Eli glanced at the clock, just wanting the class to end already. It was the beginning of their last school year, and he was excited to start college and begin his new life. The problem was... there was still something on his bucket list that he wanted to accomplish no matter what.
Eli was a very shy high school student, and liked to keep to himself most of the time. He had a few okay friends, and that was all he really needed. He spent most of his time playing video games at home, enjoying the company of the stories that developed as he played. He was also really smart, the top of his class for most subjects, though most of it was to make his parents happy more than anything else. He didn't really care about his future, and just wanted to leave the small town life behind in hopes of learning more about the world.
He was slim with messy black locks, and though he tried combing it, it wouldn't budge with the genes he had clearly inherited from his father. He typically wore a hoodie with jeans on most days, not caring much about his appearance. Though recently... he had been considering doing a little better. The problem was, no matter how much he wanted to escape from this town, he had his sights set on the girl of his dreams. Chris Haber. A woman that had captured his heart and his attention since he saw her on the first day of class.
She hadn't done anything too particularly special, but the way she talked to people, the way she laughed and looked at them, the way she teased and made them laugh as well... to him, it was something he was never able to do himself, and he was in absolute awe of her. It didn't hurt that she was absolutely gorgeous as well. She had curly brown hair that fell at her waist, and the way that she walked in her tights, sway from side to side with the nicest ass he's ever seen on anyone... he gulped just thinking about it. The problem was, there was no way he could ever get a girl like that, and he didn't know why he even bothered. They had nothing in common, but he could feel a deep connection to her no matter how much he tried to push it away.
He knew he had to come up with a plan before the year ended, but there was nothing he could do other than look at her like he was some kind of stalker. His journey of trying to woo her began one Friday afternoon, when he walked by a classroom with two boys playing video games on one of the school's computers. He recognized them as Canyon and Ben, the former was big, and a cheerful boy that got along with most of the school. Ben, on the other hand, had a body that showed he worked out, and was currently dating Eli's best friend, a girl named Noe who had rumoured to be the biggest breasts in school, which she didn't bother hiding. He couldn't help but watch them at the door, though he was a little too shy to actually go in and talk to them.
It was Canyon who turned back and saw him, and grinned widely. "What are you doing just standing there?" He asked, studying Eli.
"Um..." He shifted his feet. "That's my favourite game." He said finally.
"Dude, do you know how to finish this level? We've been trying to for hours." Canyon said, shifting his head towards Ben who was currently very focused on his turn. Eli nodded eagerly, happy to help out as much as possible. He pulled out a computer chair next to the two boys, and watched Ben as he attempted a failed robbing attempt.
"How did you guys get access to the computer?" He asked, wondering how he could manage to play here after school or between classes as well.
"We hacked Mr. Thomas's account, stole his password when he wasn't looking." Ben chuckled, praising himself for his wit.
Eli whistled, clearly impressed. "Wow. That takes guts."
"Eh, we've done worse." He replied, and went deep into the game again.
"You're doing it all wrong." Eli said despite his shyness. He didn't hide away from video games. Never.
"What do you mean?" Ben paused the game to look back at him. Eli sighed and explained to him how to actually pass the level, and Ben nodded listening intently. Canyon only laughed the whole time, knowing Ben would hate looking like he knew nothing in front of this new kid.
"Damn you know a lot about this game." Canyon whistled a last, and patted Eli on the back. Eli blushed and nodded, taking the compliment.
"I spend a lot of time playing video games." He said shyly.
"Wait, what was your name again?" Canyon asked.
Eli felt a sting in his chest. They had been in multiple classes together, and definitely worked on group projects before. The fact that Canyon had no idea who he was... just confirmed how much of a loser he really was at this school. "Eli. My name is Eli."
"Nice. Is this your first day here?"
"Dude. He's been in our class since freshman year." Ben grunted, mashing the buttons on the keyboard.
Canyon looked at him once more, his eyes widening. "Oh god I'm so sorry, I must look like a dick right now. I thought I saw you before..."
Eli could only chuckle awkwardly. "It's okay. I generally keep to myself."
"Why?" Canyon asked, not understanding the idea of wanting to be alone at all.
"I'm just used to it." Eli shrugged.
