Work in Progress

Chapter 23: Consequences

PART TWO

*SAM'S POV*

Maybe I should have stayed. Maybe I should have given Eli a chance to tell me. I could tell that she was struggling. Instead, I let my emotions get the best of me and just left. I was annoyed at how self-aware she was yet didn't do anything to change it. Or maybe she really just preferred to be that way, keeping people distant. Then why would she even spend time with us? Is she trying to change? I know it's not anyone's job to try and fix others but... just being there for them is different. You don't have to fix them but just be there. Now, I can't even do that.

The whole break went by without me hearing anything from Eli. I debated with myself multiple times whether to text her or not but I could never find the right words to say. Jane and Kate were curious about what happened but I didn't really tell them the details, just that we fought and that was the end of it. They tried to cheer me up by saying she'll miss us --me-- by the time school started again but somehow I doubt that. Apart from us fighting, there was also the matter of the redhead. Even though I basically confessed to Eli how I felt about her, she probably didn't notice because of all the other mean things I said.

I dreaded waking up on the first day of class knowing that I'd have to face Eli sooner or later. When I got to school, I met up with Jane and Kate by the entrance. I've been waking up in a sour mood lately so I decided to save them the trouble of dealing with that during the drive to school. We talked for a while about not wanting to be back yet and how we managed to only have a few common classes together again. I had more classes with Eli last time. Will it be the same again?

I went to first period carefully looking at my classmates before I took a seat but there was no sign of Eli. The rest of the day went by and I didn't see her at all. Even during lunch I passed by the yard but she wasn't there either. Is she avoiding me? Is she even still here? What if she left? All sorts of thoughts came into my head as I headed for the parking lot. I was so engrossed in them that I accidentally bumped into someone.

"Hey! Watch out!"

"Sorry." I look up and see it's Brendan equally distracted by his phone. He just ignored me and continued walking.

"Brendan!" I shout after him. He looks back at me confused then, "Oh hey, Sam! What's up? Finally interested in me?"

"No," I huff. "Hey-- umm, have you heard from Eli?"

At the mention of Eli's name, Brendan looked scared but quickly composed himself. "Yeah, I talked to her over the break. Why? Did you guys break up?" He asks with a smirk.

"We never dated." I snap at him.

As if remembering something, Brendan scratches his neck and says sheepishly, "Yeah, she said something about that."

"Anyway, have you seen her today?"

"Not really, no."

"Alright, thanks." I leave him and walk to my car. I was exiting the parking lot when I caught sight of someone in the rearview mirror. It was Eli standing beside her bike, waving. But she wasn't waving at me. No, she was waving at someone else. Someone with red hair. I continued driving, fighting the tears that were coming.

A/N: So I just started talking to this girl and she said 'cute' as a reaction to what I just said and my brain was like laugh it off or flirt? I ended up saying such a wattpad character response: You're cuter. Cue the cringe. But she took it well so at least there's that. K tnx bye.