ELIJAH

"Will you quit playing with your breakfast and eat already. You need to leave for school soon."Ivy demanded when she saw that I wasn't eating.

"Ivy you burnt everything, this is not breakfast, it's a catastrophe."I retorted pushing my plate away.

"Hey, don't cuss my cooking skills. If you're such a whiz in the kitchen you should have made breakfast for yourself."Ivy scolded.

"Next time I will. Where is mom anyway?"I asked getting up to get myself some cereal after surviving Ivy's terrible cooking skills.

She knew she couldn't cook so I had no idea why she even tried in the first place.

"She had an early shift this morning so she asked me to make sure you were fed."Ivy replied.

"Well you can tell her that you failed fantastically at that."I smirked at her.

She tossed a burnt sausage at me that I was quick to dodge.

"Keep up the smart mouth and you won't have anyone to go Christmas shopping with later."Ivy threatened.

"I'm already done with my Christmas shopping, you just need me there to carry all your bags around and help you fight for stuff."I reminded her.

"You're my small but big brother, it's your responsibility to be my buffer. Pick me up at the library after you get off school and we'll go together."Ivy requested.

"I'll be there don't worry but you'll owe me."I demanded.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Now off you go. Time to get an education."She teased pulling away my half eaten bowl of cereal.

I could have easily pulled it back from her but I was running late and didn't have time to mess around with her.

"See you later."I waved picking up my backpack off the floor.

"Bye, don't be late."She yelled after me.

"I won't."I shouted back already halfway out the door.

I got into my car, threw my bag on the passenger seat and drove to school.

One week. We had one week till Christmas break and it couldn't get by fast enough. I had just survived the longest school term ever and I was just about done with it all. So much had happened and all I wanted was a two week drama free break where I could relax at home with my family. I felt like I was trying to swim and stay afloat but something kept trying to pull me under. I deserved a break.

I parked in my usual spot at the school and the minute I alighted my car, I could tell something was off. I threw my bag over my shoulder and locked the car behind me making. I wasn't even two steps away from my car when I was approached.

"Hi Eli, merry Christmas."The excessively cheerful brunette who's name I didn't know greeted me.

"It's not Christmas yet and only my friends can call me Eli."I replied a little too harshly but it was necessary.

"Oh I'm sorry but that's okay. Maybe we can be friends or more."She asked batting her eyelashes at me.

"No thank you, my circle is full."I brushed her off and fast walked towards my friends leaving her behind.

"Hi Eli."

"Merry Christmas handsome."

Those were just a few of the statements thrown my way before I could get to my friends and they were pissing me off.

"Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed."Finn teased as soon as he saw me.

"I woke up fine, it's all this damn girls. Do I have a sign on me that says merry Christmas, I'm Santa, come to me with all your Christmas wishes?"I asked him.

I was so angry I'd even forgotten to say hello to my friends. It's just that whatever was going on was getting too much and it was annoying me.

"It's been going on all week right?"Wade asked and I nodded.

I hadn't had a moment of peace ever since I came back from Norway. I was hounded when I walked through the hallways, notes were passed to me in class and I kept finding odd gifts in my locker.

"Hi guys, good morning."Violet greeted when she and Maya joined us.

I'd been so stuck in my frustrations I'd not felt Maya arrive.

"Hi."I grumbled back my good mood already gone.

"What's wrong with him?"Violet asked our friends.

"His groupies won't let him breath."Finn replied with a laugh as he pointed at all the girls around us..

They thought they were being discreet with their staring but they were failing miserably. Their glances were weirding me out.

"I just want to be left alone."I mumbled feeling like a painting on display.

"I'm afraid that's not going to happen anytime soon."Violet commented boldly.

"And why is that?"I asked hoping she had an answer.

"Okay how do I put this delicately. You are a flower ready for picking and all these girls are florists who can't wait to pluck you."Violet explained with a straight face.

"Huh?"I mumbled confused.

"Babe that was not delicate at all, it was a metaphor."Wade replied looking just as confused as I was.

"Fine. Elijah the reason all these girl's are after you is because you are recently the hottest commodity right here in RidgeHill."Violet expounded further.

"Why? I'm still the same me I've always been."I inquired.

"Yes but you just won the player of the year award and your face is all over the school. To top it off, you are recently single. Like I said, ripe fruit ready for picking."Violet answered.

"You'd said flower."Finn corrected her.

"Same thing, all these girls want a piece of you Elijah an since Maya isn't your girlfriend anymore, there's no one standing between you and them."Violet insisted.

I looked at Maya who had been silent the whole time and she looked lost. I was not entertaining any of the girls who approached me but it must have been hard for her watching them flock around me like vultures to a dying carcass.