"I bet you're one of those really smart kids." He said a little intrusively. Eli knew he meant no harm, he was just the type to say what was on his mind.
"Eh, I do pretty well." Eli grinned, knowing the jock would be slightly jealous.
"Ah, I'm sure you don't have to worry about getting into the good colleges. My parents are going to kill me soon if I don't get good news about my future." Canyon groaned.
"You still have plenty of time to improve your marks." Eli commented.
"Hey, would you be able to tutor me? I'll even pay you!" Canyon asked, an idea sparking in his mind.
"Um..." Eli said, looking between the two guys. Ben hadn't said a word since he taught him how to pass the level. "I don't think I'll be a very good teacher..."
"C'mon. I don't understand anything our teachers say. Please...? I know you don't have a social life anyways." Canyon said, not trying to be rude.
"Okay. But I don't want you money." Eli said, an idea sparking in his mind.
"Well, what do you want then?" Canyon asked, scratching his head. "Do you want football lessons?"
Eli shook his head. "I want you to help me get Chris Haber to fall in love with me."
Even Ben had to pause his game at that statement. "What?!" He said, swiveling his chair around to stare at Eli.
Canyon could only laugh out loud, his deep voice booming in the computer lab. "You want Chris to fall in love with you? Are you insane?!"
Eli blushed scarlet. This may have been a horrible idea. What if they just ran away and told her straight away? He would be the laughingstock of the school. "I..." The words were failing to come out. He gulped. "I've been in love with her since the moment I laid my eyes on her. I need her to know I exist. Please. I'm desperate."
"Clearly!" Canyon laughed out loud. "Holy shit, this is the best day of my life."
"Listen man," Ben said, putting his hand on Eli's shoulder as he stared intently in his eyes. "Christ is the most popular girl in our school. Or one of the most popular. There's no way she'll ever pay attention to you."
Eli groaned. He already knew all this. "But... you two are close friends with her. Ben, you're dating her best friend. You're both popular as well, I'm sure you have something up your sleeves." He was truly getting desperate.
The boys studied each other for a second, then Canyon nodded. "We're going to have a meeting. Be right back." He pulled Ben away, and they stood in a make-shift huddle, which looked ridiculous with just two guys. They whispered to each other, and Eli sat there, completely bewildered, his heart still pumping away.
They came back after a few minutes, both men staring at him before taking their seats again. "We have decided..." He looked at Ben, who was proficient at the drums. "Drumroll please..." Ben faked hitting the table in front of him, and Canyon smiled away. "We have decided to help you!"
Eli stared at him, then the understanding hit. "Really?!" He cried out, unable to stop his excitement.
"We will make Chris fall in love with you if it is the last thing we do!" Canyon said. "We both figured it would be a super fun mission for the last year of school, and I really do need help from a tutor."
"Do you really think you'll be able to do it?" Eli asked, not able to keep his excitement at bay.
"We can try, but Chris is a tough nut to crack..." Ben nodded in agreement. "C'mon, let's go."
"But I haven't finished the level yet!" Ben complained.
"Eli is our best friend now, he'll help you another time." Eli blushed. He's never had a best friend before, and though he knew the other boy was joking, it still made him feel warm inside.
"Wait, where are we going?" Eli said, assuming that he was included in the 'let's go' declared by Canyon just now.
"To my place. The girls are meeting us there after they're done with the mall."
"The... girls?" Eli gulped. "Does that include Chris?" He asked shyly.
Canyon nodded, laughing at Eli's reaction. "Dude, you can't get a girl to fall in love with you if she doesn't know who you are!" Eli shook his head.
"I can't. I'm too scared." He revealed, realizing he was already trusting the two of them more.
Ben stared at him with one arched eyebrow. "Are you kidding me?"
Canyon shook his head. "We may have overestimated him..." He crossed his arms, thinking. "Nah, the best thing we can do is just put you in front of her and see what happens, Eli. C'mon let's go." He repeated. He shut off the computer and practically pulled Eli by his backpack, pulling him to the car he had parked by the side of the school. Ben followed with an amused expression, he always found situations around him mildly amusing, and this was definitely one of those times.
