Eventually, hours had passed and classes had been finished for today. It was another normal day except for one intrusive thought, the thing that Max had mentioned.
Unlocking his locker, Eli continued to think. Should he show off his work..? Would that be rude? Would it be rude to say 'My art is good, admire it'? How could he word that differently so that it's NOT so rude? This is so confusing. Who would he even show in the first place? Certain kids could make fun of him, other kids are too anxious to speak. Is there a way to show off his work WITHOUT saying it's his..? Wait.. what did you just think? Without saying it's yours? You wouldn't get the attention... Wait- Are you angry because you wouldn't get ATTENTION!? Eli, you're the rudest person you've ever met. Attention shouldn't MATTER!!
After grabbing his things, he accidentally slammed his locker shut. LOUD! Immediately, Eli felt eyes on him. Oh no... Oh god... Eli laughed nervously as he looked around, face as red as a strawberry. A few were whispering to others. Laughing and pointing at Eli, the kids began to spread rumors. Although, Eli didn't have a clue what they were saying. All he knew how to do was to hide his face.
Eli turned around then pulled his purple hood over his blush-filled face. Oh god, was such an anxious mess. He just stood there, brown backpack on his back, locker lock being held with his thumb, eyes being hidden, and frozen still.
Nothing could make him move from this state. He was frozen. The laughs continued. Footsteps began. Are they leaving..? No... The footsteps are getting closer... The laughs are staying put... Who's coming to make fun of him... Stay still.. Stay put.. Don't move-
Suddenly someone tapped him on the shoulder. Eli flinched, and with a loud 'clang', the lock he was holding hit the ground.
"Are you alright?", a familiar voice had laughed in a question-type tone.
Wait... is that...
The person bent down, picked up the lock, then gestured it towards Eli.
Slowly pulling his hood down, Eli met eyes with a taller boy. Dark hair, chewed hoodie strings, and a worried yet very over-energetic expression. Max.
"O-oh uh... Hi", Eli studdered as he looked away, accidentally looking at the other kids.
The other kids were still laughing and whatnot, now changing the subject to both Max and Eli.
Max looked to what was making Eli more anxious and hissed at the other kids. That's right, he hissed. A cat? A snake? Nope, it's a Maxwell Hospher.
It confused some kids and just made others laugh even more. Great. How is Max supposed to fix thi-
"STOP TALKING BADLY ABOUT MY FRIENDS OR I'LL DRAG THIS LOCK DOWN YOUR THROAT, SHARPEN IT ON YOUR BONES, AND SAW OUT YOUR EYES BEFORE THROWING YOU DOWN A CHIMNEY, AND FILM YOU BURNING ALIVE FOR ALL OF YOUR FAMILY TO SEE AND REGRET YOUR EXISTANCE!!", Max had threatened, interrupting Eli's inner thoughts.
What was that!?!?? Eli's eyes widened, but it seemed to make a point, the other kids scrammed. They got out of their way fast. Max had hissed at the last person, forcing them to run out of the hallway as well. Great, just great.
Eli slowly and shakily turned to Max, who was now smiling as if he had said noting, just gesturing the lock towards Eli.
"Th-thanks...", Eli nervously laughed as he took it and turned to his locker, locking the locker. "Y-ya know they might spread rumors about you... right..?"
Max just stood proud and rolled his eyes.
"Who cares?", He laughed. "I am who I am, and I'm never changing!"
Wow, something else Eli admired about Max. He's so amazingly confident. Eli wished he could be somewhat like Max.
'ding'
A small ding had rung from Max's jean pocket. The sound caught Max's attention causing Max to pull out his phone, and check the screen. Eli stood there confused, just waiting.
"Oh uh..", Max laughed nervously, looking at Eli. "Sorry, I've gotta go, I told Mel I'd meet up with her."
Mel was Max's girlfriend, her full name was Melody. Max talks about her sometimes, she seems really kind. Eli doesn't know why but... he seems kind of jealous when he hears about Mel. Oh wait- that's that attention hogger Eli's trying to hide... God damn it, WHY CAN'T HE JUST NOT WANT ATTENTION!?
