No Love Lost

chapter two

Eli's POV

After a couple hours at the mall, Alexia and I went to her place to look over the outfits we chose. I always loved coming to her house. Her mom is so sweet and loves to bake, so there's always goodies for me to take home.

"This is cute right? Cher from clueless? Or should I do sailor moon?" She asked, coming out of her walk-in closet with the costumes in hand.

"I'm obsessed with the Cher one. You know I love the 90's." I said.

"What about you? You'd look so cute as canary from hunter x hunter, or we can match and you can be Dionne." She chuckled.

"I guess." I said, laying back on her bed.

"So... how do you really feel about Jason being back." She asked.

"I could care less." I breathed out.

"I know you like him, Eli." She said.

"W-what makes you say that?" I asked, sitting up.

"Nothing, I've just always noticed how you looked at him when we all used to hang out." She explained.

"Oh... why didn't you say anything?" I asked her.

She shrugged, "if you didn't tell us, or me at least, maybe you didn't want anyone to know. So I left it alone." She said.

"Fair enough." I responded.

"Can I be honest with you?" She asked. I nodded yes.

"I think he knows." She said.

"Knows that I'm gay?" I asked her.

"Yeah. I always noticed when we were younger that he'd always keep you close whenever you guys would hang out with a bunch of other guys. Like he was protecting you from them or something, cause no one ever dared to say anything mean to you when you were with him." She told me.

"Really?"

She nodded yes, "Lucas and Dahmi never did that for you, plus you know they're a little stupid, but Jason would never let anyone pick on you. He'd always make sure to walk you home. Oh, and remember when you got into that fight with Xander McCullen in the seventh grade because he called you a fat cocksucker? Jason didn't walk you home that day because he went to go beat him up." She said.

"Yeah," I chuckled, "I was pissed at him that whole week." I said.
"Do you think that's why he stopped being friends with me? Because I'm gay?" I asked her.

"I hope not." She said.
"Anywho, we must not dwell over no boy, let's go get something to eat." She spoke, pushing me before running out of the room.

—

"What time are we meeting up on Saturday, and whose house should we meet up at?" I asked Alexia, while eating this bomb ass pasta her mom made.

"Mine, or Summers. If no one reminds her to get out the house she'll sit there and forget." She laughed out.

"Eli darling, did you want some pasta to take home?" Alexia's mom asked.

"Yes, miss Cheryl. Thank you."

"Ugh, I should get going before it gets too dark." I said, finishing my food.

"Alright, you better be ready for the turn up tomorrow night." She said, taking my plate.

"I'll try my best to prepare." I chuckled, walking to the door.

"Get home safe best friend." She said, pulling me in for a hug.

—

I walked home listening to my favourite playlist. It was as if I was in a movie, walking to the soundtrack of my life. The sun was setting so it just added to the moment. It helped me clear my mind. Since it's still nice out I might as well walk through the park, and go to my fave corner store.

"Hey Mikey." I said to the store clerk.

"Hey kid, how you been?" He asked, giving me a small wave.

"Eh, same old same old." I said, grabbing two frost blue gatorades, putting them up on the counter.

"Tell your mom I said hi for me." He smiled, handing me my stuff.

"Will do." I chuckled.

As I walked out of the store, I saw the one and only Jason Perez. He was leaning against his car, tapping his phone and drinking a red bull. I stared for a few seconds but quickly looked away and walked in the other direction.

"Aye!" I heard him yell.

I whipped around to see him staring right at me. He nodded his head back, like he was telling me to come to him. I hesitated, and as much as I knew to keep away from him my feet started moving towards him.

"Hey." I said quietly, avoiding eye contact.

"You want a ride?" He asked. I looked up to try and read his face, but he seemed to be genuine.

"Sure." I mumbled out. He tossed his can and hopped in the drivers seat. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, as he did at the same time. He chuckled before swerving out of the lot.

"How you been?" He asked.

"Fine, I guess... The real question is how have you been?" I said, turning to look at him. He ignored me.
"Why didn't you respond to any of my messages?" I asked him. He shrugged, as if he didn't care.
"And why did I have to find out from other people that you fucking got shot!" I asked, this time with a little more anger.

"Maybe I didn't want you to know. We're not friends anymore." He spoke.

I can't say I wasn't expecting him to say something like that, but that doesn't mean it hurt any less.

"That doesn't mean I don't care about you, idiot!" I said, raising my voice.
"What if you died? Do you know how much that would fuck me up?" I continued, and he just had a stupid look on his face.

"I don't know what to tell you, Eli." Is all he responded with.

"You're a piece of shit, you know that Jason? I was there for you when no one else was and you threw me to the side like I was nothing!" I shouted.

"What do you want me to say?!" He shouted back.

"That you still fucking care about me?!" I yelled. I can't believe this guy right now. Yelling at me as if I'm the one who did something wrong.

He opened his mouth to say something but quickly shut it.

"What did I do to you, huh?" I asked. More nothing.

"Fuck you, man." He said.

"Well fuck you too!" I slumping back in the passenger seat. When he stopped in front of my house I quickly got out and slammed the door.

He was avoiding the truth, and that didn't make me want to stay away. It made me want to get closer, but Alexia's voice rang through my head. Maybe he does know that I'm gay. We were friends for years, and he was really the only guy I hung out with. The other guys I was around were his friends and I'm pretty sure they just tolerated me. Other than them, I was always with girls, and clearly a little more on the "feminine" side of the spectrum compared to them.

I just hope me being who I am isn't what pushed him away from me.

—