Mixed Signals
1650 Words
By lunchtime, Amy already regretted coming back to school.
Not because of the whispers.
Not because of the stares.
She was used to those.
It was because of him.
Eli Matthew.
The one person she couldn’t read.
And somehow, that bothered her more than she wanted to admit.
---
Amy walked through the hallway beside Sally, who looked far too comfortable for someone new.
“So,” Sally said, adjusting her bag. “Tell me everything.”
“There’s nothing to tell.”
“Liar.”
That earned a small pause from Amy.
If only it were that simple.
“You talk too much,” Amy muttered.
“And you don’t talk enough,” Sally replied. “We balance.”
Amy didn’t respond. The hallway was alive with noise—laughter, footsteps, scattered conversations. It usually overwhelmed her, not because of volume, but because of meaning.
Because Amy didn’t just hear words.
She heard intent.
Fake laughter.
Forced compliments.
Half-truths hiding behind perfect smiles.
It never stopped.
Until it did.
Amy slowed down.
Sally noticed immediately. “What?”
Amy didn’t answer at first.
Because Eli was there.
Walking ahead with his hands in his pockets like he owned the space around him. Tani was beside him, laughing too loudly at something he said. Tia and Ria followed behind like shadows.
And for once—
silence.
No distortion.
No hidden emotion leaking through his words.
Just… nothing.
Amy frowned slightly.
That shouldn’t be possible.
Tani laughed again, but Amy caught it instantly—too sharp, too forced. Insecurity hiding under it.
But Eli…
Still nothing.
Like a locked door with no sound coming through.
Then his eyes lifted.
Straight to hers.
He smirked.
Again.
Amy looked away first, annoyed at herself for noticing.
Sally leaned closer. “Okay. That was weird. What’s going on with you two?”
“Nothing.”
“That sounded like something.”
Amy ignored her and kept walking.
But then—
“Amy.”
She froze at the voice behind her.
Eli.
She turned slowly.
He was standing behind her now. Tani stood slightly off to the side, already looking irritated.
“You left class early,” Eli said casually.
“I didn’t realize I needed permission.”
“I didn’t say that,” he replied. “Just noticed.”
Tani crossed her arms. “We were going to lunch.”
“Right,” Eli said, but his eyes stayed on Amy.
Too long.
Too steady.
Sally watched them like she was watching a movie. “This is interesting.”
“It’s not,” Amy said quickly.
Eli tilted his head slightly. “You notice things a lot too, don’t you?”
Amy stiffened. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing,” he said simply.
But it didn’t feel like nothing.
Tani stepped closer to him. “Let’s go, Eli.”
He didn’t move immediately.
Instead, he glanced at Amy one last time.
“You stare,” he said quietly.
Amy blinked. “I do not.”
“You do.”
“I don’t.”
His smirk returned, softer this time. “Sure.”
Then he walked away.
Amy stood there for a second too long.
Sally broke the silence first. “Oh, you are so in trouble.”
“I’m not.”
“You are,” Sally repeated. “And you like it.”
“I don’t.”
But even as she said it, her chest felt tight in a way she didn’t like.
---
The cafeteria was louder than it should’ve been.
Amy and Sally sat near the window, trays in front of them, though Amy barely touched hers.
Sally leaned forward. “So… how long have you had your ability?”
Amy hesitated.
Most people didn’t ask that directly.
“Since I was younger,” she said finally.
“And you really know when people lie?”
Amy nodded.
Sally’s eyes widened. “That’s actually insane.”
“It’s not,” Amy said quietly. “It’s exhausting.”
Sally’s smile faded a little.
Amy poked her food absently. “You stop trusting people without even trying. Everyone lies. Even when they don’t mean to.”
Sally didn’t interrupt this time.
Amy let out a small breath. “You start wondering if anyone is ever real.”
Before Sally could answer—
a chair scraped across the floor.
Amy looked up.
Eli sat down opposite her like he belonged there.
Tani followed quickly and sat beside him without being invited.
“Hope you don’t mind,” Eli said.
“You already sat,” Amy replied.
“True.”
Sally looked between them, amused. “This just got better.”
Tani ignored her completely. “So, Eli, about the game after school—”
“Maybe,” Eli said absently.
Amy heard it again.
Not indecision.
Avoidance.
Tani didn’t like that answer, but she smiled anyway. “You should come. Everyone will be there.”
