ELIJAH

I parked my car in my usual spot outside the school building and got out with my bag strewn over my shoulder. I was about to head directly inside when I heard my name being called out. I turned towards the voice and saw Finn waving me over to where he was standing with a few other team members. I headed over and said hello to all of them.

"Dude you just missed her, again."Finn groaned.

"Missed who?"I asked confused.

"The most beautiful girl on the planet."He gushed like a teenage girl.

Ever since the party Finn had been talking nonstop about some mystery girl he met. Apparently I was the only one on the team who hadn't met her yet. They all agreed she was pretty but Finn was a incurable romantic so he thought every girl he met was gorgeous. The dude needed a girlfriend bad so we could get some peace of mind.

"Dude you say that about all girls."I chuckled.

"I'm serious this time dude, she is gorgeous with beautiful dark chocolate sun kissed skin that I can just admire all day. She also has a really adorable accent that she can so easily swap to American."Finn explained further.

The dude really was smitten, I couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

"Did you ask her out?"I asked.

"Yeah but she said no. Apparently she has a boyfriend. All the good ones are taken apparently."Finn sulked.

"Sorry dude."I sympathized.

"Why is he mopping?"Wade asked joining us.

He had been busy with his girlfriend Violet. She was a cheerleader, a little spoilt but a genuinely nice girl and a good girlfriend to our captain. The whole team liked her.

"Hung up on some girl."I mumbled.

"Really dude? Just let her go already, she already said no."Wade advised.

"I'm trying."Finn mumbled.

Thankfully the girl talk ended when Wade demanded we head inside the building since we had a meeting with coach before class. We had our first tryouts of the semester later in the afternoon and he wanted to discuss a couple of drills with us. Our school didn't waste any time, we would probably have a game lined up in a week or two so we needed to start training fast.

As soon as we were walked through the front doors, I felt a change in the air. The same feeling I'd been having for over a week encompassed me and I stumbled forward. My heart was racing and I could hear my own heartbeat. I felt as if I was being pulled by some magnetic field towards something but I had no idea what it was. What the fuck was going on with me?

"Dude are you okay?"Wade asked touching my arm.

"Yeah I'm okay."I whispered snapping out of it.

Wade nodded at me and turned his attention to Finn.

It took me a few moments to recover but the feeling never left. That pull and heavy feeling in my heart was still there. It was probably anxiety as my sister had diagnosed but even that was as a little far fetched. I hadn't had an anxiety attack in years and they definitely didn't happen that way.

We got to the coaches office and I had to use all my strength and willpower to concentrate. The meeting took longer than planned so the coach gave us a note for our teacher to explain our lateness.

"Elijah please stay back a moment."Coach Edward requested.

I nodded and stayed behind when everyone else left.

"You okay son, you look a little distracted."The coach asked once we were alone.

Coach Edward was a nice man and a great coach. He was like a father figure to all of us but I was a closed person and didn't open up to him like the rest of the team.

"Yeah just trying to get my mind out of the summer and into school."I explained.

"That's understandable but in case that isn't the case, I'm always here to talk."He offered.

"Thanks coach."

"Perfect, I'll see you later. Don't forget to bring all your rage into the field, we need only the toughest to join our team and you'll be crucial in helping me look."Coach advised.

"Yes coach."I nodded.

He waved me away and I left his office catching up to the rest of the team. I'd been on the team ever since I was a freshman after the coach had witnessed me barrelling past some juniors who were trying to bully me. He had immediately asked me to try out for the team and after beating his then opposing left tackle, I'd immediately joined the team. Ever since then it was my job to protect my team mates by taking out all my rage on our opponents. My height and build had made me the perfect candidate for either quarterback or opposing tackle. I didn't want to be the quarterback because of all the leadership responsibilities so I had become opposing left tackle and I loved it.

When we got to class, the feeling got even more intense. We sat down after Wade explained our lateness to the teacher. I looked around to look for anything amiss that would probably be causing my uneasiness but there was nothing out of the ordinary except for a girl hiding behind a book. I couldn't see her face but I could see her long locks hanging over her back. Last I'd checked we didn't have any students with dreadlocks at the school so she was probably a new student. Maybe it was Finn's crush, he said something about her having locks but I couldn't ask him about it since talking was forbidden in Miss Yvette's class. The football team was pretty rebellious but even they were afraid of Miss Yvette and that spoke volumes about her strictness.

During the whole class I felt like I was being watched but no matter how often I looked around I couldn't see who was looking at me. The feeling was unnerving and it took everything in me to ignore it.

