Chapter 11: Thomas

A/N: 27.04.20

Last update for today. Goodnight everyone, sleep tight (or enjoy your day depending on where you live) 🙆‍♂️🙇‍♂️

What time do you guys go to bed?

Please tell me I'm not the only one who sleeps later than a normal human being should. Thank you.

⤵️⤵️⤵️

*Thomas's pov*

Today was our last day of detention together. And by our, I meant mine and Eli's.

We haven't spoken since our argument. I still caught him glancing at me every now and then but pretended not to notice for his sake. Who did he think he was fooling anyway?

What was going to happen once we no longer had detention together? Were we going to go back to ignoring each other's existence?

I mean, wouldn't that be for the best?

But something tugged inside my chest when I thought about not seeing him anymore. Or at least, not being able to spend time with him. It's not like I hated Eli or anything. He was annoying and troublesome, and even though I hated anything and everything annoying and troublesome, I didn't mind being around him.

Oh, Thomas, just how badly did you hit your head after that bicycle accident?

"Hey," I drawled when the hour was almost over, pushing the chairs back under the tables. Eli gave me the cold shoulder like the drama queen he was. "Your bike," I said a little louder. "Do you really not want it back?"

He finally turned towards me.

"It's taking up a lot of space in my house. If you don't want it back, I'll sell it online. If you want it back, then tell me."

And to my surprise, he answered.

"I want it back."

Why do I feel relieved?

"Okay, then let's go."

He blinked."Go where?"

"To get your bike. Keep up, yeah?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Where is it? Did you leave it behind some dirty dumpster?" His voice was harsh and his eyes icy cold. I gave him a lazy shrug.

"In my shady neighborhood, in my run-down house. Got a problem?"

Eli bit his lower lip. "Will there be rats?"

A smile etched on my lips. "Including me? Plenty."

Eli scowled, taking off his gloves while I threw away the gums in our bucket in the black garbage bag.

"Fine, I'll go," he mumbled. "Let's make it quick, I'm dining with my grandparents tonight."

I snorted.

Dining. Why did that sound like such a rich people thing to say?

We washed our hands and headed out together. I noticed that the further we were from the city center, the more nervous he got. Eli started fiddling with his hands.

Does he do that when he's anxious?

My first thought was, what a wimp.

My second thought was, maybe I should tell him to relax.

And then he stabbed me one of his disdainful glares and so I let him suffer in his worries.

"How far is your house?" he sighed, annoyed.

"40 minutes by walk."

"Why don't you drive?"

"Do I look like I can afford a car?"

Eli studied me, staring at my shoes, before looking away.

"Then the bus," he said.

"Why take the bus when we have legs?" I smiled. Bus tickets cost money and I'd rather wake up early than waste a couple of dollars every day.

Eli didn't answer, but I knew that he knew what I meant by that. He was kind enough ('kind' was stretching it a bit) not to ask any more questions on the transportation.

"Hey, filthy rat?"

"Yes, rich snob?"

He rolled his eyes. "What's it like being poor?"

"Are you flirting or looking for a fight?"

Eli averted his gaze. "Just answer the question."

"You know, Eli," I said, tilting my head towards him, but I wasn't angry with him. After a week of night shifts, I didn't have the energy to argue with him, and my voice came softer than it usually would. Besides, I came to a conclusion that maybe it wasn't his fault for being exactly how I imagined rich people to be. "You can't order me around just because you're rich."

"That's not what I said."

"Well, you act like it," I shrugged before mimicking him in an overdramatized voice. "Thomas, do this, do that, I didn't ask you to do this, I didn't ask you to do that, yada-yada-yada."

He was probably so used to getting what he wanted, he forgot how to formulate a proper question.

"Then stop being mean to me," he huffed like a child. I cocked a brow. It sounded like we were making some kind of mutual agreement, an unspoken deal of some kind.

"Mean?" I echoed in surprise.

"Yes," he said. "You're mean."

I laughed at how cute he sounded. Jesus, how old is he?

"I'm not mean," I said, a smile quirking on the corner of my lips. "You just can't handle the truth."

He narrowed his eyes at me. "You're being mean again."

"Eli, I'm being honest."

"Then stop." There it was again. Ordering me around.

I grinned, putting an arm around his shoulder and leaning close to his ear, whispering, "Don't be upset, Eli, you're the kindest, sweetest, most adorable person I've met. The love of my life, the star of my universe, my sweet, sweet darling Eli."

Eli pushed me away wide-eyed, slapping his hand over his ear. His face was so red, I couldn't stop laughing.