Canyon raced through the streets, and they arrived with a startled Eli a few minutes later as he parked inside his garage. Eli's heart was pounding. He couldn't believe his life had turned around so rapidly in just a few hours. He was about to go home...he had no idea that he would be having his very first actual conversation with Chris anytime now. He thought he might piss himself from how nervous he was. He followed Canyon passively through the garage entrance, and nervously looked around, taking in the nice suburban home that was obviously well cared for by Canyon's parents.
Canyon had offered him a drink, though before he could respond, the two girls bursted into the door, and Noe ran into Ben's arms immediately, jumping on him as he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up. She wrapped her legs tight against his waist and placed her lips on his, grinning from ear to ear. They parted, and she whispered, "hi," as she stared into his eyes.
"Hi." He responded, giving her the same expression in return.
"Ignore them." Canyon said, rolling his eyes.
Eli was about to say something when he saw her. Chris stood at the doorway with her arms crossed, leaning against it as she glared at her best friend. "How many times do I have to tell you to get a room?!" Ben dropped Noe onto the floor, and they both giggled sheepishly in response.
Chris turned to face him, eyeing him up and down, studying him. "And who is this?" She asked.
"Eli. Our new friend." Canyon said, putting his arm around Eli. "Look how cute he is!" Eli blushed again, realizing this was a terrible idea after all.
Eli still studied him, and the silence in the room was palpable. After a few seconds, she burst out laughing. "Look how cute he is?! Dude, you're going to scare him away in an instant."
"Where did you pick him up?" Noe asked, also staring at him.
"He's helping me beat a level of a game, and helping Canyon actually pass this year and maybe get into college." Ben explained, putting his arm around his girlfriend's waist.
"A man with many skills." Chris commented, leaning her body weight on one hip.
"Nice to meet you." Eli stammered, not knowing what to say.
"I can see what you mean by cute now." Chris laughed out loud, and walked into the room, helping herself to an apple. She bit into it, and looked at Canyon. "So what do we have planned?"
He wiggled his eyebrows, and fingered his pants. A second later, he took out a key, which shone against the fluorescent kitchen light. Before anyone could ask, he bent over and turned the key against the only locked kitchen cabinet, revealing row after row of colourful alcohol in various sizes of bottles. "Look what I've got~" He said in a singsong voice.
"How did you get the key?" Chris said, gaping at him.
"I stole it when my dad wasn't looking. He won't even notice we've drank from it... and since they're gone this weekend..." He winked. Eli had no idea what to say. He's never had alcohol before, only a bit with his parents at parties. He didn't want to look like a loser, but he had no idea how his body would take so much alcohol at once for the first time. Maybe he could pretend he was drinking.
Noe giggled, "Now that's what I'm talking about." She called out to Canyon's stereo system, which turned on immediately at the sound of her voice. The music blasted at 100% volume, and Canyon dimmed the light to set the mood. He started to pour alcohol and beverages into different glasses and passed them around, nodding to Eli as he gave him a dark concoction with a lime on top.
"I'm quite the expert mixologist." He said, and Eli put the drink against his lips, closing his eyes as he took a sip. It tasted really good.
It seemed like this night would be far more dangerous than he could ever imagine.
Eli felt incredibly shy, and leaned against the couch as they all sat around, talking to each other. The two girls giggled away as Noe leaned against Ben's body, swaying side to side as she listened to her music selection. Eli had never experienced anything like this before, a party with a group of friends who clearly really cared about each other. It was wild to him, but also a lot of fun. He cursed himself for waiting until his final year of high school to meet people like them. He had a fun time just listening to them talk mostly gossip about what was going on in school. He knew the names of the people they were talking about, but had never really had a conversation with any of them.
Chris, like she always was, was the centre of everyone's attention. She seemed to radiate some sort of energy, making every feel drawn to her at every moment. It was mesmerizing to watch, and Eli was jealous of her just as much as he liked her. He wished he could be as outgoing. To know what to say, to act properly...
She seemed to glance at him from time to time, wondering why he wasn't talking, probably. Chris was the type of person who tried to get everyone involved, and didn't like when he seemed particularly left out. He wasn't, though, he just didn't know what to say.
