MY BEST FRIEND ELI ⁂ E.M.

CHAPTER NINE

Flossie was at Eli's house after school, once her Sensei cancelled today's practice. They sat next to each other at the table, while Eli's mom stood with a pan full of cookies at the counter adjacent from them.

"You beat up four kids at school?" His mom questioned her, half horrified, half impressed.

Flossie gulped at this, looking at Eli for some kind of reassurance and then back to his mom. "Uh-um, yeah," she muttered. "They were picking on me. On Eli," she motioned to her best friend, "on all of us."

The woman sighed, conflicted at the situation. "I still don't think that violence is the answer," she commented, placing some cookies on a plate for the two teens.

The girl nodded, "I know, I know," she said sheepishly. "But they never cared about using violence on us. They're not hurt too bad, but they got the message. Plus, the school doesn't even do anything about it-"

"Okay," his mom said shortly. "Okay, I understand. You have to stand up to your bullies. But... just make sure you're taking care of yourself, not getting hurt. I could call the school if you want me to say something—"

"No!" Eli and Flossie said simultaneously, shaking their heads in desperation.

"No mom, don't do that," Eli almost whispered, playing with his fingers in a nervous fashion.

His mom sighed, placing the plate of cookies on the table and leaving the room. Flossie looked at Eli expectantly from next to him at the kitchen table. "Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked her, still picking at his fingers.

"C-cause," Flossie stuttered. "Can you please say something, anything about today? I don't care if it's something bad, but you haven't even talked about it with me since the fight happened at lunch."

Eli sighed, looking down at his lap. "I don't know what to say," he admitted. "I thought it was cool, how you beat up Kyler and those guys, but— but why didn't you tell me you were taking karate?"

Flossie shrugged, "you and Demetri seemed like you weren't really interested, and at least one of us had to stand up to them," she confessed, looking down now too. "I just.. I did it for you Eli."

The boy looked at her with wide eyes, like he was taking in everything she just said. "For me?" He questioned, but then he started to scowl. "You shouldn't need to do that for me."

He was serious, extremely serious, and that made Flossie really nervous. "Yeah but they're always calling you names and saying messed up shit. I just wanted to-"

"No," Eli cut her off softly. "No, you shouldn't have to do that. I should be doing that for you," he almost whispered, biting the inside of his cheek.

Flossie furrowed her shaped eyebrows at her best friend, shaking her head in confusion. "What? Why would you need to do that for me? I don't get it."

"Because- because," Eli stammered out. "It's not for you to get, Flo. I just... I want to learn how to fight," he said, shying away from what he really wanted to say— that he liked her and wanted to be her boyfriend and wanted to be strong enough, confident enough, to stand up to the bullies so that she didn't have to.

Flossie still smiled though, "well then come to the dojo," she convinced. "My Sensei is still looking for new students, and he's a really good teacher."

Eli shifted uncomfortably in his seat, but peering into her pleading eyes made his stomach do flips and his heart beat faster. "Do you think Demetri will go too?" He asked curiously, afraid to go without all three of them there. They always did everything together.

Flossie picked up a cookie, taking a bite from it, before responding with a full mouth. "I'll convince him," she spoke impolitely and Eli scrunched his nose.