classmates; OLIVIA RODRIGO ✓

𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧

'*;,.:・★ ☆ ★・:.,;*'

once the bells rings to signify that the school day is over, i head to an empty picnic table to sit at. i signed up to volunteers the concession stand for whatever sport game is happening tonight.

i asked around and got 3 answers: a track meet, boys lacrosse, or baseball.

i scroll through my camera roll to find the screenshot i took of the volunteer form, triple checking that it was for today, takes place in the evening, and where to go.

i have 2 hours to kill, so i open up netflix and continue with the show i was watching. and next thing i know, and 2 episodes later, it's time for me to be super early to the event.

i pack my stuff up and walk over to the building that is being used as concessions and knock on the back door. i'm met with the obnoxiously beautiful face of elijah.

"hi, indiana!" he enthusiastically greets me.

i'm taken aback by his demeanor and by him. in general.

"oh, uh, hey elijah." i put on a quick smile for him and he flashes one back.

dammit. if he didn't look gorgeous before, he looks 1000000x more gorgeous smiling.

"so, why are you here?" i bluntly ask.

"what do you mean?" he cocks his head to the side like a puppy.

"i thought you played sports." i dumbly reply.

"not this one." he laughs, which is also another beautiful thing. "it's softball."

"oh."

"i'm glad you could make it." he tells me as he begins organizing some candy on a shelf.

i could literally stare at this man for hours because he is that pretty. not as pretty as olivia, but still pretty.

i lean against the back door and continue watching him set up the food.

"you know, i never realized how attractive you really are."

elijah fumbles the candy bars in his hands and drops them to the floor. he quickly picks them up and sets them under the front counter. he turns to me and begins fumbling with his fingers.

"w-what?"

i roll my eyes, "don't tell me you don't know how hot you are."

i laugh as his ears begin to turn bright red and his eyes dart around the room.

"don't worry, just because i'm complimenting you doesn't mean i'm trying to date you." i tell him as i grab a disinfectant wipe for the counter.

"it's just that you're being so blunt about it." he mumbles and grabs a box of soda.

"i felt like being nice. that's also why i'm volunteering out of the goodness of my heart." i wipe down the dusty counter that hasn't been touched for months.

"totally." elijah jokes, both of us knowing full well we're only doing this for service hours.

i walk over to the sink and begin washing my hands, "so... you play football, right?"

"yes, i do." he replies while stacking sodas in the refrigerator.

"and you volunteer in your free time."

"yes."

"wow. athletic and kind. you're the total package!"

"oh my god." elijah laughs and buries his face in his hands.

"i'm just teasing you." i say as i kneel next to him and put more sodas on the door shelves.

"i know. i'm sorry, i'm just not used to this attention." he says and hides his face from me.

"please don't apologize to me. i'm unworthy of it." i say dramatically.

elijah just laughs off my response and we silently finish setting up.

the game starts and we get a few customers and by the end of the jv game, we get busy. it goes steady for a bit until the start of the varsity game and then picks up by the end of it. overall, a pretty successful day of selling junk food to people.

but during the whole time, elijah and i talked without making anything awkward. we both found out that we liked some of the same thing shows and musicians.

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i'm sweeping the floor and elijah is closing down the counter window when i decide to speak up.

"you know, it was actually nice hanging out with you. you're fun to talk to, elijah." i sincerely tell him.

"i can see why olivia likes you so much." he smiles at me.

his response surprises me and i look at him, "olivia talks about me?"

"all week!" he begins washing his hands. "she gets excited whenever you text her and if you talk to her during class. it's so sweet."

i watch his expression lightens up while he talks about her. olivia just has the effect on people. the only emotion i feel right now is happiness — which is weird because i shouldn't care.

"olivia, uh, doesn't have that many real friends. i would say that it's just me. she's like a sister to me and very precious. i hope you can become friends with her."

"i would love absolutely nothing more —" i say and then walk up to him and hold my hand out, "as long as i can be your friend, too."

elijah grabs my hand and shakes it and then pulls me into an unexpected hug. i awkwardly hug him back because he's much taller than me, but it's actually a very nice hug. he's a great hugger.

he pulls away, "sorry. i'm just really touchy person. i should have asked if it was okay with you."

"anytime you ask for a hug in the future, i will never turn the offer down."

"thanks. let's finish cleaning and get our sheets signed by the assistant principal."

"yeah."

i continue sweeping, thinking about how i unfairly judged elijah and how he cares for olivia like a brother.

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author's note

stan lucy!!! they're a kband and i love them with all my heart.