"S-Stop," he stuttered, keeping a one-meter distance from me. "Go back to being honest."

I raised my brows.

"Please," he murmured in a small voice. I smiled, satisfied.

"See? Now, was that so hard?" I wasn't planning on being his other sheep of friends who gave him whatever he wanted just because his parents were well-off. No, siree, he was going to have his earn his way around if he wanted something from me.

Eli looked away, probably waiting for his face to return to its normal color.

"You didn't have to tell me that my boyfriend was a cheater straight to my face in such an unfiltered way," he mumbled. "I... I already knew, okay? You didn't have to be so hurtful."

I blinked and then rubbed the nape of my neck, feeling guilt rise up my chest. I guess he did have a point. I wasn't the nicest to him either.

"Right, sorry about that," I said. Eli's head snapped towards me in surprise and gave him a small smile. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. You're right, I shouldn't have called you out like that."

Eli's lips parted in shock. It did hurt my pride to apologize, but I could have told him in a nicer way.

"I guess I was just angry."

Eli tilted his head, curious and suspicious. "Why?"

Because you deserve better.

I shrugged.

"Let's just say I'm not his biggest fan," was all I said. "Why are you with him anyway?"

"He's my best friend."

"You don't see me shoving my tongue down my best friend's throat," I snorted. Wow, did I sound jealous or what?

Eli glared at me and I sighed, raising my hands.

"Alright, alright," I said. "You don't see me softly kissing my best friend."

"You wouldn't understand," he snapped harshly.

"Because I'm poor?" I gawked.

"Because you're straight."

"Oh."

"I saw you flirting with a pretty girl the other day, you two looked good together," he murmured. His lips tightened in an effort to smile, but I could the sadness in his eyes. "It must be nice not being broken."

When he said 'broken', I immediately understood what he meant.

"You're still in the closet?" I slowly asked. I didn't really know how to handle this conversation.

"My parents would disown me if they knew," he laughed half-heartedly. "It doesn't matter, though. Steven understands me."

I wanted to tell him that I understood him too, but realized that I actually didn't. What did I know about being queer? What did I know about coming out or being closested? Steven probably knew much more than I did, which was why Eli was with him. I didn't like that Steven was his only option, but I now understood why he was with him.

"And..." Eli huffed. "I guess," another pause. "I guess I'm sorry for yelling at you the other day."

My brows shot up, experiencing the same shock as him when I apologized.

He fiddled with his fingers before squeezing them.

"I didn't mean to be rude," he murmured. "I was only mad because I thought you were doing what others always do."

"I'm lost."

"People always do nice things for me, especially strangers, because they want something from me. They want to be my friend just because I'm rich. So when you fixed my bike without me asking, I thought you were doing it with an ulterior motive. For my money."

I blinked blankly.

"You were mad because you thought I was going to use you?"

"It happens a lot, okay?" He growled, his lips pulling down. "And I didn't want you to be like the others."

My heart raced inside my chest and I quickly looked away, shoving my hands deep in my pockets.

What was going on with me? Why did I find that... Cute?

"I thought you were going to blackmail me when you found out about Steven and me. But you didn't," he went on, sounding confused himself. "Anyone else would have asked for favors or money, but you didn't ask for even a quarter."

He let out a small sigh. "You're different, Thomas. You're a good person and I'm not used to being around people like you. That's why I was upset."

"Good to know." I tried to sound like I didn't care, but Eli was making me blush way too much so I kept my head directed the other way, pretending to observe the shops we passed. "Just to put it out there, I'm not interested in your social status or your money."

His voice was quiet. "I know."

"Good."

"Which is why I will be generous enough and grant you the opportunity to occasionally talk to me every now and then."

I couldn't help but laugh, finally turning towards him. This time, he was the one who was blushing.

"Is that your way of asking me to be your friend?" I grinned. He reddened, pushing me away.

"We're not friends," he said.

"Hmm, maybe not friends," I agreed.

He glanced towards me. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You tell me," I winked.

"Filthy rat," he grumbled.

"You're blushing," I teased. "Someone's going to think you like me."

I poked his arm and he angrily swatted my hand away but turned scarlet red, so I reached over and gently tousled his hair, lowering my head to his height so that I could whisper into his hear, "Or maybe you already do, Eli."

⤵️⤵️⤵️

A/N: Please don't forget to leave a vote 🥰

Do you guys see that? That little thing over there. *squints eyes*.

Yup. Character development.

We've done it again, Homies.