Playing Cupid

Chapter Seven: Don't you remember?

Eli's Point of View
——-💀——-
The night of February 11th

     I sat on my queen sized bed and ate my dinner.
I completely underestimated Cupid's power. Now my own family is being affected by this fucking curse.
          Someone lightly knocked on the door and sighed a long drawn out sigh.
"Come in."
    The door creaked as it opened and Noah popped his head. I gestured for him to enter the room.
    He rubbed his hands together and glanced around the room nervously. "Um, you... uh you rearranged the  um room I see."  Noah stammered bit biting his lip.
  He used to stutter when we were little, but the stuttering stopped in 5th grade.
     "Cut the crap and apologize." I hissed.
     Noah nodded and opened his mother to speak but I interrupted him.
       "For everything." I demanded

     He took a breath and released it, kneeling in front of me. He took the fork out of my hand and the plate too placing both on the floor. Then he gently took both my hands and locked eyes with me.
  "Eli, Ignored you in 6th grade." Noah admitted
I grimaced but didn't say any slick comments that rushed to my tongue.
        "I have a reason, I swear I do and I wish I could tell you but you-"
"I don't care,." I interject not blinking twice. Excuses excuses.  Everyone has all these excuses!
      "I was going to say you wouldn't want to know but, I guess that's about the same thing. Bunny-" he paused when I glared at him and resumed with the correct name. "Eli, I am so sorry that I wasn't there when you needed me. I'm also sorry about choking you in real life and I should have at least told my Father the whole truth instead of making you out to be the villain. But I wish you will forgive me. Please."
     Did he just say choking me in real life.

What part of "God of Desire" do you not get?

Oh my god! That how you're gettting then to do this shit?  Because they secretly want to!

Pretty much
Oh go does that mean Zeke and all the other kids actually do like me?!

You wish. Everyone has a desire to love.  I just give them a little push in your direction...

" Will you accept my apology?" Noah asked bringing me back to reality.
    I pulled my hands from his grasped and laughed bitterly.
    "Never in a million years will I forgive you.But it was nice to hear you beg."

     Noah rose from the floor and shook his head running his painted nails through his black hair."You know, you have more dick in your personality than you do in your pants." He scowled fixing his grey eyes on me in disappointment.
          "Oh like you would know! I seethed trying my best to suppress my anger and be the mature one. Even thought we both know neither of us are actually all that mature.
   His mood  suddenly changed and he smirked. Confidence sparkled in his eyes and seeped into his words. "I do know, remember?"
   I raised my eyebrow and the memory I buried deep into my adolescent mind resurfaced as if his presence triggered it.
——////—— ////——8th grade ——////——////—

          "Alright boys go to your stations. Let the games begin!" Coach G Shouted tying to hype up the gym full of middle school seniors.
   This was the worst time of year for me. Sports week.
    I raised my hand as the crowd dispersed and broke up into smaller groups.
  Coach G nodded in my direction acknowledging my raised hand. I lowered it and began to speak.
     "Um can I go change into gym clothes? I was late."
              "Hurry back. Your team will need you." Coach G granted permission and I slipped out of the gym and into the boys locker room.
       Not at all likely my team will even want me to participate. If they even say hi to Noah in the halls they'll hate me and tell me to get lost.

               As I was pulling my jeans off I heard the slam of a locker door and Noah turned the corner jumping in surprise.  I quickly reached into my locker and grabbed my gym shorts.

   Blushing as Noah stared me down still standing there, only a few feet away.
    "Sorry." He blankly stated blinking a few times before shuffling away. Then he paused. "Do you wanna...know something Bunny?" He asked out of the blue. I pulled my shorts up and began to take my shirt out the locker also . "Uh, I guess?"  I tried to play cool but I was dying for an excuse to talk with him.
       Noah stepped over the benches between us and grabbed my shirt before I could put it on. He pulled a strand of his longer hair behind his ear. Noah grew his hair out for 6th, 7th and 8th grade so it laid slightly unevenly on his shoulders.
    "I learned something really fun at camp. Do you wanna try it?"  He offered my shirt back to me and I accepted. 
      "Yeah Sure." I gushed, completely ignoring the ominous vibe this entire scenario was giving off.
     I pulled my shirt over my head and Noah grasped the sides of my gym shorts pulling at them eagerly.
      "Woah wait!" I tried to protest but Noah cupped his hand over my mouth.
    "Remember that rule we have: the first Yes is the only yes." He retorted and I nodded my head as panic rose in chest and settled in my heart.
         My stomach did cartwheels as I considered screaming when he removed his hand off my mouth. But my shocked and confused self did nothing. A part of me wanted to crawl into a ball and die when he pulled his hair back and got on his knees.
      I thought then: just shove your knee into his face and run!
  But imagine what he would do to me if he actually had a reason to hate me. The bullying would be 20 times worse! He'd make the hell i live in more and more unlivable.
   So I squeezed my eyes shut letting hot tears roll down my cheeks and drip onto my gym shirt. 
   And when he left. The last bit of affection I had for him, left too. I guess I was so traumatized, when I told myself to just forget about it...I actually did. I just pushed it into a black hole in the back of my mind and went on with life as if it never happened.
—————————-The Present————————

   "Oh god.
             Oh my god."

   I clutched onto my stomach feeling the horror bubble over. I didn't even realize I collapsed mid-memory.
        Until my eyes fluttered open and I looked up at Noah who stood crouched over me. my vision was blurred and my cheeks were drenched in tears.
           I pulled my self off the ground shooting daggers at Noah with my death glare. I would murder him but he wasn't the only One in the room anymore.
    My father stood beside Felix who both looked equally concerned. My sister was walking toward me but Heather pulled her back. And Astor only stood beside Heather confused.
      "We came up to see how the apology was going. And you were  having some sort of panic attack." My father spoke and in his eyes I could see the haze.
    They were still under the curse. So whatever I say could be held against me.
  "He apologized, I apologized. We're good. Now can you all leave I need to take a shower and wash this day off of me."