Indifference (boyxboy)

13. This Nerd's Mine

Elijah

I ended up going to bed early with a headache. I had too many things buzzing round my mind and it made everything else so much more difficult to deal with. Like when my mum spilt a carton of cream on the floor. Or when I realised the pajamas I usually wore were still in the washing machine because with everything going on, I'd forgotten to put them into the tumble dryer. It all made me want to scream.

But even though I went to bed early, I didn't sleep well at all. Which was why I felt like death the following morning.

My mum had actually said I could stay off sick to let my bruises heal a little more, but I didn't see the point in putting it off for another day. It would only lead to another day of restlessness followed by another night of no sleep.

Just as I was about to leave the house, I remembered something and ran back up into my room, and rooted through the wardrobe, before pulling out the item I was looking for and stuffing it into my school bag.

I gave my mum a hug, and left without making any of my usual promises of not getting into trouble.

When I got outside, I was surprised to see Alica sitting in Elliot's car rather than her mother's.

"Hello Elijah!" Elliot said with a huge grin on his face.

"Why are you driving us?" I asked. Straight to the point as always.

"What? I'm offended!" he said, putting his hand on his chest overdramatically. "Can't I do a nice thing for my sister and her friend?"

"She's not my friend," I said, making Alicia roll her eyes. "And you're never nice to your sister." That made her smirk.

Elliot grinned, while setting off.

"You got me," he said, "I only offered so I could drive you."

"Uuurrggh! Keep it in your pants would you?" Alicia barked at her brother in annoyance.

"Keep what in his pants?" I asked, rather confused.

"Oh Eli, you're too fucking adorable," Elliot said, making me cringe with his use of the swear word.

Before I could think too much about it, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I took it out and smiled when I saw I had a text from Ryan.

Idiot: If Freddie gives you any issues, shoot me a text ok?

I saw Elliot giving me a curious glance through his rear view mirror, so I quickly put my phone back in my pocket feeling my cheeks start to get warm.

"Oh my god, are my eyes deceiving me, or did Elijah Williams just blush at a text?"

"What?!" Alicia said, turning in her seat to look at me. Which of course made me blush all the more.

"Who was it from?" she asked.

"No one," I replied, then cursed myself for such a lame answer.

"So do I need to be jealous?" Elliot asked.

"Jealous of what?" I asked.

"Jealous of whoever it is who's making you blush? Have you got a girlfriend or a boyfriend who sends you flirty messages?"

"No!" I quickly replied, wishing that Elliot would drive faster so this torture would be over with sooner.

Thankfully, we did arrive at school shortly after and I jumped out of the car as soon as it stopped moving.

"Bye Elijah!" Elliot shouted, but I just walked away quickly.

The thought of Ryan being mistaken for my boyfriend made me feel weird. It made me worried that somehow Ryan would hear about it and be really disgusted and not want to talk to me anymore.