Did he truly love Alyssa?
Elijah remembered the terse conversations they had every day at the homework club. Her aspirations, her dreams. When she talked about them, she had a sweet smile.
Even if it was a stranger standing in Alyssa's spot. Was he going to take the simple way out at the expense of someone else?
He had nothing special in his life. He always told himself that at least he had a kind personality, even though he was a sore loser. If he let Alyssa sacrifice herself now, he would lose the only thing that made him feel good about himself. He'll be no worse than scum.
Alyssa's cute smile overlapped with her current fear-crossed face and faded away.
Was he going to be a coward and let her take the fall for him?
The tampon between her fingers was trembling in front of her lips.
He had thought about making up to her earlier. What was the point if he couldn't protect the person in front of him right now!
"NO!" Elijah roared.
He slapped the tampon out of Alyssa's hand.
"You!"
"SHUT UP!"
When Elijah turned his head at Nicole, her voice got trapped.
It was like Jason's wild-look he gives when he wants to smash someone's face in but it differs.
Elijah was like a bulldozer. He was unstoppable.
He held Alyssa's arms and tried to look into her eyes, but she was looking downwards and tears fell from her eyes.
"Don't…"
"But I have to." She sobbed.
"You don't have to. It's me. It's not your fault."
They started speaking at the same time.
Elijah: "Because I like you a lot."
Alyssa: "But I like you."
Elijah was shocked but so happy that he hugged Alyssa tightly. He felt like he wanted to shield her from every side. She was under his protection.
Despite the grave situation, he never felt better.
It stunned the girls stupid. The school's top girl dating a bottom feeder? That's only in the movies! Yet it was happening before their eyes.
"You guys are!-"
*Bang*
The door to the girl's toilets was kicked open and there stood Jason with a serious face. Then he saw Elijah holding Alyssa tightly in his chest. His eyes opened up like a frying pan.
He went over there, slipped his arms between them, and slammed Elijah to a narrow wall of a cubicle.
"What are you doing to MY girl!" Jason roared.
"Jason!" Alyssa called out.
She and Elijah quickly explained the situation. Earlier, Alyssa had texted Jason.
'You put Elijah in the toilet! What is wrong with you? Why are you doing this! I can't believe you!'
Alyssa and Elijah left.
"Ahhhh!" Nicole shrilled.
Jason pulled her blonde hair back causing her to bend backward.
"What the hell did you do that for!" Jason yelled.
"I was just trying to punish that bitch!"
"I thought I told you to leave her alone!"
"Why! She dumped you for a loser like Elijah! You're too good for a dirty whore!"
Jason's brain snapped.
He shoved his fist into her stomach, and she buckled over slowly.
"Don't you ever call her that, don't you ever f***ing call her that again, or I'll kill you!"
Nicole drooled from the pain on the ground.
Jason started walking.
"I love you!" She said.
"Stay away from me! I don't want to ever see your face again!"
"Jason! JASON!"
The toilet door closed with a bang.
After a moment, Nicole got up with the girls' help. She swung around and threw a ferocious slap onto Stephanie's face.
Stephanie fell and covered her scalding red cheek with her hand. She teared up from the pain and huddled with the other girls who comforted her.
Nicole slammed the cubicle door with a kick.
"Aghhhhh!"
She screamed in anger.
***
Walking through the hallway was Elijah and Alyssa who felt lucky they got off trouble. It was a unique feeling of disbelief.
The hard thing to believe is that they both like each other and the world that should come to attack them has ceased. Was this real?
They didn't dare think so. They walked optimistically but also kept their guard up as if a trap was ready to spring from a corner.
"Elijah!"
Jason came out from a corridor and called out from behind them.
It was a dream after all.
He walked up to them.
"Jason,"
"I don't want to hear it. Not now." He told Alyssa.
He glared at Elijah who was 165 cm tall, 10 cm shorter than himself.
"I want to talk to you for a bit."
"Jason!"
"Relax! I'm not going to hurt him. Not today at least."
Elijah could tell from Jason's eyes that he wanted to say something. He trusted him this time since he was just saved a moment ago.
"Alyssa, you go home. I'll be fine."
She stared at him for a moment.
"I'll wait for you outside."
Seeing how much she cared for him, Jason clenched his jaw.
She walked out of the school entrance next to them. After the double doors closed, Jason pushed Elijah back against a locker and pinned him there.
"Agh!"
"Do you love her!"
"Wha-what?"
"Do you love HER!"
Elijah looked at Jason with a bewildered expression. Then his eyes became serious.
"Yes."
*Bang!*
Jason's fist slammed against the locker next to his face. When he pulled it out, it left a big dent on it.
"How much!"
If Elijah so much as hesitates, he'll beat him to a pulp right here.
Elijah's eyes widened.
Green and blue flecks in hazel colored eyes can change the overall color depending on the lighting conditions.
When Elijah keeps a low profile at school, his eyes are more "closed" so less light comes in making them look light brown. When he's happy, more light comes in making it blue.
A pair of green eyes were staring back at Jason. He had never seen Elijah's green eyes before.
"I'll give up my life to protect her!"
Even Jason felt paralyzed when he looked into those eyes. What was this he felt? Why did he feel lacking?
He felt tiny in front of those eyes.
"So she chose you…"