Between the Lines | ✓

Cliche 9: Fangirls and Competition

I shifted uncomfortably beside the table in the courtyard, hands still shoved deep in my pockets, as Elias's friends all looked at each other with a mixture of disbelief, scorn and incredulity. While no one said anything about their displeasure at my character sauntering over to their table and talking to their Golden Boy™ soccer captain and pretty new protagonist friend, their distaste was clear as day in their narrowed eyes and the downward pull of their lips.

To be fair, I didn't blame them - considering the piece of shit code of conduct that the previous owner of this body had lived his life by, I also would have looked like I smelled something foul in Xander's presence.

It seemed like only Aubrey and Elias were pleased to see me, and that in itself made my heart thaw just a little.

"Xander! Come sit," Aubrey said, beginning to shuffle along the bench to create space between her and Elias. Her dainty hand pat the seat, inviting smile warming her face, as Elias jerked his head somewhat stiffly to signal me to come over.

"Oh, thanks," I coughed out, tapping Aubrey's shoulder to get her to scoot down the other way, because like Hell I was going to become a literal cock-blocking wall of abs harder than stone between her and Elias. What was this girl doing, honestly?

Aubrey just let herself be gently nudged back along the bench towards Elias, who let out a barely noticeable sigh under his breath, taking a big bite of his lunch and looking like he tasted something bitter. 

The silence continued around the table as the other members of Elias's table kept glancing at me with those cold eyes, the atmosphere palpably awkward, and it made me squirm in my seat. Elias looked up from stabbing at his lunch with his fork for a moment, casting a glance over everyone at the table, brows pinching slightly.

God, this is so awkward, I might just die a second time. Between this and enduring an hour with those idiots on the other table, I think I'm in a lose-lose situation. Which one's the lesser evil? Being glared at by these self-righteous jocks and prefects, or having to listen to Jake talk about his miner's drill's deep excavation of the lady tunnels of one of our female classmates. 

Not to be a prude, but I think getting silently glared at is better than learning about Jake's ability to operate his jackhammer. At least I had Aubrey on this table, who was smiling at me and offering me some of her biscuits. And the second lead, too, who was also glaring for some strange reason - but, contrary to the trends of the original 'Say No to Bad Boys', he wasn't glaring at me in particular.

Unable to take the silence any more, I leaned forwards on my elbow and turned to Elias.

"Hey, is your-" I started, just as Elias opened his mouth.

"Xander, do you-" 

Elias and I both immediately clapped our mouths closed, teeth clicking as our eyes met in surprise. 

"Sorry, you-" we both said at the same time once more, Elias's light brown eyes widening a fraction more as I blinked, tilting my head to the side. Aubrey, who was leaning back on the bench between us, stifled a laugh with the back of her hand.

"You go first," I said softly, Elias shaking his head.

"No, you go ahead," Elias said quickly, waving his fork in the air.

"Oh, I, uh, just wanted to ask how that's going," I said, gesturing at his nose, which still had a little adhesive strip on it and was looking a little puffy and darkened with a bruise. Elias instinctively raised his hand to his nose, letting out a slight laugh, eyes crinkling from above the hand over his face.

"It's getting better," Elias said, dropping his hand and smiling wider. "I had a pretty good nurse."

I looked at Aubrey then, who just nodded in agreement as she popped a biscuit into her mouth and brushed the crumbs from her skirt.