Saving Eli

Chapter 22||

'Listening is often the only thing needed to help someone'

"You two are on an entire fucking rollercoaster and it's giving me fucking emotional whiplash!" Arabella exclaimed loudly at the lunch table we just sat down at.

"Shh!" I hushed her with a sweeping glance around the cafeteria.

"You can't expect me to be quiet after you told me that you and Elijah kissed again." She hissed quietly.

"I don't want the entire student body to know of my love life -- if you'd even call it that." I said with a sigh as I pushed a spoon of pudding into my mouth.

Arabella's eyes narrowed at me. "You're stress eating." She pointed out.

"I'm not!" I unconvincely argued as I opened the pack of Cheetos that I had stuffed in my bag.

"Yes you are! You always do that!"

"I'm just so confused Arabella." I huffed.

"It's obvious that you two like eachother and personally, I think you guys would make a cute couple. You both just need to stop over thinking and let it be." She explained as though it were that easy because believe me, it wasn't.

I wasn't allowed to tell Arabella of all the details due to obvious reasons and it killed me considering she was my best friend but Elijah's personal life wasn't something I blatantly wanted to share. He trusted me with all of his secrets and I wanted him to know that I'd never betray that trust.

"It's much more complicated than that." I said.

"Then let's uncomplicate it." She said as she leant forward. "Do you like Elijah?"

"Yes." I answered. There's no need for me to deny my feelings, especially around Arabella. She was my best friend afterall.

"Does he like you?"

"I'm not sure!" I was beyond frustrated at this point.

"Well, that's what you need to know." She shrugged. "If he feels the same about you then maybe something could come out of it and if not then we'll egg his house for playing with your feelings."

I let out a laugh with a shake of my head. "You don't actually expect me to walk up to him and say 'hey Elijah, quick question, do you like me because you're being an asshole by playing with my feelings and I really like you so you better tell me how you feel right now?" I said sarcastically.

"Not in those exact words but more or less yeah." She smiled.

"Why are boys so complicated?" I whined.

"I hope you're not getting any ideas Bella." A voice interrupted. I removed my head from the table to cast a smile at Chris who just plopped down beside Bella with a frown.

"What do you mean?" She asked him.

"I should be the only boy you're interested in." He smirked at her as he planted a kiss on her cheek.

"Of course babe." She beamed as she leaned into his shoulder.

"Babe?" I questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Arabella's cheeks tainted as she shot me a guilty look. "Didn't I tell you that Chris asked me to be his girlfriend?" She squeaked.

"I cannot believe you kept this from me!" I accused her.

"I was going to tell you but you were having boy trouble and I didn't want to seem selfish by telling you."

"Selfish? I'm the one being selfish. I've been whining about my non-existent love life that I haven't bothered asking about yours. I'm a terrible best friend."