Chapter 2: The Encounter

"I have to go, mum said she wanted us to go shopping and you know how she gets when I show up late for her plans," Patience said and kissed me on the cheek before she turned on her heels and left me standing at my locker alone.

Neil had left just the last bell rang saying he had something really important to do. But from how he was typing away at his phone during class, I knew it involved a girl because that was one of the few things that generally excited him other than hockey and basketball. I sighed and packed my books neatly in my locker. I had nothing to do after school, basketball practice had been cancelled because the coach had something to do and hockey practice only began in late August, which meant we still had about seven months.

I was so lost in my thoughts that when my locker door slammed, I nearly jumped out of fright. I looked to find Elliot leaning against my locker casually with a blank expression. "How can I help you?" I asked once I had composed myself. I had no idea what was up with him but he was making me feel uncomfortable and I hated feeling like that in anyone's presence, especially him.

"I need help catching up with all the classes," he said nonchalantly.

"Well, I have a few things I need to do first," I replied and slang my bag over my shoulder in the hopes that he would get the sign that I didn't want to be alone with him.

Elliot arched an eyebrow at me. "I guess I just have to tell Ms. Celestrial that her golden student refused to help me," after that, he pushed himself away from my locker and headed in the direction of the teachers' room.

I swore under my breath and called after him. "Wait, I didn't say I won't help you."

Elliot stopped in his tracks and turned to face me with a smirk. "Thought as much," he said and walked back to where I was still standing. "Isn't it just so nice that you and I get to spend some quality time away from everyone, just you and me." He wrapped his arm around my shoulders so casually as if we had known each other for a long time.

I tried to subtly shrug off his arm but he only tightened his grip.

"Don't worry, I won't do anything to you… that you don't like."

I pulled away so fast as if I had been burnt and glared at him as he burst into laughter. "I have a girlfriend and that's not funny." I said through gritted teeth. What the hell was wrong with him? Who did he think he was to say such inappropriate things to me like that?

Elliot straightened himself, "I can make you forget all about your girlfriend. I can do anything," he said with all seriousness. "You will make a good toy." He said the last part so quietly that I wasn't sure if I even heard him correctly. "But don't worry, I was just joking. I do need your help though."

"Next time, don't say such things or I won't consider helping you even if it means you have to report me to the teachers," I spat and turned to head to the school parking lot.

I could hear Elliot's footsteps from behind me but I didn't dare look back. My heart was racing from what he had just said and not in that way that they explain in books. I was actually pissed. For some reason, he found a way to easily get under my skin even without trying. I had spent years making sure that I wasn't affected by what others said but for him, it was if he knew exactly where to press to get a reaction from me and I hated that, hated that he got to see the other side of me that took me so long to hide from everyone. Not even Patience had seen this side of me.

I walked over to my car and grabbed my car keys then unlocked it. "We will meet at the town library, they have an open spot where discussions can be done without disturbing anyone," I said without turning to face Elliot and then got into the car.

"I don't know where that is," Elliot said and I mentally slapped myself. Of course, he didn't know where the library was, he had only just moved to town a few weeks ago and I highly doubted he was one of the people who made it their mission to know where the library was.

I sighed and finally faced him. "Just follow behind me."

"Gotcha." Then he walked over to the far away where a neat looking Kawasaki bike was. I watched as he grabbed a helmet and placed it on his head then he grabbed glovers from the compartment and put them on. I watched his every move, even as he hopped on the bike and revved the engine. The sound roared through the parking lot and since we were now one of the few people still left in the parking lot, I couldn't help but admire his ride.

Sure, I knew a lot about motorbikes but my parents would never allow such a thing because according to them, motorbikes were dangerous and I still had so much to accomplish before I decided to do something as stupid as ride one to my death.

Elliot rode his bike next to my car and beamed.

"Ready when you are."

I started my car and pulled out of the parking lot and into the main road. I could see him following closely behind me, at least he listened to something I said. Within a few minutes, we were both pulling up at the library. I grabbed my bag from the passenger seat and got out of the car before locking it then turning to head to the library.

"You know, it's common courtesy to wait for the new kid and show them around whilst wearing at least a decent smile on your face," Elliot said from beside me as we entered the library. "But I guess even the golden boy doesn't like the new kid just like everyone else. I should have known that you would also judge me based on the rumours you heard about me." There was a coldness that crept through his voice as he said that and he walked ahead of me to the librarian.

