6. Elijah
6
Elijah
Humiliated.
If there’s one word to describe that night, it was utter humiliation. The type that would have Carrie tearing down a whole gymnasium in that Stephen King novel.
To think I believed Tristan was a real person. Fuck! How could I be so dumb?
I stayed in that bathroom for a while after Tobias left. I couldn’t have him see me like that. I knew I shouldn’t have yelled at him like that but he just wasn’t leaving. I wanted to preserve any dignity I had left after what had happened, which was nearly impossible.
I yelled at him pretty badly, which I felt terrible about, but, on the other hand, I didn’t. How could he be friends with such horrible people? He must’ve known what they were going to do to me. He’s not blind. They’d spent the last four years harping on me and scrutinizing everything I did. How could he not know? He's never stuck up for me before so why would he now? I don’t know… I don’t know what to think.
Shortly after he left, dad found me in the bathroom.
“Hey, buddy,” Dad said, crouching before me.
“Dad, that was the worst thing that’s ever happened to me,” I said, clenching my stomach.
“And it won’t be the last. Unfortunately, this life is very long, and this will be one of many shitty moments.” He sighed, patting me on the arms.
“Everyone saw.” I sniffed.
“And everyone will get over it. I promise you. In a few months, you’ll be far away from this place, and you won’t have to worry about seeing these people if you don’t want to.” He rubbed my arm. “You’re a strong kid, Elijah. Remember that.”
“Remember who you are, Simba.” I laughed.
“Exactly. There you are.” He laughed, combing his fingers through my hair.
“I better get those pictures.” I wiped my nose.
“I already tore them all down.” He smiled.
There was a knock at the door. “Elijah, dear? Can I come in?”
Mrs. Templeton called through the door.
“Sure.” I sighed.
Slowly, my favorite teacher walked in.
“Oh, sweetheart, I’m sorry that happened. I can’t imagine what you could be feeling right now.” She said, crouching down in front of me too.
“Pretty shitty but…It’s okay. I’ll be okay.” I said, smiling at my dad. He nodded his head in agreement.
“Fortunately, Professor Flux from the Art Institute of Toronto is still interested in seeing your actual art piece.” She clapped her hands together. “She’s in the art room waiting for you.”
I sat up. “What!?” I gasped.
“She said she felt for you and what happened and wanted to see it through.” She smiled, nudging me on the chin. “Don’t let those bullies win, Elijah. Go get your admission.”
I guess we can all root for an underdog.
***
“These situations make you that much stronger of an artist.” Professor Flux smiled at me in the art room. She leaned back on the desk and crossed her legs.
“So, you’re saying I should say thank you to those bullies?” I laughed, scratching the back of my neck.
She shrugged. “Maybe you should. Do you feel inspired to create more?”
I looked at my art piece (the real one) behind me. The wall was decorated with a massive collage of pictures of my mother as a teenager. The way the pictures were set up and color-graded together created a new image of a self-portrait of myself. It would've been an optical illusion if it was strung up like it was supposed to be in the gym. Whichever way you shifted, you would’ve seen me. I am her and she is me. Forever.
It was supposed to signify how she was still a part of me even though she had left.
I thought about how proud I was of this piece and, even more so, how excited I am to create more to shove it back into those guys' faces.
“Yeah. Yeah, I do.” I smiled back at her.
“Well, then, it sounds like you owe them a thank you. And I owe you an admission.” She got up from her chair and shook my hand fiercely.
“Really?” I looked at her with wide eyes. “Thank you, thank you so much.” I smiled. She patted me softly on the shoulder before she left the room.
***
The next few months passed in a blur. With graduation approaching, classes coming to an end, and avoiding the team at all costs, the days all blended together.
I’ve barely seen Tobias in the hallways at school and I wasn’t complaining. Other than little flickers of his golden hair around corners, I’d say I haven’t seen him at all. Not like I’ve been seeking him out or anything.
***
“Are we ever going to talk about what happened?” Dad said to me one night while I was polishing off the cutlery.
I sighed. “Dad, I just…I need to leave this town.”
