't think I've ever met such easygoing and kind people as them. 

"So, how long have you two been dating?" Rhys smiled. 

"We aren't dating," I blurted instinctively. Thomas just shrugged, biting into his apple. 

"What he said." It baffled me how Thomas didn’t even try. 

"Does that mean I can still flirt with Tommy?" Jayden asked, batting his lashes. 

"You flirt with him even when you’re dating me," Rhys snapped.

"He's the man of my life.” 

"Then what am I?" Rhys retorted, but she didn't sound hurt at all, as if she was used to having this type of conversation with Jayden. 

"You're the woman of my life," Jayden winked. "You know what? Screw titles, I think we should all just get together and-"

"No," Thomas and Rhys deadpanned in unison. Jayden shrugged, slurping his jello in one go.

"It was worth a try." Jayden then glanced at me and I stiffened. "What about you, Eli? Are you-"

"Jayden, pass me the salt," Thomas interrupted.

"Sure, babe."

Thomas rolled his eyes but managed to divert Jayden's attention away from me. I watched them playfully push each other and bicker. I knew that they were best friends, but Jayden's charisma intimidated me and secretly felt jealous by how close they were. If I hadn't known that Jayden and Rhys were dating, I possibly would have gotten jealous.

"They're always like that. You'll get used to it eventually," Rhys whispered low enough for only me to hear, giving me a quick wink. I nodded, poking at my food. Deep down, I knew that he and Jayden were just friends because despite their intimacy, I didn't feel anything romantic between them. 

I guess I was more annoyed that Thomas was hardly paying any attention to me before remembering that I was the one who didn't want to tell his friends that we were dating. 

"So, I heard you two met at a bicycle crash," Jayden said, glancing at me with a kind smile that made it hard for me to dislike him. "You knocked into him so hard, he went heads over heels for you. One day, your kids are going to ask how their parents met and one of you will say, 'I almost killed daddy,'" Jayden grinned. "Gosh, I can't wait for you guys to have kids. I'm going to be the coolest uncle in town."

"We can't have kids if we're both guys," I said and Jayden dismissively waved his hand. 

"This world is overpopulated anyway. Adoption is your answer," he said. 

"You have our whole future plotted out for us, don't you?" Thomas said, raising a brow. 

"Just don’t come crying to me when your kids like me more than you two.”

I couldn't help but laugh. Jayden was so enthusiastic that there was no stopping him and he continued talking about the most random things. I was laughing so much that I hadn't realized that I had came out without even having to say anything. It was implicitly implied in our conversation. I always thought that my Great Coming Out would be something dramatic where everyone stared at me in silence, waiting for the awkward confession that I liked boys, followed by loud gasps of disbelief or emotional hugs and crying. 

Who knew it would happen over the topic of the world being overpopulated and adoption?

This was so much easier and it was all thanks to Jayden. And I realized why Thomas was always so happy whenever I saw him with his friends. Money couldn't buy people like Jayden or Rhys. Their friendship was priceless.

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