Chapter 14 | Elijah

Elijah's P.O.V.

Elijah sighed as he slid into the front seat of his car. 'It was much more work than expected to get Alora out of the school, even more, to get her to shut up', he thought.

He understands that being the goody-two-shoes she is she would be freaking out at this moment, but never did he expect for the near mental breakdown she's having. He thought to himself, 'I swear she was going insane if she basically wasn't already.'

When he and Vinnie had done this the countless times before they had never suffered any consequences, though he blames that on his father's hold on the school.

"Relax," Vinnie says taking his seat in the front, "People leave during their frees all the time — just so happens we're not coming back." He jokes, relaxing into his seat.

"What if they call my parents?" She argues.

Elijah rolls his eyes, "Blame it on the stupid random robocalls going around since like, last year. Simple."

"Let's go. I am in dire need of coffee... like now." Vinnie closes his eyes letting sleep take over. Alora starts to tap away frantically at her phone. Pulling out of his reserved spot in the school parking lot, Elijah focuses on the road and his thoughts.

He knows Vinnie had stayed up all night on the phone trying to solve some family business at home. Elijah can't help but wonder why he would go to such lengths to help with something completely unrelated to him. He had always put family first, Elijah never had the pleasure of someone going through those lengths for him.

Pulling him out of his thoughts, Alora throws her phone across the seat, hitting the car door. She slumps back, groaning; her hands thrown over her face.

"What happened?" Elijah questioned surprised at the sudden burst.

"My fricking phone died. I swear the battery is complete shit."

Elijah laughs suddenly but covers it up with a cough. 'What type of person says frick but then had no problem saying shit', he thinks. "Well have you thought about getting a new phone, that one is pretty ancient."

She crosses her arms, her eyes meeting Elijah's in the rear-view mirror, "My plan isn't up for a couple of months. I need to wait." She pauses before continuing, "Where are we going?"

"You'll see," Elijah smirks knowing that not knowing will bother Alora.

She huffs but continues to stare out her window. Silence consumes the car, nothing other than the soft music from the radio filling it. Elijah looks over at his best friend who had already fallen asleep. They have only been driving for a little more than five minutes. He must have been more tired than he had led on.

A couple more minutes of driving goes by, their destination a mere couple blocks away. "What's your middle name?" Alora asked.

The question taking him by surprise, Elijah turned around quickly to look back at the source of the voice. "If you wanted to ask a random generic question I would have started with favorite color." He retorted.

She shakes her head feigning thoughtfulness, "Mmm, no I think I like my question is better. Yours is a bit dull."

"I'm offended, I was quite fond of my question." He joked back.

She offered him a sly smile through the mirror, "You know what question I like better? Why are you dodging the question?" She gasps, "Are you hiding something!"

Elijah notes the amusement in her eyes. 'How does she keep asking all the right questions. Little does she know the right question are dangerous', he thinks. 'If I tell her she'll just get more curious. But if I don't there will be the same result but she'll no longer trust me.'

"I'm not hiding anything. I'm an open book."

"Yeah, an open book written in secret ink and harder to read than DaVinci's journal," she mutters just loud enough for him to hear.

He sighs, he hates the thought of Alora not trusting him. "Elijah"

"What?" She asks confused. Her eyebrows scrunch together already working for a solution.

"Elijah isn't my real name. Or at least not my first name by birth."

"Interesting. If Elijah isn't your first name, what is?"

"That is for me to know and for you to bud out of. How else would I be a man of mystery if you knew everything about me? Anyways, that's not the questioned you asked; and you only get one per day."

"That is totally not fair! Since when?" She huffs.

"Since now." He smirks.

Accepting that she's not getting any answers out of his Alora sits back in her seat. Analyzing everything that had just happened as usual. Or at least that's what Elijah thinks she's doing. She may not know it but she's more complicated to read than she thinks.

Arriving at their destination Elijah shakes awake Vinnie and exits the car along with Alora. He leads the way to his favorite coffee shop, opening the door for Alora and Vinnie to enter. As soon as he enters the familiar scent of freshly baked goods brings a smile to Elija's face.

