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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I have no idea how I've ended up here. I sit in the passenger side of Elijah's car, KJ and Spencer in the backseat. I'm not even sure how it happened, my head still buzzing a bit from how good of a time I was having. The night began with me getting a call from Elijah, asking if I would be done for going to see a movie.
Of course, I jumped at the opportunity. Platonically, I mean.
Then, things began to spiral. Sooner or later we were stopping by KJ's house, him sliding into the far left of the backseat—not saying a word to me in the process. Next came Spencer, after I discreetly expressed toward Elijah that I wasn't entirely comfortable with being alone with he and KJ. Especially after the state fair.
I was pleased surprised with his knowledge of Spencer anyway, and even more surprised when he asked if I wanted to invite him. I said yes, becoming sort of excited at the thought of hanging out with Spencer outside of our one gathering. Which happened to be a date.
As Elijah's car skidded down the road, a soft pattern of rain hitting the windshield, I held on tightly onto my jacket. "Elijah! Slow down!"
He hadn't listened, speeding down the road faster toward the movie theater. As I glanced behind my shoulder, the laugh slipping out of both Spencer and KJ's mouths let me know that they didn't mind the speeding. They enjoyed it, in fact.
But I could not say the same, as my hand fiercely gripped onto the handle on the rooftop of the car, as pleads left my mouth. "I swear, I am never letting you drive me around ever again."
"Gage, come on you love it!" He says, pulling into the vacant parking lot of the local theatre.
I rolled my eyes, unbuckling myself from the passenger seat and sliding out of it. The others closely followed my lead, as we made our way down the parking lot and into the large double doors of the theatre.
KJ and Elijah stuck close together, having a softly toned conversation which apparently didn't much involve Spencer and I. As we waited in line to decide on a movie, Spencer leaned in closely, whispering in my ear. "Um, if you don't mind me asking, who is that?"
He gestures toward KJ, who is standing tall beside Elijah, arms crossed over his chest and he refuses to make eye contact with anyone he doesn't know, seemingly. I'd never met anyone who either had such bad social anxiety, or with such a god complex.
"Who, KJ?" I ask, eyebrows unintentionally furrowing into a disappointment frown. "He's Elijah's friend. Doesn't really talk much."
Spencer hums inwardly, shuffling both of his hands deep into both of his jackets pockets. "He didn't introduce himself?" I ask, watching as he shakes his head.
"No, I was just kinda waiting to get you alone to ask." He chuckles, as we step closer toward the ticket booth.
Struggling, I run a steady hand through my hair, "well, don't pay attention to him, I don't really know him, either." I say truthfully, teeth gripping my bottom lip in deep thought. I hadn't told Spencer about the fair, considering I didn't want to taint his view of both Elijah and KJ.
Especially when they had just met.
As we finally made our way entirely to the ticket stand, Spencer and I shuffling awkwardly behind Elijah and KJ. The woman who was tending to us looked sweet, with her dark brown hair wrapped into a ponytail.
She lifted her eyes to Elijah's, lips stretching out into a wide grin. I couldn't blame her. I had felt the same way while meeting him for the first time. Because yes, he is just that hot. "Hi! Do you know what movie you'd like to see?"
As I stared out toward the large windows of the theatre, I noticed just how dark it was beginning to get, considering winter had shined its way over the city. And I knew that I would have to call my mother or father at some point, to let them know where I was.
"Uh, yeah, we're gonna see Friday—ten o'clock." The girl nods, reaching forward for the fifty dollar bill that Elijah is trying to slide her. But just as I reach forward to hand him another twenty, he's pushing my hand away—my cold skin instantly becoming warm.
After we've received our tickets, the four of us return to our pleasant conversation. Spencer doesn't seem as comfortable anymore, as he's now forced to be shoulder to shoulder with KJ as we walk.
But as the moments go by, KJ seems to become more and more irritable and begins to fasten his walk so that he doesn't have to be as close to the two of us. The action makes my blood boil, as I try and push down the strong urge I have to kick KJ in the back.
We've still got a few minutes or so until our movie starts, and we've taken it upon ourselves to find a seat right beside a sigh that reads, Friday 10:00 pm.
Elijah leans his back against the wall, his sidekick following his lead. I don't say much, scrolling through my cellphone. "You guys don't want anything eat?" Spencer verbally declines with a, no, thank you, as I shake my head.
But Elijah doesn't seem too convinced with my answer, "Gage, you sure?" At the mention of my name, I look up, catching his attention.
"U-Um, no I'm okay, but thank you." At my words, KJ snickers under his breath, blue eyes twinkling in amusement.
I bite the bottom of my lip once more, trying my best to hold in the anger and annoyance that's threatening to pour out of my lips. Spencer seems confused as to what was funny, and looks up from his cellphone to ask what was funny.
"Nothing," Elijah says, and I can tell that he's trying his best to keep the conversation between us light and mellow. So that we don't rewrite any unwanted history. "Spencer, you're in high school too, right?"
Spencer seems interested in making conversation now. "Yeah, I'm a junior. You go to Michigan State?"
As Elijah answers I can see KJ staring at me from across the table, as if daring me to lose my shit and start an argument. And I was almost above him, I almost had him until he made the slightest crook his left brow and all hell had broken loose.
"KJ, what the fuck is your problem?" I almost yell, and Elijah swears under his breath. "No, seriously—do you have an issue with me? Because if you do, why don't you just fucking say something instead of laughing and making comments!"
He is laughing now. No more snide comments or chucking—he's just laughing at me. "Or better yet," I stand from my seat, hands shaking as I hold out fists. "Fucking fight me! What? You're scared now? You weren't scared a minute ago, bitch!"
KJ doesn't have the opportunity to speak, because only seconds later, Elijah is walking toward me, grabbing me by my forearm, and dragging me toward the men's room.
"Oh, I see. You need your owner to come and fight your battles, right? Fuck you, KJ!" After we've finally made our way to the men's room, Elijah throws the door open, pushes me inside, with me repeatedly resisting.
And with KJ out of sight, I've finally gotten a moment to breathe. But when I look up, and Elijah's eyes are on me, the adrenaline that was once pulsing through my veins have no died down as I realize how much of a scene I must've made just now.
And I am in no way, shape, or form, ready to face the public after publicly embarrassing myself in front of everyone.