When the topic shifted towards what they were doing after high school, she glanced at him and asked, "What are you doing, Eli?" She said his name! He blushed furiously, unable to control his emotions.
"I..." He stammered.
"You're scaring the poor kid." Noe said, giggling with her drink in her hand.
"I'm not scaring him." Chris said, pouting a little. "I'm just curious, that's all."
"That's okay." Eli said, finally composing himself. "I'm thinking about going to college, programming to be specific."
Canyon blew out a whistle in response, "wow, you're super smart, man. I'm just hoping I can graduate from his hellhole."
Chris grinned and explained, "none of us are very smart, so it's cool to have someone like you." Does that mean they've accepted him as part of their group? Were they messing with him? Eli had definitely been bullied before, and he was worried that was what was happening. Maybe Canyon and Ben were messing with him this whole time.
"Don't lie, Chris. We all know you try to hide your intelligence." Noe replied.
Chris shook her head, but blushed a little. Canyon nodded in agreement, "Chris is secretly a super nerd, she just tries to hide it because she's the most popular girl at school." Eli gaped at her. Was she really a nerd? There was no way that was possible... because if it was, she would absolutely be the perfect woman, and how could he possibly compete with that? Was he somehow drawn to her the first time he met her because he knew she was perfect for him? It didn't make any sense, but he accepted it none-the-less.
He didn't even know what to say, and after Chris swatted Canyon on the chest, the conversation immediately shifted onto something else. He was already on his 3rd drink, and wondered how many he could take before he collapsed and lost the ability to go home. Would he be staying over? No one really told him.
"Hey, I have an idea!" Canyon said, looking between the four other high school students, "why don't we play truth or dare?"
Noe looked at him like he was crazy, "dude, we've asked you to play truth or dare with us thousands of times and you've literally never said yes. What's going on?"
Canyon smoothly lied, "we have a new friend and I bet he's never played it before." They all looked at Eli who shook his head.
"You've never played truth or dare before?" Chris asked, now the one gaping at him. He appreciated any attention she gave him, even if it was shock.
"No. I'm kind of a loner." He said. They all stared at him for a second before they burst out laughing. It wasn't a joke per se, but he laughed as well.
"Well then... we have to play now." Chris said, and got up to get another drink.
Canyon glanced up at his phone, looking really excited. Before anyone could ask, he ran up to the front of the house and opened it, revealing a girl Eli recognized from school. Her name was Nico, but he had no idea what she was doing at Canyon's house. He realized when she hugged him, her wet hair clinging to his body as she squeezed tightly. "I was worried you wouldn't show up!" Canyon said, smiling ear to ear.
She shook her wet black hair, still holding onto a sports bag. "Nah, I wouldn't miss this. I need some time to relax." Canyon held her hand and moved towards where they were all sitting, with Chris now joining them with her new cocktail mix.
"Eli, this is my girlfriend, Nico. She just finished swim practice." Eli nodded at her, smiling. She waved in response.
"I didn't know we had a new friend!" She smiled at him. "I just joined the group myself after Canyon asked me out a few weeks ago. They're all super nice!" She said. He nodded, believing her. All of them had been very outgoing and friendly towards him so far, and he appreciated it tremendously. He wondered why he always thought high school students were scary before, maybe because they all stared at him in the cafeteria, wondering why he was sitting alone. If he just got up and talked to them... maybe, just maybe, life wouldn't have been that bad.
"Now we can play truth or dare." Canyon said, sitting in place and holding Nico as close to him as Noe was to Ben.
"Ooo, that sounds fun!" Nico said, crossing her legs as she looked around. "Who's first?"
Chris raised her hand, looking cleverly at the crowd. "I'm first."
"Go then." Ben said, chuckling at Chris's eagerness.
She looked around, focused, and finally pointed to Eli. Eli's heart seemed to shoot through his body, all the way out his mouth. God, how was this woman so gorgeous? "Eli, truth or dare?"
He stared back at her, thinking. "You do know how truth or dare works, right?" Chris said, laughing a bit at her own joke.
He nodded, "of course I do! I may be a loner but I do watch TV." He didn't let her tease him more. "Um... truth." He said. He was worried about what a girl like Chris would do to him if he said 'dare'.
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