"How do I make it stop?"I asked Violet.

"Pick one of them or get back together with Maya."Violet replied.

Maya looked up at me, her brown orbs a window to her tormented soul and I realized just how much I was messing it up. We didn't talk much after getting back from Norway. I wasn't completely ignoring her but I wasn't going out of my way to be close to her either. We just exchanged greetings whenever we met and that was that. Maya was sticking to her word and giving me all the space that I needed but I could tell that it was hurting her. I wanted to take all her pain away but I wasn't ready yet.

"I'm not picking any of them."I retorted feeling offended that Violet would even suggest that in front of her cousin.

"It was just a suggestion but you do you Olsen. Just know that they won't go away until you make a stand."Violet informed me.

I really hoped she was wrong because I was about to snap and I didn't know what I would be capable of when I did. I just wanted to be free in school to do what everyone else was doing within those four walls, study but they making it hard for me. I could feel my temper rising the more I heard their giggles and felt them staring blatantly at me.

"I'll walk you to class and be your temporary shield."Maya offered stepping up to me and holding her hand out for me.

Our whole group went deathly silent waiting for my next move. I looked at her hopeful face, then down to her outstretched hand and smiled at her.

"Thank you bug."I replied taking her hand in mine.

She smiled at me before walking away to class and I was right by her side. It caused the whole girl fan parade to go crazy wondering what was going on. For the moment Maya's plan had worked but I couldn't continue to use her like that until we were officially back together.

"Congratulations on the nomination by the way, you deserved it."Maya commented when we passed by one of the posters with my face on it.

It was a photo taken during practice of me getting into position before a play. It was a pretty great shot but I wished it didn't warrant to much unwanted attention.

"Thank you, I can get you a personally signed poster."I teased making her laugh.

"I'd like that, it can go on the wall as the start of my collection. It might go for big money one day when you're a famous football player."Maya replied smiling at me.

"Who am I to disappoint a fan?"I chided as we stopped by my locker to get some books.

I opened it and immediately a couple of pink and red letters that had been stuffed in there fell out. I picked them all up and tossed them in the trash.

"You're not going to read them?"Maya asked me and I shook my head.

I could tell she was having a hard time with all the attention I was getting but she was helpless. I didn't want to hurt her, that was the last thing on my mind but I also didn't want to rush into anything just because I needed an escape from all the girls hounding me.

"Let's go."I declared again taking her hand again and leading her to class.

We kept getting odd looks from everyone especially the girls since news of our break up were not a secret. They were the reason I had to use Maya so they had better keep their opinions to themselves.

"Thank you for walking me to class even though it should be the other way round."I thanked Maya when we got to the door of my first class of the day.

We didn't share the same class that morning so Maya had to head off to her class.

"You're welcome."She replied smiling at me and letting go of my hand.

She turned to walk away but changed her mind and turned back to face me.

"Don't choose me just because you want to escape them. Choose me when you're ready. Not out of desperation but out of love."Maya pleaded with me.

"I wont."I assured her.

"Thank you."She replied with a small smile.

"See you at lunch bug."I whispered and just to make the groupies go even crazier, I leaned in and kissed her forehead.

Maya knew what I was doing so while my head was still bent she took that chance to kiss my cheek. Waving shyly at me she skipped away to class leaving me grinning at her back like a fool.

"Get her back already, we can all see that you want to."Wade said to me as he passed by me to get to class.

He was right, I didn't want her back but I was still scared and unsure. Maya deserved someone who was all the way in and until I could be that person for her, I would stay as far away from her as possible.

I finally got into my class and took my seat next to Wade. I was hoping for a normal class but when a note landed on my desk five minutes in, that thought went out the window. Wade smirked at me, not at all feeling sorry for me. I flicked it off my desk with my pen and kept on writing. They kept coming in but I didn't read any of them, just tossed them off my desk each time they landed. I wasn't going to interrupt the lesson just because some girls were horny and they found me attractive. Thankfully the teacher was cool too and since I wasn't doing anything to encourage them, the class kept going.

By the time lunch rolled around I was so angry, I felt like punching a wall. Why was it so hard for them to understand what no means? I surely did miss the times when girls were too shy to shoot their shot. Now it's like all of them had formed an alliance to see who would win me as the prize.

I slammed my tray down on the table and every conversation went silent as they all stared at me.

"Still getting harassed ginger?"Violet asked as I settled myself next to Maya who was looking at me worriedly.

"Yes and I don't understand. I mean why wasn't it like this before Maya came along? I didn't used to get hit on and I won the same award last year."I asked opening my box of milk.

