Sunsets and Constellations | B X B

• E I G H T E E N •

E L I J A H

For two weeks, Elijah stayed well out of Arius's way, even going as far as skipping dinner with the group altogether. Ryder would bring it to him packed sometimes, or she would accompany him later when the crowd was thinning. She'd even skipped with him a few times. Lunch was super uncomfortable, but after a week, he had started sitting by the tree, mumbling something about 'artistic inspiration and musing'.

When he had no choice but to stick around or when they accidentally ran into each other, he always managed to smile a little and nod his head slightly before taking off as the other boy looked on in regret and disappointment.

As for Philosophy class, they had been sitting together until yesterday but Elijah couldn't bear the uneasiness and rancid silence anymore and switched his place with a girl that cast longing looks at Arius ever so frequently. Her name was January and she was one hell of an arm wrestler, although she didn't look like it at all.

His new partner was this boy named Kaz, who had a camera slung across his neck or wrist almost all the time. He was cute, dorky, funny, and their personalities gelled well together.
Apparently, he was on Student Council as a photographer, and claimed to have some mad photography skills. He was the only one other than Ryder who'd made it.

Elijah wasn't the kind to leave his intentions hanging and remain unexplained, so he had asked for Arius's number from Viggo the next day and typed out a message that he had sent very reluctantly. But that's just how he was.

I apologize for asking too many times and for misinterpreting what we had on that day for friendship. I asked out of concern and nothing else, and I'm sorry that it rubbed off the wrong way.
~ Elijah.

He had to exercise too much self restraint and control so as to not look at the other boy but it was paying off. He didn't care as much anymore because time had passed, everyone was back to normal and things were great among everyone.
True to what Ryder had said, Tirzah was shit-pissed when she had heard about his behaviour, but then she'd asked Elijah to take a walk with her when she explained that maybe Arius was the kind of guy who wanted to be left alone if he was going through a crisis.

"He probably didn't really mean it you know? Maybe at that particular time, but I doubt it. I hope you two work out your differences and talk it out 'Jah." She had said.

"Yeah I know, I overstepped and I should apologise. But I'm not going to talk it out with him or whatever, I really don't think I want to confront that. Just let's, let it go, it'll die out."
He'd replied.

Elijah hadn't missed the stares burning through the side of his cheek during philosophy, but he wouldn't dare, he wouldn't fucking dare look back. He'd even seen Arius make his way outside of the basketball court once, wrapped up in his black hoodie and that damned grey beanie that just brought out the colour in his eyes even more.

Elijah fucking hated the fact his thoughts strayed. Arius looked so good all the time, how was that even possible?

But Elijah had blown it, and there wasn't anything he could do more than apologize for invading his personal space too much.
They weren't even close to being friends now.

They were all going to catch a movie at Charlottesville tomorrow, and he hoped against hope that he wouldn't get placed next to Arius, it would be absolutely terrible.

Christmas was fast approaching and the management had started handing out forms for everyone to fill if they were going back home for a week and a half.
December 23rd through January 2nd.