The last lie

CONTENT WARNING - minor language, slightly suggestive content

I lied.

And I wish with all of my damned being that I didn't.

He was saying congratulations, and that he was proud of me even though we both saw the hurt in his eyes, the smile on his face being the equivalent of plastic. The green-eyed beauty next to me was grabbing my arm like a child, but still giggling with her friends behind us. All I had to say was I didn't like her, that I was sorry but I'm gay. She wandered off with her friends, oblivious.

I'm stuck like this now, drowning in a deep pool of regret.

I said one date, and now we're together. How the hell did it end up like this?

Eli started walking away from the group, and I slipped away to follow him.

"Eli, Wait-"

My mind started racing faster than those drag racer cars. Did I have the right to go back to him, to explain myself? I'm just as bad as those jerks in the movies. Despite myself, I started to cry. I was so far away from everyone, and I deserved it. I sunk against the wall of the hallway, and I wondered if he even heard me. If he did, he most likely ignored me.

My sobs were quiet but noticeable, and soon I heard the soft hit of sneakers on tile. I couldn't bring myself to look up, and I felt a hand on my head. I froze and tensed up.

"Eli? Is that you.."

My voice was pitiful, and I wasn't sure how he didn't burst out laughing. I would have never let him see me like this; but hey, development right?

The warmth of the hand softly playing with my hair felt warm and comforting. I knew with all my heart it was Eli.

"Was it that obvious?"

I heard a sigh, and I heard him sit down next to me.

"What happened back there... Did I do anything?"

His voice was hesitant, and he didn't sound the best either. My head shot up to look at him, but I couldn't bring myself to look at his perfect face. I was too terrified to look at him, so I just started talking.

"I'm sorry, everyone was staring at me when she asked me, and I couldn't bring myself to reject her, and I wish I did, I lied and I can't handle having all this guilt and shit piled on me-"

I took a breath, swiped the hair out of my eyes, and practically threw my head against the wall as I calmed myself down. I stared at the ceiling, enjoying the feeling of his warmth right next to my scarred body.

"I'm sorry, I should have just stayed home. I know what we had, and now I probably messed everything us like normal... I'm sorry."

My throat dried up, and I started crying again.

"Noah, You didn't do anything that wouldn't have happened anyway. I forgive you, Don't worry. I am sort of relieved, though...."

I found the courage to look at him, and I hesitantly turned my head. Just as my eyes reached him, He gently pulled me closer to him and held me. Words couldn't describe what I was feeling then, and there most likely never will be able to. I threw my hands around him, and we sat like that for hours.

“Noah, you have no idea how long I’ve wanted this to happen..” 

He laughed nervously, and I looked down at him. The strands of hair I tucked behind his ear previously had popped out again, and I sighed.

“You need to fix your hair, even though your a big bad jock doesn’t mean that you can let yourself look like one, Especially ugly ones.”

I tried to sound cross, but it didn’t work. I was able to get a laugh out of him though. I heard him snort, and then I felt a hand over mine.

“Stop stereotyping me, Jocks arent this soft.”

I felt the familiar burning on my face, and I poked him. Just then, we heard the clock strike 11:30. I looked at the clock in the faculty office. 

“How has school not kicked us out yet, It's 10:30…”

Noah looked up, and around. 

“Hey, the lights are out. I think everyones’ already left.”

I looked up at the ceiling seeing that all the lights had turned off. I looked around nervously, realizing we were, in fact, locked inside the building, presumably alone. This clicked for Eli around the time it did for me, and I saw a smirk growing on his face. 

“Noah, you know what this means right?”

I drop the piece of hair I was twirling around my finger, and slid onto the other side of the hallway. Noah broke out into genuine laugher, and I couldn’t help but grin.

“Stop being stupid, I wanna sleep on a bed tonight so we need to get out of here without being arrested.”

We started walking towards the front of the school, and I grabbed his hand as we walked. I can’t believe I did it, But we held hands the entire way there, with a comfortable shield of silence around us. I jogged up to the door, dragging him along with me. I pulled on the door, and it was locked.

“Tch, not surprised. Told you we should have tried the fire exit, Noah.”

“That will take so long though, can't we break the glass and run?”

I internally groaned. I Loathe walking long distances.

“Do you want to be arrested for vandalism?”

“Valid, Let’s try the fire escape I guess.”

Eli did a victory air punch, and I rolled my eyes. Our hands naturally found each other as we walked, and I joked around by obnoxiously swinging our arms around. I saw a hidden grin on Eli’s face, and my heart about beat out of my chest. Although the fire escape was still a long walk, everything was better with Eli.