The class ended and I couldn't get out of there fast enough. The feeling dissipated once I was out of there but not completely. For the next three lessons before lunch the feeling kept coming and going depending on what side of the school campus I was on. By lunch time I couldn't take it anymore, I needed a distraction and fast.

"Dude where are you going?"Wade yelled after me when he saw me diverting from the way we had been heading.

We were going to the school cafeteria for lunch but I wasn't hungry anymore.

"Gym."I yelled back without giving another explanation.

I disappeared from sight and headed straight for the gym. The school gym didn't have a punching bag but they did have weights so I decided to blast some music and lift. I did a full one hour intense work out that actually helped calm me down. By the time I got back to my afternoon lessons I was much calmer and settled. The feeling was still there but it had been reduced to a dull ache at the back of my head.

Since I hadn't had time for lunch, I grabbed some energy bars from the vending machine.

"Oh man I love tryouts. I can't wait to beat the shit out of some sophomores."Finn commented as we changed into our gear.

"Just don't kill anyone, last time a junior passed out."Wade reminded us.

"He was a wuss."Finn laughed.

They weren't bullies, the school had zero tolerance for that even if some people did still get away with it, they were just passionate about football and needed to select the best of the best for our team.

Finally we made it out to the field and I took in a huge breath of the fresh air and let my face burn under the sun. There were a lot of tryouts happening out in the field from different teams so we made our way to one end of the football field to give them some space. It was always chaos on the first day but once the different team coaches synchronized their schedules it settled down. Only the cheerleaders, football and track teams could share the field at the same time. The rest had to schedule time when we weren't on the field.

Tryouts began and about five minutes later I felt it again. The same intense feeling that I'd felt during my first class. It was so powerful I felt like I was suffocating. Working out had helped but I couldn't excuse myself to go to the gym. Wade was making anyone trying out for the team run laps around the section of the field we were on so I decided to join them. Wade thought I was just playing my role on the team but I knew deep down that I needed the relief that exercise gave me.

"Come on recruits, if you can't keep up with our opposing tackle how do you expect to actually be part of our team. Run faster."Wade yelled like the perfect drill sergeant.

He did talk about joining the military after high school and he was the perfect candidate. It was either the military or professional football for him. Whatever choice he made, he would be perfect for it.

The feeling didn't fade, just intensified so I fastened my pace. My mind was so preoccupied I wasn't properly looking where was going.

"Elijah watch out."Finn yelled but it was too late.

I ran into a very small body, or the body ran into me. By the intensity of our crash, I deduced that they had been running too. They fell but but I just stumbled, quickly bracing myself.

I had veered of course and stumbled into the track teams territory. If whoever I had run into was seriously hurt I would be in so much trouble.

"Shit, sorry. Are you okay?"I asked bending over to help.

"I didn't see you coming, let me help you up."I apologized getting a good look at her face as I stretched my hand out for her.

Immediately her eyes opened I was hit by a sense of deja vu. I blinked my eyes multiple times thinking I was imagining her but each time I opened my eyes it was still the same person. I was staring into the eyes of Maya, my childhood best friend and the reason for all my anguish. From all the staring competitions we'd had as kids I could recognize her eyes anywhere.

I still couldn't believe it was her but Violet calling out to her confirmed it for me.

"Maya?!"I choked out desperately.

I was feeling so many emotions towards her and looking at her eyes wasn't helping. I retracted my helping hand and stood up straight. Violet got to us and helped her up. Seeing Violet with her connected all the dots for me. Violet was her cousin, Maya was Finn's latest crush meaning she had been at the party. I recalled all the things Finn had said about her and just got angry.

So many questions ran through my mind? How was she back? When did she get back? Why now after so many years? How long had she been back for?

She still looked the same as the last time I'd seen her, same cute button nose, big brown eyes and slightly imperfect teeth that she actually managed to pull off. She was also really short. Like she had only grown a few inches since I'd last seen be eight years ago.

The only different thing about her were her long locks. I recognized them from earlier so she must have been the girl hiding behind the book in class. Then it all dawned on me as to why I had been feeling out of sorts for a while, even more so today and at the party. Because of her. But why would her presence affect me so much?

She had probably been avoiding me during class that's why she had hidden behind the book. She wanted nothing to do with me. She hadn't even bothered so seek me out. I had been feeling out of sorts for more than a week and in all that time she had probably been around and hadn't seen even bothered to look for me.

