Chapter 3- Take it one day at a time.

Elijah's POV

My palms are sweaty and I feel faint. Did I remember to eat or drink water before I left? Maybe I can call mom and tell her I'm feeling sick to where I can't come back to school yeah that's it. "Earth to Eli, dude you're going to give yourself an anxiety attack, calm down!".

I snap out of my thoughts to see my brother, Andrew snapping his fingers in my face. I calm down a bit and he hands me my schedule as we start walking to our classes "Eli calm down I know you are really nervous but you have me here this year, it's going to be different I promise" I turn to him to say something, but he's already running over to the football signup sheet. "Well thanks for the advice Drew, I'll take it from here I guess" I say to myself from afar. I look down at my schedule trying to find my way to class as I collide into someone quickly picking up what I dropped, "I'm so sorry I wasn't looking where I was going" I say as I look up to see the most beautiful green orbs, with the most smoothest cinnamon brown skin I've ever seen as it makes me stop in my tracks when she hands me my schedule I dropped.

"If you're looking for Mr. Simpson chemistry 3, it's near the trophy case. I'm Marley, I was actually heading over to his class" She says as she takes out her own schedule looking back at mine. "We have 4 classes and lunch together, wanna walk with me?" I nod shyly, "y-yeah sure we can I'm Elijah by the way" come on Eli get a grip, I say in my head and she smiles, "nice to meet you Elijah, welcome to Brookfield, the most interesting school known to man. So what's your story?" She says between walking and I look at her confused. "My story? As in?"

"You know..., you look like the kind of guy who has an interesting story following him. It's okay if you don't wanna share. I ramble sometimes when I meet new people or when I'm nervous, not saying you make me nervous or anything" she says the last part fast nervously. I laugh at her nervousness. It's cute, wait did she say guy? I-I am going to freak, that's the first time in a long time I get seen as a guy. Wait, she's staring at me. Why didn't I say something? "I-I uh wouldn't say there is an interesting story behind me, I'm just a normal guy boring even" I blurted out quickly as we got to chemistry class getting seated. Mr. Simpson quiets down the class for attendance as I scribble in my notebook waiting for my name to be called. After a few minutes he calls on me "Ellie Stevens? Is there an Eli-" His words fell on deaf ears as Marley looked at me confused. "Isn't your last name Stevens?"

I look at her as my throat goes a bit dry. "I- I-I don't know maybe there's another Stevens I-I guess it's a common name" I say as Mr. Simpson stops when he makes eye contact with me. He clears his throat nervously saying, "I- I mean Elijah Stevens". I look down embarrassed just wanting to disappear. "H-here" I croak out nervously, everyone whispering amongst themselves while staring at me.

Mr Simpson mouths "I'm sorry" to me. I put my hoodie over my head and sighed, watching the class go by. Soon as the bell rings for my next class which is drama, I get up grabbing my things leaving the classroom without Marley. I hear her calling for me but I ignore her speed walking to my locker, putting my books away. I race to drama not even knowing where it is but eventually finding it. I get there seemingly staying low on the radar before class starts hoping I won't get embarrassed again.