Free Falling

10|CO5

A paper ball hit the side of my head and rolled to the edge of the desk. Nonchalantly, I swiped my hand over my desk, knocking the ball into the floor where a small pile of crinkled paper balls laid at my feet.

A beat passed when I hissed as the prickly edges of another ball made contact with my temple. Shooting a glare at Skylar who motioned with her eyes to pick up the ball, I snatched it up and read it.

YOU LIKE HIM!!!

Rolling my eyes, I balled it up and threw it on the floor, resuming doodling in my notebook. The page was almost filled up, and for some odd reason, I was determined to complete it.

The shuffling of feet and low groans beside me told me that Skylar had switched seats with Lucas again. I tried not to let my irritation show and kept my eyes glued to the paper.

"Why are you avoiding this?" she hissed in my ear.

"You talk so much that you forget how ridiculous you sound."

She gasped as if I just slapped her across the face. "I just state the truth, and the truth is that you like Eli!"

I paused in the middle of looping a swirl and craned my neck to face her. By the triumphant look on her face, she thought she'd won, but she was sadly mistaken.

"First Miles and now Eli." I clicked my tongue and shook my head. "Next you're going to accuse me of liking Preston because I glanced at him one too many times."

"You're being relentless," she berated, a scowl replacing the smug look she had.

"I told you that I'm not looking to be in a relationship, especially not with one of them. They're my friends."

Her eyes narrowed. "So why didn't you let Eli kiss Carrie last night? Besides the fact that you hate her guts," she added quickly.

I shrugged, picking up my pencil again to return to my artwork. "Eli can kiss whoever he pleases. Carrie is off limits, though, and that goes for the rest of the boys as well. That's like sleeping with the enemy. Also, I didn't want Eli catching herpes."

From the corner of my eye, I saw Skylar shake her head with a ghost smile on her face. "Sometimes I think you forget that you're a girl."

Trust me, Caden reminds me just how much of a girl I am.

"I think you just want me to be happy so bad that you're starting to imagine things." I gave her a warm smile. "I love you for it, but it's annoying. Stop it."

She gave an aggravated sigh and nodded her head.

Class ended twenty minutes later, and as I walked to fourth period, my phone vibrated. Pulling it out, I squinted my eyes at the message from Miles.

Miles: have u seen Eli?

Me: No why?

Miles: he didn't come home last night and he's not answering his phone

"Mrs. Brooks," my teacher said, peering over his spectacles, "are you going to come in or lollygag around my door?"

He widened the door and gestured for me to enter with a nod of his head. Sighing, I glanced down at my phone once more before heading inside. I plopped down behind my assigned computer and looked at the empty seat beside me. Miles had fourth period with me, but he wasn't in the room, so I figured he must've gone out to search for Eli.

Suddenly, my phone chimed and Eli's name flashed across the screen. One sweep around the room told me no one had heard the loud blare, so I answered it on the second ring.

"Where the f**k are you?" I whispered harshly. "Miles think you died and you're body is-"

I was cut off by a low groan. "Can you come get me?"

I paused. "Where are you?"

"I don't know. I just woke up at some girl's house. I'm outside."

I ran a hand down my face and sighed. "Just text me the address."

As soon as I ended the call, I picked up my skateboard and slung my bag over my shoulder. There weren't many kids in this class overall, so it didn't take long for the teacher to pause in the middle of playing Minecraft to shoot me a look of confusion.

"Where do you think you're going, Mrs. Brooks?"

"Bathroom." I deadpanned before slipping out of the room.

It took a while to persuade Kenny to let me borrow his car without giving away too much information as well as refusing to let him tag along, but once I did, I typed the address Eli had sent me into google maps, setting forth onto the road. My eyebrows furrowed as I turned onto a familiar street, and I double checked the location.

So much for not wanting Eli to catch herpes.

Shaking my head, I came to a stop in front of a two-story bricked house. Eli staggered to the door and slipped inside, instantly staining the air with the stench of alcohol. Clicking my tongue, I rolled down the window and gripped the steering wheel.