"Hey Lilian, how have you been?" Elliot asked and Lilian smiled as she greeted him back. I stood there shocked, what the hell was going on? Wasn't he the one who said he didn't know where the library was yet he was talking to Lilian as if they had known each for a long time.

Finally snapping out of my stupor, I walked over to where Lilian and Elliot were. Hey Lilian," I said and she turned to face me with a huge smile on her face.

"Hey Luke, it's always a pleasure having you around," she said. "I heard you are helping Eli catch up with school work, that's really nice of him. I'm glad he made such a nice friend."

Elliot scoffed, "we aren't friends, he made it clear that he is only here to help me with school because one of our teachers asked him to," he said coldly. "We'll be at the back." He turned and walked away.

Lilian sighed but still had that smile on her face, "don't mind him, he's never been that good with people especially after what he and his brother have been through," she said. "Thank you for helping him, now go along. I don't want to keep you here longer than you should."

I smiled back and followed after Elliot confused as ever. How did they know each other?

And from how Lilian had spoken, it sounded as if she knew Elliot and his brother for a long time. I shook my head, that was none of my business. I found Elliot sitting at my favourite spot with his books laid in front of him and walked over to him.

"I'm sorry for how I acted towards you," I said as I sat opposite him. "I don't usually behave like that."

"Whatever, we aren't friends so let's not act like we are," he said and opened his Math book.

I wanted to say something more but then thought better about it and just decided to get my textbook from my bag and opened it to the page we had just covered in class earlier. "Okay, so what do you want me to explain to you?"

"Just explain everything and I'll take note while listening. Try to be fast, I don't want to keep you from your girlfriend."

Ouch, I felt that slap to the face. Of course, I deserved it.

I started explaining everything while Elliot took down some points but most times he would just stare at me and when I asked if he understood what I had just said, he nodded and told me to continue. This guy was far from weird, there was something about him that I just couldn't quite place a finger on. When he spoke to Lilian, he seemed like a totally different person and he even smiled, genuinely, something I thought he wasn't capable of doing.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked.

Elliot tilted his head to the side and arched his eyebrow in question. "What is it?"

"I thought you said you didn't know where the library was but yet you knew exactly where to come and not just that, you also seem to know Lilian on a more personal level. How is that?"

Elliot's face turned stone cold, "that's none of your business. How about you focus on your life and not meddle in others? Does that sound like something you can do?"

"Sorry I even asked," I said. "I just thought we should get to know each other since we will be spending a lot of time together."

Elliot didn't say anything after that and we finished up studying. I packed my books and he did the same then when I was about to leave, Elliot grabbed my hand and stopped me.

"Do you want to watch the stars with me?" he asked, looking right at me with no emotions whatsoever.

"What?"

"There's this point on the floor that I like to go and watch the stars before I have to head back home and I'm asking if you would like to join me."

"Hmm…okay."

He let go of my hand and led me to the very back of the library where there was a staircase I had never seen before that went all the way up and Elliot took the stairs two at a time while I followed behind him.

"Is this even safe?" But I didn't get an answer, only the opening of a door and then moonlight streaming through.

I followed Elliot outside and found him lying on a neatly laid blanket looking at the stars. I didn't know whether I should join him or just stand at a far distance but Elliot made the choice for me when he patted the spot next to him.

"Join me."

I walked over and laid next to him , not thinking much of it since Neil and I usually did stuff like this when we got the chance to go camping. I stared at the sky and admired the twinkle of the stars. "I don't usually get to see the stars often."

"Lilian showed me this place when we first moved here, she thought it would help me feel like I belonged in this town and so, I usually spend most of my nights here, staring at the stars or reading a book, anything to forget how everyone treats me during the day. I mean, it's not been long since I moved but I like this place, it's quiet and no one knows about it."

"It's really beautiful," I said absentmindedly, still trying to process what he had just said. I knew kids in this like judging others and I felt bad for him.

We were enveloped by silence, both of us lost in our heads when I felt Elliot face me and I glanced at him. He was using his arm to support him as he looked at me and I turned to fully face him.

"There's something about you that I can't seem to figure out," he said and before I could say anything, I felt his lips on mine. They were soft as he kissed me and his other hand found its place in my hair. He was kissing me with everything in him and after the shock ran out, I kissed him back without even realising what I had just done. I pulled away from him saying sorry all the way as I ran out of there, my mind reeling from the realisation of my actions.