"Well maybe that's because you were undatable then, brooding all the time, angry at everyone and unapproachable. Maya made them see that there's more to you and they want a piece too."Violet explained.

"I am not meat or flowers or whatever comparison you want to make."I grunted out.

"We know that but tell that to them."Violet replied pointing behind me.

Everyone at the table turned to look and the sight would have been surprising if it weren't happening for the nth time. Girls were staring, pointing and giggling at me. It was annoying and getting on my nerves because they wouldn't relent and leave me alone.

"Just ignore them."Finn advised but that was easier said than done.

"If only it were that easy."I retorted looking away from them and digging into my food.

The whole situation was not only affecting me but my friends too and I didn't appreciate that.

Our peace was interrupted further when a girl approached out table. No one had done that before so I had to give it to her for being gutsy.

"Hi Eli, I'm Carla."She introduced herself.

She was tall, with long dark hair, brown eyes and she was definitely beautiful but not my type.

"Nice to meet you Carla, how can we help you?"Violet replied on my behalf.

"I just wanted to talk to Eli."Carla mumbled looking at all of us strangely.

"Only his friends can call him Eli and last I checked you aren't on this table so you aren't his friend."Finn added.

"I... I just..." Carla stuttered embarrassed.

"Guys be nice, talk to him Carla. We'll leave you alone."Wade admonished but you could set the mirth written all over his face.

"Thanks I guess. I just wanted to invite you to a party we're having this weekend at my place. You can bring your friends too."Carla expressed looking around the table but pausing at Maya and giving her an icy look.

That didn't sit well with me at all so she definitely had to go.

"Thank you but we already have plans. Now if you'll excuse us, you interrupted a very important conversation."I spoke up addressing her.

"Yeah I'm sorry. Incase you change your mind, here's my number and address."She declared shoving the card quickly into my hand then skipping away.

"She's bold, I give her that."Finn commented.

"Well brace yourselves because there's another one coming."Wendy said pointing at two girls who were approaching our table.

I'd had enough. I was done so I decided to take action once and for all before I snapped.

I stood up and jumped on top of the table taking everyone by surprise. The two girls who we're approaching us stopped walking, looking at me strangely.

"Eli what are you doing?"Violet whisper yelled at me.

"Ending this."I replied squaring my shoulders.

"Okay time to listen up RidgeHill."I bellowed making the whole cafeteria go silent.

Once I was sure I had their undivided attention I made my declaration.

"Guys I've got no issues with you because this is especially for the girls who have become bold enough to interrupt my studies and day to day life here at school trying to score a date with me. I need the notes, the cat calling and the dm's to stop. This is not a request it's a demand. I feel like there is a bet going around that I have no idea about and I need it to end. There's only one person for me and its this beauty over here."I declared pointing at Maya who was looking up at me in shock.

"But you broke up."Someone yelled in the crowd.

"So you say. We might not be together right now but that doesn't mean I'm open for business. It will only ever be her, always was, is and will be till my last breath so stop it. You might think what you're doing is cute and endearing but it's desperate and annoying. If anyone else and I'm serious about this tries to approach me you'll come face to face with the side of me you were all scared of before so steer clear."I demanded before jumping off the table and sitting back down.

The whole cafeteria was stunned to silence but a few moments later people started talking again probably discussing my little performance. The girls who were approaching our table before turned around and left.

"You should win an Oscar for that one. I think you scared them straight Olsen."Violet commented.

"I just want to be left alone."I declared.

"After that, I'm sure they will."Finn added.

I really hoped they would. I didn't have much patience left in me.

"Are you okay?"Maya whispered next to me.

I turned to face her and found her looking at me worriedly. She knew how much I hated attention so she understood what I was going through.

"I will be. I'm sorry for putting you on the spot like that."I apologized.

"It's okay, it will only ever be you too."She replied smiling at me comfortingly.

I really didn't deserve the beauty seated next to me but I would try my best to be worthy of her. I just had to get my head straight first.

"So we are not going to that party?"Finn asked waving the card I'd received around.

"Definitely not."Wade asserted making everyone laugh.

"Speaking of Christmas plans. I know some of you are travelling to see family but for those who aren't how about we plan our own party."Violet suggested.

"I'm in."Finn declared and a few people agreed too.

I didn't have Christmas plans so I was definitely in and now that there was hope of things starting to settle down around me I could definitely start to enjoy my holidays.

"Merry Christmas bug."I whispered to Maya even if we were a few days away from Christmas.

"Merry Christmas Joey."She replied smiling at me.

Yeah it was definitely going to be a good Christmas. I could feel it.