Tempest (Royce/Winston)

013

Jacob's P.O.V.

"Guess what!" Elijah exclaimed, he sat down at the table with his tray of food. We were in the cafeteria, eating lunch of course. Ray, Chresanto, and I all looked at him, waiting for him to tell us what he was so excited about. "Prom is next month".

Chresanto stared at him, a plain expression on his face. "Okay..."

"So we're gonna go, right?"

"I mean, you can if you want, I'm not".

I nudged him, "Chres, it's prom, why wouldn't you go to prom?"

"Because I don't want to".

I went to prom my junior year, it was pretty fun, I didn't go to any after parties though because during my junior year, I still had my shit together. I enjoyed prom last year, I wasn't worried about if I was going to go this year or not, I knew I was. Everyone goes to prom because it only happens once, twice if you're asked junior and senior year, but I'm just going this year for the after parties.

"You should go" I said to Chresanto, stealing a potato chip from the bag of chips he was eating from. "We could go together, you know?"

"I'm not going to prom with you".

"I didn't ask if you wanted to go to prom with me, I suggested, there's a difference".

"Are you going to go, Ray?" Elijah asked curiously, I looked at Ray. He looked up from his sketchbook, glancing at Elijah.

"I'll go if you go, Elijah".

I could tell Ray didn't care that much for prom, he didn't seem like he would be the type of person who would. I figured he only agreed to go to make Elijah happy, which he did because Elijah smiled and nodded his head.

"I don't think I have a suit though, and I don't know where to get one of those".

"How tall are you?" I asked curiously.

"Like five'four, I think".

"I think you could fit one of mine, maybe have to make a couple of alterations, but my mom use to sew a whole lot when she was younger" I explained.

I used to be in Elijah's situation where I didn't own a suit, but my mom and dad bought me one for Axel's funeral. I got another for prom last year, because apparently I couldn't go to prom in jeans.

"You're way too nice to him" Chresanto whispered in my ear, I tried my best to ignore how deep his voice was, and the way his lips brushed against the lobe of my ear. "You know?"

I turned to look at him, before shrugging a little. "Well, you're a bit on the mean side to him, and his parents aren't that great either, so I just thought that maybe I'd be nice, Chres". I guess I sounded a bit hostile because I noticed the way he suddenly looked guilty, I didn't want him to feel that way, that wasn't the point for him to feel bad. Chresanto could get a bit snappy at Elijah, but it didn't seem to be on purpose. Half of the time, he just seemed to be tired, and just wasn't in the mood for how peppy and upbeat Elijah was.

"Hey, I didn't mean it to make you feel bad or anything".

"I know, I am mean though" he shrugged himself, then picked up his bag of chips that he still hadn't finished eating yet. I took another chip, watching him for a moment before turning back to Elijah. He was talking elaborately about something to Rayan, going as far as to talk with his hands. I smiled a little, wondering how he could be so happy, even though he had problems at home.