Max looked at Eli confused. "Are you okay, bud?", Max asked getting closer to Eli's face. "You seem like somethin's botherin' ya"
"O-oh uh..", Eli studdered while walking back, causing Max to stand up straight once more. "It's nothing! Have fun with your girlfriend!"
" 'Course I will! Cya then!", Max smiled as he hugged Eli. Of course, Eli hugged back... It was so warm and nice... He wanted it to last forever... He puts so much trust into Max...
"Well cya then!", Max repeated as he disappeared down the hallway, leaving Eli just to wave.
"Cya...", Eli sighed as Max was nowhere in sight. It made him smile that someone cared for him...
Eli looked around, no one was there, good. He began to quietly walk down the hallway, hands on his backpack strings, and eyes glued to the floor. Another normal day... Eli continued to walk. Except... That one thought. The thought of showing off his work without people noticing, it came back. Is it even possible..? Eli continued to walk, not paying attention to where he was going. Maybe he could-
AHHHHH!!! He screamed in his head of course. He had accidentally ran into a girl about the same hight as him who was... Now picking up newspapers from the floor..? That's the school newspaper!! Wait... ELI CAUSED HER TO DROP THE PAPERS!! He instantly began to help pick up the papers.
"Sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry", he quietly repeated over and over again, picking up the last newspaper and standing up. The female had stood up as well, sighing with a smile.
The female had light hair, a slight dirty blonde you could say, with light eyes. She was also wearing a peach pink shirt with laces that connected a v-neck part of her shirt. For her pants, she was wearing dark jeans, and for shoes...
"It's alright", she responded with a shrug. "Things happen. Hey, are you alright? You seem to be looking down a lot. Isn't that how you ran into me in the first place?"
This girl's not afraid to speak her mind, geeze, Eli wish he was like that.
"Hello?", the female asked in a confused tone. "If you don't mind, could I please have my papers ba-"
"Sorry!!", Eli squeaked as he gave the papers back. Not even a second later, his hood had been pulled over his eyes, it seems like a daily thing.
"Oh, it's alright.... again...", the female laughed nervously. "I'm Sky, by the way. I run the school's newspaper and- Oh gosh I forgot!! I'm having a meeting to find out what we should write in the bottom right corner because it's been blank for a while, it's getting obnoxious. I'm so sorry!! Thank you and-"
"I'm Eli...", Eli interrupted as he looked at the ground. Wait- did he just interrupt someone!? Oh god, what has gotten into you...
"Nice name", Sky laughed. "Now goodbye, I hope you follow your dreams!!"
Sky waved and began to again, run down the hallway, although BEHIND Eli. Wait- did SHE run into HIM? Great... More stuff to think about...
Eli just shrugged it off, sighing. Today was confusing...Not normal... Eli then began to continue walking, looking slightly upwards this time. Sky seemed nice... Busy and smart too. I wonder how much she had to do to be able to get that sort of job? Maybe Eli could help with the blank problem. He had always been creative with words... Now.... That picture problem..
Eli pushed open the door and left the building, continuing to walk.
Maybe he could tape it to the wall of the building? Nah, kids could tear it down and or draw over it... Is he even allowed to put it on the wall anyway..? Nah... Then it hit him. Not literally, but mentally. An idea that could solve his AND Sky's problems. You know what he's thinking.
What if Eli asked Sky if he could have his pictures printed onto the bottom right corner of the newspaper?? Did she say it HAD to be WORDS..? Oh no... This horrible memory.. Eli can't even remember...
Eli walks down the street, looking around before crossing roads. Almost home...
She didn't say it had to be words.... or did she? He can't remember. Even if he can, how in the world is he going to ask her??? He doesn't even have the courage to talk to anyone who isn't Max, talking to a GIRL is even worse!! Then thought two hit him... What if he asked Max to ask Sky for him? Or- Nah... This... This entire idea... It's all too ridiculous... Sky isn't going to let some random stupid picture on the school newspaper, and even if she would, Max would end up giving Eli a pep talk about speaking up. What's the point.... This is all so pointless. Why does Eli even have to deal with this anyway? Whatever. He'll just deal with this later when he has a chance to understand himself better. In that case, never. Never... His pictures were just meant to stay in his sketchbook, forever.
Pessimism, that's what he lives on.