"Thanks," he mumbled, settling into the leathered seat.

I huffed frustratedly. "Do you know who's house this is?" Confirming my thoughts, he slowly shook his head, and I laughed humorlessly. "Sarah Shields. I'm not one to judge, but every boy who enters her house leaves feeling satisfied." I faced him. "Are you satisfied?"

Eli groaned and dropped his head into his hands. "I feel like shit."

I shrugged. "I'm guessing she approached you last night because she's not one for subtlety. You guys drunk a bit, danced for a while, even flirted. Then she brought you home to show you a good time. Am I right?"

"You're mad," he stated, eyeing me wearily.

"No. Just next time check in with your friends before you leave in the middle of the party to shack up with-" I stopped myself. My jaw clenched shut and my hands gripped the steering wheel. That wasn't the reason why I was upset, but I didn't want to admit that his sleeping with Sarah made me sick to my stomach. I had no right to be jealous anyway. Who he slept with was none of my business.

"I get it," Eli sighed, running his hands through his disheveled hair. It was sticking up in odd places, falling all over his eyes even as he pushed it back. "I should've called them first. I'm sorry."

I sighed. "At least you're not dead." Silence enveloped us and I pulled out into the street. "Where do you live?"

His forehead crinkled as he looked at me. "We're not going back to the school?"

"Dude, you just left the house of a girl you don't even know, you haven't even taken a shower or brushed your teeth, and I bet the inside of your head feels like someone's taking a hammer to it. I'm taking your ass home."

He chuckled and typed the address into google maps. After countless of right turns followed by left turns and one mistaken u-turn, I pulled into an apartment complex.

"Greenwood Apartments," I read aloud as I passed the blue and green sign with the name plastered in cursive. "Sounds nice."

There were about four buildings that looped around this little area, and Eli insisted I kept driving around until building C popped up. I kept my eyes peeled as I passed each building, but they were all identical, and the labeled plaque in the middle didn't help as it was too small to read.

I found a parking spot and killed the engine. "Do you want me to wait here?"

Eli shrugged. "You can come in if you want. It might take a while for me to get decent."

"Do you have food?"

He chuckled. "Preston did stock up the fridge a few days ago."

I didn't mention that they were four growing boys living under one roof, so the possibility of there still being food was slim to none. I hopped out the car and followed Eli up a flight of stairs to the second floor of the complex. There were three other apartments; the one next to Eli, then two opposite ones. Eli unlocked the door labeled 205 and held it open for me to slip inside.

I had painted this picture of what their living situation looked like in my head, but the scene before me was nothing like I expected. The foyer lead out to the living room which connected to the small kitchen in the corner. The rooms were in the back, separated by a hallway. But what shocked me more was that everything was clean. No loose socks, unfinished plates of food, or one misplaced shoe was in sight.

Shrugging off my jacket, I gazed around at the random pictures hung up on the beige walls. "What's these about?"

Eli traced my line of sight. "Preston wanted to make it feel homier, I guess."

I nodded, pursing my lips. I sunk into one of the beige couches and found myself sinking even deeper than I thought I would. The couch was cozy and warm, and a pleasant smile etched across my face. I closed my eyes.

"Comfortable?" I heard Eli say soothingly.

"I'm stealing this couch."

He laughed, and I heard retreating footsteps followed by a door closing in the distance. Water hitting a tub echoed throughout the silent house, and for some odd reason, I pictured Eli stripping off his clothes. I imagined the water hitting his naked body, wetting his hair, and cascading down to certain parts that I shouldn't have been thinking about.

My eyes popped open. Were these Caden withdrawals I was experiencing? A sudden whiplash?

Shaking my head, I shut my eyes again and leaned back. The thump of the water was making me sleepy, and I felt myself doze off.

"Cathy."

I reopened my eyes and nearly fainted when I saw Eli standing by the kitchen counter with a white towel wrapped around his waist. His wet hair spread flat against the top of his head. Droplets of water raced down his toned stomach and soaked into the carpet, but he seemed not to care as he stared at me with a raised brow.

"Hungry?"