The Loner and the Prep (bxb)

Chapter Thirty-One

Watson P.O.V

I never thought that the two of us would one day be able to talk to each other so freely like this. The conversation flowed back and forth easily, and I found myself enjoying every second. It was nice to just talk to someone, to say things that no one had ever heard before since no one had ever asked before. I never knew how much I craved this kind of conversation or how much I wanted someone to ask what my favorite color was. I don't think I've ever actually been given a chance to talk about these things with someone else since people rarely showed any interest in me.

How would the people Elijah associates with would feel knowing that he was hanging out with me right now? Would they be shocked? If I hadn't asked Elijah for help, this conversation would not be taking place, meaning he would have absolutely no reason to interact with me. The thought actually kind of hurt since I've wanted to get to know him for the longest time. It's almost disheartening that we were only talking now because of my home situation. It was depressing. Most people go up to their crushes with the intention of asking them out, but what was I doing? Asking for help to get away from my abusive father. What a great relationship starter.

Except it wasn't a relationship starter. After helping me, we would likely go back to the way we were before, with him almost completely ignoring my existence. Everyone else did that; why wouldn't he? Well, not everyone; Evelyn didn't treat me like that. Wait . . . how in the world was Elijah planning on explaining my unexpected presence in their house to her? She has to know that Elijah and I weren't necessarily friends, as sad as that is, and there is no reason for me to be anywhere near their house. What excuse could Elijah even come up with that would justify my presence? I don't think there is a good excuse that he could make, not that he seemed to be worried about it. Instead, he looked relaxed leaned back in his seat with a faint smile on his face.

I didn't need to be reminded of his attractiveness. There was just something about him that continued to draw me in. I had always been fascinated by him, even before our small interactions, but with him sitting beside me, with the sun caressing his face in its golden light, he looked almost godly. He was almost admirable when he looked like this, basked in an array of false innocence. He wasn't innocent, not by a long shot. I could almost say he was more on the evil side of things.

But I needed to stop. I wasn't being invited to his house to gape at him like this. I was only there to get some help, not to admire him. If he caught me watching him like this, he would probably get weirded out, and that was honestly the last thing I wanted to have happen. I didn't want him to think that I was weird like everyone else did. I made myself look away from him to avoid getting caught. Thankfully, he didn't seem to be paying me any attention at the moment, his gaze still lost outside the car, as he seemed to observe the passing buildings as they disappeared before I could notice anything specific. What was he looking for out there?

This was one of those moments when I'd just stare at someone and wonder what it would be like to see the world through their eyes, live life through their shoes. Is the world I see compared to Elijah that different? It was an unimportant and meaningless thought, but I couldn't help but wonder about it. Even though I don't admit it often, since we are entirely different, raised in different situations, and treated differently by others. Would he survive in my shoes? Would I in his? It didn't matter if I could or couldn't since it would never happen.

"We're almost there," Elijah said as he glanced over at me, sending me a reassuring smile. Did he think I was worried? The only thing that I was concerned about was how his family would react. His parents might not notice anything weird about me, but his sister knew that the two of us wouldn't meet after school under any normal circumstances. That wasn't my only worry as my thoughts returned to my father, who would likely realize that I wasn't home soon. What would he do when I eventually returned, since I would eventually have to return.

I didn't want to. No one would ever wish to return to a place filled with pain but, we don't always get what we want. When Elijah and I finished tonight, I would be sent home to an angry father. That was what I was worried about more than anything else. I knew that what would be awaiting me when I returned wouldn't be pleasant.

Eventually, the houses started to transform into mansions. It was almost the opposite of my neighborhood, filled with tiny houses and poorly maintained yards. These houses had large fences protecting the hunormous estates behind them, each more unique than the previous. Amongst those estates, eventually came one that I knew without a doubt was Elijah's. It was a hunormous estate that stood out amongst the rest. It was a house to be envious of since it looked like it had come straight out of a movie or catalog.

Compared to my house, Elijah's was definitely better in every way. How would he react if he were to see my house in its filthiness with empty beer cans littered on the floor? I didn't want to find out. That was something I was beyond embarrassed about, even if it wasn't something that I had much control over. It was something that, for the longest time, I tried to hide from everyone, and now, it was nearing time to reveal it all.

As the car pulled into the well-lit driveway up to Andrews Estate, I found myself wondering what the next thirty minutes of my life would look like. Would I happen to meet Elijah's parents? Would we bump into Evelyn and be forced to explain my presence? I know that these things didn't matter in the long run, but for some reason, I was worried. More than I should have been. I kept my worries to myself since Elijah was already nice enough to take time out of his day to help me. I didn't need to add my silly concerns to the mix.

I followed behind Elijah as he got out of the vehicle, staying as close to Elijah as I could. With his hand on the door handle, he turned towards me. "No one should be home, so we should have a clear path to my room without any disturbances," He said with a confident smile before unlocking and opening the door. Something about his smile and his confidence made my worries disappear.

For some reason, I had a feeling that soon, all my worries would be gone.

A/N: this took me so much longer than it should have, and I'm not completely happy with it, but I promise to work on another chapter soon.