Chapter Text
Billy walked into the classroom, taking his usual seat right in the front. He could see the whiteboard better that way, plus he didn’t need to stare at the backs of his annoying classmates. And the fish tank was at the front of the classroom as well. Plecos, actually. Billy’s favourite kind. The most beautiful fish in his opinion. The patterns were so intriguing, and despite being such basic colours, they were stunning. Even now, Billy lost himself staring at the fish swimming and blub-blubing around the tank. Oh to be a fi-
BAM!
Dirty asf Adidas sneakers with the soles wearing off squeaked quite painfully loudly against the tiles. If you looked up, you’d be greeted by the hideous (in Billy’s opinion) face of Eli. He was popular for some reason that Billy didn’t know, and he wasn’t sure if he ever would.
‘Do you ever stop studying?’ Eli said in an obnoxiously high-pitched voice. ‘It’s pissing me off.’
He plopped down on the seat at the very back of the class, beside the window. Billy knew why he liked that seat (why does he know that?). It was because Eli could stare out the window for as long as he wanted and not pay attention in class (seriously his parents pay so much money for him to attend private school and he doesn’t even pay attention).
‘At least I’m good at something, unlike you,’ Billy retorted.
Eli laughed that annoying laugh again. ‘Oh Billy-boo. You’ve got it all wrong. I’m not good at things, I’m great at them.’
Billy gritted his teeth (hold up, why did his cheeks feel so warm?) ‘Who the heck is Billy-boo?’
‘You of course,’ Eli grinned, blowing a kiss.
Just as Billy opened his mouth to reply to the smartass, a group of girls burst through the classroom door.
‘Eli !! OHMYGOD ELI !! YOU’RE HERE !! WE WERE LOOKING EVERYWHERE FOR YOU ELI !!’
Billy winced at the loud voices of the girls. He couldn’t even look at their faces (the girls' faces were so unpleasant).
The girls swarmed around Eli, completely blocking him from Billy’s view (not that Billy cared).
Just then the teacher walked in, announcing the start of class and beginning to take the role.
Billy nonchalantly craned his neck to catch a glimpse of Eli. He was nibbling the end of his pen and staring out the window. Just as Billy went to turn back, Eli suddenly looked at him. For a split second (it felt like a minute) the boys stared into each other's eyes, Billy’s forest green, Eli’s warm brown. Then the teacher said something about homework, and the moment was over. Little shit , Billy thought, returning to his notebook.
*******
‘Hey Eli, are we seeing you gonna be at the skate park tonight?’ Edgar called out as Eli walked out of the classroom after class.
Eli thought for a moment, then spotted Billy down the hallway opening his locker.
‘Nah, I’ve got plans,’ Eli smirks, then strolls off.
He comes up beside Billy, using one arm to trap him against the locker.
‘Hey there Billy-boo.’
Billy swore under his breath. ‘Its Billy.’
Eli threw his head back and laughed. ‘Not with me it isn’t.’
Suddenly he leaned in close, so close their noses almost touched. Billy froze. What is this guy doing?
‘You got any plans tonight, Billy-boo?’
Billy stuttered. ‘Um n-no. Why?’
Eli snickered. ‘Nervous?’
Billy blinked, coming to his senses. He shoved Eli away, taking in a breath he didn’t realise he was holding. ‘Get away from me.’
With that, he stormed down the hall, leaving Eli standing behind, his hand over the place where Billy pushed him away from.
*******
It was dark by the time Billy got home from school. He had Maths club, after all, as well as Science club and Poetry club. When he got home, he greeted his parents, and went up to his bedroom to do homework.
He opened his computer, and glanced at the notifications.
32 FROM WHATSAPP???
Who could it be from other than his parents, or his two friends, who rarely messaged him anyway.
He opened up his messages.
32 NEW MESSAGES FROM - MAYBE:ELI
Billy’s jaw dropped. ELI?! That little shit?? What was he doing sending 32 MESSAGES?
He scrolled through them.
‘Miss you Billy-boo’
‘Are you into skating?’
‘How about we hang out tomorrow?’
Billy was seething. There was nothing to be angry about, except maybe how did HE GET MY PHONE NUMBER?! He shut off his computer and crashed onto his bed, burying his face into the pillows.
Stupid Eli.
He’s so stupid.
I hate him.
I don’t care about him.
As the hateful thoughts crossed Billy’s mind, he pictured Eli. His annoying smile, his loud and high-pitched laugh, those annoying girls who followed him everywhere. Then he remembered how he had trapped him against the locker, and leaned in. He had been close to Billy, oh so close, as if he was almost going to…
Billy slammed a fist into his pillow. What was wrong with him? What was he thinking?
Pi….think about pi….think about pythagoras….think about quadratic equations……ELI WAS SO CLOSE…NO!....DONT THINK ABOUT THAT………..physics…….enzymes……..zzz………
Soon he was asleep.
*******
When Billy walked into school the next morning, he was an absolute mess. His uniform was wrinkled, there were dark bags under his eyes, and his hair was sticking out everywhere. In summary, he hadn’t slept very well last night.