“I’ll think about it.”
His eyes flicked to Amy for a fraction of a second.
Like he was checking something.
Like he knew she noticed everything.
Amy looked away first.
Tani kept talking, filling the space with plans and laughter that felt too practiced.
Amy barely heard her.
Because Eli wasn’t reacting like anyone else.
No emotional noise. No hidden thoughts slipping through.
Just silence.
It unsettled her more than anything else.
Then—
“You’re quiet,” Eli said suddenly.
Amy looked up. “I’m eating.”
“Mm.”
Not convinced.
Tani frowned slightly. “She’s always quiet.”
“Not always,” Eli said.
That made Amy pause.
Sally kicked her lightly under the table.
Amy sighed. “I just don’t talk much.”
Eli studied her for a moment. “You don’t like crowds.”
It wasn’t a question.
Amy’s eyes narrowed slightly. “What makes you say that?”
“You watch them more than you join them.”
Silence.
Too accurate.
Tani shifted uncomfortably. “Why are you analyzing her?”
“I’m not,” Eli said calmly.
But Amy heard it anyway.
I am.
Her grip tightened slightly on her fork.
Something about him wasn’t normal.
Not in the way she was used to.
Because everyone else was noise.
But Eli—
Eli was blank.
And blank things were never safe.
Amy pushed her tray away slightly.
Eli leaned back in his chair. “You stare again.”
“I don’t.”
“You do.”
“I don’t,” she repeated.
His expression softened just slightly. “You do.”
And then, quieter—
“You hear things other people don’t, don’t you?”
The words dropped into the space between them like a c***k in glass.
Amy froze.
Sally stopped mid-motion.
Tani frowned. “What are you talking about?”
But Amy didn’t answer.
Because for the first time—
someone hadn’t sounded like a lie.
A beat passed.
Then Eli leaned back like nothing had happened.
“Forget it,” he said. “Bad guess.”
But Amy heard it.
He wasn’t guessing.
---
A chair scraped again.
Someone behind them called out, and the cafeteria noise surged back in like nothing had happened.
But it didn’t feel like nothing had happened.
Amy pushed her tray further away, appetite completely gone.
Sally leaned in slightly. “Okay… I’m officially confused.”
“You and me both,” Amy muttered.
Eli stood up first.
Tani followed quickly. “Where are you going?”
“Outside,” he said simply.
“Wait for me,” she added quickly.
But Eli had already looked back at Amy.
Just for a second.
Not long enough for anyone else to notice.
Long enough for her to feel it.
Then he walked away.
Tani hurried after him, throwing Amy a quick irritated glance before leaving.
Silence settled at the table.
Sally slowly turned to Amy. “I need a full explanation. Like… yesterday.”
“There is no explanation.”
“That’s a lie.”
Amy exhaled slowly. “He’s just… different.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It’s the only one I have.”
Sally stared at her for a moment, then leaned back in her chair. “He definitely knows something about you.”
Amy didn’t respond.
Because that part scared her more than she wanted to admit.
---
The bell rang shortly after, loud and sharp, cutting through the cafeteria noise.
Lunch was over.
Students started moving again, pushing chairs back, grabbing bags, talking over each other as they headed out.
Normal chaos.
Amy stood slowly, gathering her things.
Sally slung her bag over her shoulder. “So what now?”
“Class,” Amy said automatically.
Sally smirked. “No. I mean you and Eli.”
“There is no ‘me and Eli.’”
Sally raised an eyebrow. “Sure.”
Amy ignored her and walked out of the cafeteria.
But halfway down the hallway—
she stopped.
Sally bumped into her lightly. “What now?”
Amy didn’t answer immediately.
Because across the hall, near the staircase, Eli stood alone.
No Tani.
No Tia.
No Ria.
Just him.
And for the first time since lunch started—
the silence around him felt heavier than before.
Like he was waiting.
For her.
Their eyes met again.
Amy’s chest tightened slightly.
Eli tilted his head just a little.
Then he turned and walked up the stairs without a word.
Sally followed her gaze. “Don’t tell me he’s your problem again.”
Amy blinked. “He’s not my problem.”
Sally hummed. “That’s what people say right before he becomes their problem.”
Amy didn’t reply.
She just kept watching the empty staircase for a second longer than she should have.
Then she finally turned away.
But one thought stayed with her all the way to class:
Eli Matthew wasn’t guessing.
He already knew.
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