Elijah had been coming here every day since he transferred to the school. It had become part of his morning and afternoon routine which Vinnie had joined him on since moving here mere few weeks ago.

Vinnie, having been here many times before leads the way to their usual booth in the front corner of the shop. Elijah had chosen this booth because it was the perfect spot to relax and even hang out with friends. The shop is not well known but it has its regular customers which keep it going.

Alora slides in first taking up the window seat. Elijah takes a seat next to her and Vinnie sits directly opposite of them. "This place is adorable," Alora says admiring the shop.

Elijah takes a look around, from their booth the whole shop can be seen from a perfect angle. The workers counter where everything is stationed is at the back center. To the right are bookcases and a wifi center for people looking to come here to work. To the left, there are more tables and a lounge type of seating area. Lastly, lined up against all the windows are the booths.

"Glad you liked it." Elijah answers. He can't help but focus on the smile appearing on Alora's place. He hasn't shown this place to anyone other than Vinnie.

A kick to his leg reverts his attention to Vinnie who's eyes lead him to the small waitress standing beside him. The waitress is around 5'2 with strawberry blonde hair going down all the way to her mid-back. Her bangs swopped over her forehead covering her brown eyes. "Hey, Elijah" She smiles shyly.

Elijah smiles, leaning back in his seat. "Hey, Lauren. I didn't know you started working, how are you?"

She tucks her bangs back into her beanie, "Yeah, I'm turning sixteen soon so dad was cool with it."

He turns to Alora, "Alora this is Lauren. She's the youngest daughter of the owner here." he turns back to her, "Lauren this is Alora."

"Nice to meet you Alora." She smiles.

"Likewise," Alora responds mirroring her smile.

"Um, you guys want your usual?" The small waitress asks.

"Yep," Vinnie responds.

"Make that two of mine. Oh and Lauren — happy early birthday."

She closes her writing pad and giggles, "Thanks. I'll be back with your order."

-:-

Alora's P.O.V.

I swear I was just kidnapped.

Elijah and Vinnie just dragged me out of the school practically against my will. Why did I ever agree to this, what was I thinking?

I'm in the backseat of Elijah's, very beautiful, car which I was just shoved into. Well, maybe that's an exaggeration, more like persuaded and bribed by the thought of coffee.

Elijah takes a seat in the front shortly followed by Vinnie in the passenger's seat. Vinnie looks exhausted, I don't know how he's still functioning as a human being. I need at least six hours to be able to get up in the morning without looking like a zombie.

I quickly grab my phone from my bag and start to panic text Bella and Abby. God knows they are the only two who will understand how panicky I am.

"Relax," Vinnie says taking his seat in the front, "People leave during their frees all the time — just so happens we're not coming back." He jokes, relaxing into his seat.

"What if they call my parents?" I argue.

Elijah rolls his eyes, "Blame it on the stupid random robocalls going around since like, last year. Simple."

"Let's go. I am in dire need of coffee... like now." Vinnie lays his head on the back of his seat and Elijah pull out of the driveway. I continue to text in the group chat and according to Bella gym is canceled for the rest of the day so I won't have to worry too much. That's the only class they really take attendance in.

As soon as I'm about to hear about the 'juicy' reason why, as Bella calls it, my phone powers off. This always happens. It's so annoying! I throw my phone on the seat but it ends up bouncing and hitting the car door.

"What happened?" Elijah questioned. He was probably surprised since that came out of nowhere.

"My fricking phone died. I swear the battery is complete shit." I mutter angrily.

He very obviously laughs at my misfortune and tries to cover it up with a cough. Wow look, he has a sense of humor and human decency.

Haha, I made a funny. I chuckle to myself.

"Well have you thought about getting a new phone, that one is pretty ancient."

Ugh, don't even remind me. I cross my arms and my eyes meet Elija's through the mirror. "My plan isn't up for a couple of months. I need to wait." I pause before continuing, "Where are we going?"

Looking out the window the scenery is unfamiliar. I don't think I've been around here before, or at least lately.

"You'll see." I can sense him smirking right now. Doesn't he just love to push my buttons?