I looked up to see his sad eyes. He was hurt as much as I was by the whole incident. He had contacted the police, but since I was already 18, it’s not like I could hit them with any serious charges. I did send them the pictures myself. Plus, how could I prove that it was them? Honestly, it’s all just a mess I want to forget about.
“I don’t want you to go,” Dad muttered.
“You prepared me for this moment. I need to spread my wings or whatever.” I shrugged.
He looked down at his shoes. “I guess I’m just not ready to say goodbye to my boy. You have to live on campus?”
“Dad.” I sighed, tilting my head at him. We’ve been through this so many times.
“Okay, okay.” He gave me a soft smile before walking away into the kitchen.
I’ll miss him too, but the faster I get away from these people, the quicker my life will begin.
At that thought, Gwen walked into the restaurant. At least one good thing has come from that night.
“Dad, Gwen is here,” I called out. I was so proud of him for tracking down her workplace and giving her a call.
“Hey, kid.” She winked at me.
“Hey.” I smiled.
***
Graduation day couldn’t have come any faster.
“You look great,” Alexa said before me, fixing my cap.
“Thanks, pretty.” I smiled down at her. At 6’3, I towered most of the school. Well, except for Tobias. He was always an inch taller than me.
My jaw clenched at the thought of him. I was pretty harsh with him the night that everything went down. I’m still mad at him, but that doesn’t mean I’m not curious about how he’s been holding up. It’s graduation day, so I’ll have no reason to see him afterward.
I can’t figure out exactly how that makes me feel.
I turned around to scan the people behind me. His last name is Voss, which means he’s pretty far back in the line.
I kept looking until I spotted a tall blonde under the grad cap. Tobias was looking down at his shoes, hands behind his back.
I bit my lip. He looked good in the gown.
“Alexa Thompson,” Our principal called out. Which meant that I was next up.
I stepped up to the stage and readied myself. At this height above the other students, I could see Tobias' face if I wanted to.
I looked over my shoulder and spotted him again.
This time, he was looking back at me. My breath hitched. I haven’t properly looked at him since the night of my showcase. He looked tired . Exhausted. He had dark circles under his eyes, and his hair looked limp and unkempt. The worst part? He had a split lip. Someone had to have done that to him.
Was it Harry?
“Elijah Thorne,” Principle Barton repeated.
I snapped back into reality. Had they been calling my name the whole time? Rushing up the stage, I shook her hand and proceeded to shake the hands of the other teachers.
That’s when I came up to Derrick Voss last. Tobias’ Dad. He looked down at me with a disgusted look on his face.
I looked back up at him, all the same. For some reason, this man made me so angry. He had the worst vibes.
Taking my hand, he shook my hand tightly to the point that it hurt.
“Congratulations. Good luck wherever you end up.” He said through clenched teeth.
“Thanks,” I muttered, tugging my hand back.
What a weirdo.
I walked off the stage and headed towards my seat in the crowd.
“What was that about?” Alexa whispered to me as we sat down in the same row.
“I have no idea,” I muttered.
“That man gives me the creeps.” She shivered.
“Same.”
We sat there and watched the rest of our student body graduate across the stage. It soon became Tobias’s turn, and I held my breath as I watched him cross the stage.
It seemed as though a certain spark was lost in his step. He seemed sad, almost broken.
He approached the other teachers, shaking everyone's hand until he reached his dad's. I watched closely as his dad gripped the back of his head like he always does, slamming Tobias roughly into his chest in what looked like a weird, tense, rough hug. Whispering something in Tobias' ear, he finally let go and patted Tobias roughly on his back before Tobias walked off the stage.
“What the hell is wrong with him?” Alexa whispered beside me.
I watched Tobias walk off the stage and join the others in their seats. Then, Tobias took a seat beside Harry Walker. Harry whispered something in Tobias’s ear, which turned my stomach and reminded me why I was so angry in the first place.
Still friends with that piece of shit? Figures.
“I don’t know, and I don’t care. I couldn't care less about Tobias Voss. He’s just like the rest of them. Can’t wait to be rid of him.” I said, clenching my jaw.