Billy’s attempts to lull himself asleep without another thought of Eli had failed. Quite badly. He had woken up several times in the middle of the night, imagining Eli and how close he had been….and whenever he tried to go back to sleep the first thing he saw when he closed his eyes was….Eli and how close he had been.
All it saw and thought of was Eli and how close he had been
Eli and how close he had been
Eli and how close he had been
Eli and how close
He had been
Eli and
How close
He had been.
So when Billy saw Eli make a beeline for him across the hallway, he turned and walked away as fast as he could (he couldn’t even look at him anymore without feeling weird). Once he had come to a more deserted area of the school, he ducked into the English Literature classroom, hoping Eli wouldn’t find him there (he also went into the storage cupboard just in case anyone spotted him from the window).
He waited there in silence for a little bit, then froze as he heard the classroom door slide open with a squeak. Footsteps, getting closer, and closer and closer.
SQUEEEEK
Billy looked up at the open door to see (to his disappointment…and something else..) Eli.
‘You left me on read last night, Billy-boo,’ Eli said, twisting his face into a mocking pout.
Billy scoffed. ‘It’s Billy, and how did you even get my phone number?’
Eli chuckled. ‘I have my ways.’
He stepped into the crowded storage closet, closing the door behind him and forcing Billy to press against the wall to have some illusion of distance between the two of them.
‘What’re you doing?’ He snapped, feeling his face go red (in anger…right?)
‘I wanted to talk to you,’ Eli said, squatting to get down to Billy’s level.
Billy shifted away from him, his back hitting a shelf. Something was poking his back, it was annoying, but if he moved forward he was going to be WAY too close to Eli.
‘A-about what?’ Billy stammered, then silently cursed himself for looking like a wimp.
Eli laughed. God Billy hated that laugh. But at the same time he kind of liked it. It made him feel weird on the inside, but a good kind of weird.
‘I have a proposition,’ Eli said.
Billy nodded for him to continue.
‘So everyone knows that you're one of, if not the smartest kid in the year level,’ Eli continued. ‘And everyone knows that despite my amazing social status as well as charming looks’ Here he flashed Billy a grin, making his face turn an even deeper shade of red (WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIM?). ‘And the last thing the people expect is me and you to have like a collaboration.’
Billy frowned. ‘What do you mean?’
‘What I’m saying is…you do my homework for me, and in return I give you whatever you want,’ Eli said with a smile.
‘...so like a Sugar Daddy?’
Eli laughed. ‘No ! Unless you really want to but no that’s not what I meant.’
Billy shook his head. ‘No. Never. I would never help you out in any way. Not over my dead body.’
Sighing, Eli stood up to leave the storage closet. ‘Well, I guess I tried. Just know that everyone who gets on my bad side doesn’t end up having good memories with this school.’ Then he walked away, leaving Billy staring at the spot where he had just been…part of him wishing Eli hadn’t left.
*******
Billy had been replaying Eli’s words in his mind, over and over again.
‘Just know that everyone who gets on my bad side doesn’t end up having good memories..’
WHAT DID HE MEAN BY THAT??
In maths, as the teacher yapped on about pythagoras, usually something Billy would listen to with all his attention, he stared down at his notebook, lost in his thoughts. About Eli.
WHY HIM.
WHY WAS IT ALWAYS HIM.
Billy gripped his pencil tightly. He was glad Eli wasn’t in the advanced maths class, cause if he was, things would have been so much worse for Billy.
After what seemed like ages, math was over, and Billy retreated to the library for some peace and quiet, and a place to get rid of the annoying stupid thoughts of Eli.
But fate had other plans.
As soon as Billy stepped foot into the library, Eli and Edgar, as well as the group of annoying fangirls, were in a little crowd, pointing at something on the shelf and laughing.
As if Eli had eyes at the back of his head, he turned around and saw Billy. He grinned and waved.
‘If it isn’t Billy-boo.’
Billy scowled and walked away (why was his heart beating so fast…cause hes annoyed right?).
He heard several pairs of footsteps following him and turned to see Eli and his gang trailing close behind.
‘Can I help you?’ He asks bluntly.
Edgar laughs and whispers something in Eli’s ear. Seeing someone stand so close to Eli pisses Billy off for some reason.
‘I heard you rejected Eli?’ Edgar says. Billy doesn’t know much about him, only that he’s obsessed with skating, like Eli, and lives off a diet of Monster and meat pies, like Eli.
‘I didn’t reject him,’ Billy said, face heating up (in anger…). Edgar was making it sound like Eli had asked him o- NO. NOPE. NOT GOING THERE. Billy cursed himself and stared at Edgar. ‘I don’t help people with their homework. Especially not people as egotistical and narcissistic as Eli.’
The fangirls all gasp dramatically, staring at Eli and anticipating his reaction. Eli just smirks, laughs, and strides over to Billy
‘You better watch yourself, Billy-boo,’ he sneers, shoving Billy.
He stumbles back a few steps, frowning as Eli walks back to Edgar and the girls, making a beeline for the library exit. As they walk off, he looks back at Billy and puts his rude finger up.
Billy scowls. Little shit.
So much for peace and quiet.