I huff at his response and look back out the window. I've never been to this part of our city if we're even in it right now. It seems like a quiet neighborhood but the people outside are quite active. There are kids playing on the sidewalk and people conversing on the street. There aren't that many cars either but there seem to be minimal parking spots available.

I look back at Elijah, well, the back of his head at least. I don't really know much about him. No one does. But he just sorta seemed to have popped into my life out of nowhere. If you had asked me last year when he first came to the school, I would have said we would have never been friends on a million years. I mean, we hang out with different types of people, think differently, and even act differently. Not to mention our reputations are just about polar opposites. At first glance, no one would pair us as friends.

I pick my phone back up but remember it's dead. Is this car ride never going to end?

"What's your middle name?" I ask suddenly, the random question surprising even myself.

Elijah turns back slightly, looking at me briefly before turning back around. "If you wanted to ask a random generic question I would have started with favorite color."

I shake my head, "Mmm, no I think I like my question better. Yours is a bit dull." I joke back.

"I'm offended, I was quite fond of my question." He says trying not to smile through his pout.

Elijah can be the perfect person to hang out with when he doesn't have all his walls up. He's funny and knows how to carry a joke but is perfect for conversation as well. I just wish he didn't have that stick up his butt most of the time. Or that he would at least not have his walls built up so high.

I give him a sly smile as his eyes meet mine in the mirror, "You know what question I like better? Why are you dodging the question?" I gasp playfully, "Are you hiding something!" I wiggle my eyebrows. I won't let him know it but I am intrigued.

He shrugs it off, "I'm not hiding anything. I'm an open book."

I roll my eyes, "Yeah, an open book written in secret ink and harder to read than DaVinci's journal." I mutter.

The expression on Elijah's face softens into one I haven't seen before, but before I can figure it out his usual neutral expression replaces it.

"Elijah"

"What?" What does he mean by Elijah? That makes no sense. His name is Elijah. Does that mean he has no middle name?

"Elijah isn't my real name. Or at least not my first name by birth."

"Interesting." I pause, "If Elijah isn't your first name, what is?"

He smirks, "That's for me to know and for you to bud out of. How else would I be a man of mystery if you knew everything about me? Anyways, that's not the question you asked; and you only get one per day."

My mouth drops, "That is totally not fair! Since when?" I huff.

"Since now," he smirks.

I slump back into my seat. If he doesn't want to tell me that's fine, everyone is entitled to their secrets. But I will get him to tell me something, he's kidding himself if he thinks he can fight my curiosity.

Minutes, if not seconds later, the car is parked and Elijah and the recently awakened Vinnie lead the way to a cute little coffee shop. Elijah opens the door for us and I follow Vinnie to a booth in the back.

I slide in first, Elijah sitting beside me and Vinnie sitting across from us. I take a good look around appreciating the ambiance of the whole room, I just adore it. "This place is adorable."

Both boys take a quick look around as if they were seeing it from my eyes. "Glad you liked it."

The table shifts suddenly drawing my attention to a short strawberry blonde girl wearing a grey beanie. "Hey, Elijah." She says smiling shyly.

I wonder how she knows him, does he come here this often?

A smile appears on his face as he relaxes into his seat. "Hey, Lauren. I didn't know you started working, how are you?" His voice changed from his usual tone. Lighter, friendlier... happier. I like seeing him this way.

"Yeah, I'm turning sixteen soon so dad was cool with it." She says tucking her bangs back into her beanie.

Elijah turns back to me, "Alora this is Lauren. She's the youngest daughter of the owner here." he faces the girl once more, "Lauren this is Alora."

"Nice to meet you Alora."

"Likewise," I say mirroring her smile.

"Um, you guys want your usual?" She says back at the two boys.

"Yep," Vinnie responds, his stomach practically growling in response for him.

"Make that two of mine. Oh and Lauren – happy early birthday."

She giggles and closes her writing pad, "Thanks. I'll be back with your order."

-:-
omg I am so sorry for the long wait you guys I've been totally busy and I'm in Miami right now but I found some down time to edit and finish up this chapter to publish.

I hope you guys liked it, I worked very hard to make it as great as possible.

What did you think about Elijah's POV? Do you wanna see more? Lemme know.

See you guys next chapter, ciao!

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