All of a sudden I got so angry I felt like hitting something or someone really hard. Maya could tell my energy had shifted from wonder to anger by the dilating of her pupils. She looked like she wanted to talk to me but I didn't want to hear it. I would say something rude if I heard her speak so I chose the one safe choice. I walked away.

"Fuck no!"I spat out disappearing through the small crowd that had gathered around us.

I could hear footsteps following behind me and I didn't have to look to see that it was Finn and Wade.

"Eli are you okay?"Wade asked.

"Yeah I'm fine."I grumbled even if I was anything but.

"Dude the girl you just bulldozed over, that's her, the girl I was telling you about."Finn cheered excitedly.

"It wasn't how I expected you two to meet but now you know Maya. She will probably never forget you, no one does but still man, way to introduce yourself."Finn teased.

His rant about Maya was only pissing me off more but I couldn't take out my anger on him. It wasn't his fault, he didn't know the history between us and I wasn't about to start giving lessons.

"I need to go home."I informed Wade turning around to face him.

"You can't, we are in the middle of tryouts."Wade reasoned my request taking him by surprise.

"I don't care, make me run extra drills tomorrow as punishment but I am going home."I informed him.

"Eli, what's going on man? Ten minutes ago you were doing great, did you get hurt when you run into Maya?"Wade asked concerned.

"No but I have to go home."I insisted beginning to take off my gear.

Wade looked lost for words and confused at my reaction but so was I. I needed to gather my thoughts and I couldn't do that with her around.

"Wade I've had your back multiple times, I've never asked you for a favor before. I hate to do this but this is me cashing in on all those favors. Cover for me with coach, I will see you boys tomorrow. Text me the schedule as soon as coach gives it to you."I requested politely.

I was normally a man of very few words so my long request probably took him by surprise showing him just how serious I was.

"Okay fine but as soon as you get your head on straight we are talking about this. I can't have my team members running off the field whenever they feel like it."Wade demanded.

I couldn't tell him the truth obviously but I would have enough time to come up with a believable lie.

The two left the room and I got into the showers. It was really hard but I blocked it all out. I showered really quickly, changed back into my clothes before leaving the school building as fast as I could. The last period wasn't over so the hallways were empty sparing the useless hallway banter. When I got into my car I didn't waste anytime driving home.

When I arrived home I found my grandma baking in the kitchen. She'd had hip replacement surgery two years back and couldn't be on her own at her home anymore so my parents had insisted she move in with us. I tried to sneak past her but her cat ears heard me.

"Hi bubsy why are you home so early?"She asked.

She never stopped calling me that annoying childhood nickname and no amount of begging made her stop so I just accepted it.

"Hi grandma, school let out early today."I mumbled lamely.

I didn't want to lie to my grandma but telling her the truth wasn't an option.

"Oh okay, I made some cookies, want some?"Grandma asked.

Living with my grandma had taught me to never say no to her food. She liked to feed us, no wonder we were so big, well that, good genes and the fact that our whole family was into working out.

"Yes grandma, I'd love some."I replied.

She filled a plate with her signature sandwich chocolate chip cookies. They were called that because sandwiched between two cookies was a marshmallow and melted chocolate. My grandmas recipe for a heart attack.

I took the plate, kissed her forehead before running to my room. I still stayed in the attic even if most of my sisters had moved out and had homes of their own. Only Jessica and Ivy still stayed at home. Ivy went to the local college because she apparently didn't want to travel across the country for school. She even got into Yale but that was too far for her. I didn't care, it was her life.

When I got into my room I placed the cookies on the table, tossed my bag away and changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top.

I put on my boxing gloves on and walked to the punching bag that was in the corner of my room after switching on some music. When I stood infront of the punching bag only then did I allow my thoughts to roam free. I had no control of when my first fist hit the bag and after that I totally lost control.

Every feeling I'd had for the past week came out, every conversation with Id had with my friends about her without knowing haunted me and I let it all out on the bag. She was back, she was fucking back and I didn't know how to handle it.

I had prayed for her to come back for so long and when I'd eventually accepted that it wouldn't happen she shows up. It wasn't fair.

I recalled Finn saying something about her having a boyfriend and that made me angrier. She had replaced me yet I had fucking waited for her all these years. For eight gears years I had been made fun of for dating a ghost yet she had a stupid boyfriend.

Eventually I wore myself out and got into the shower. I had no idea when or how it happened but suddenly the overwhelming emotion to cry encompassed me. I tried to fight it but I lost and broke down right on the floor of my bathroom. I hadn't cried ever since the day she left but now she was back and I didn't know how to deal with it.

I cried for all the days I'd needed my best friend and she wasn't there, for all the missed missed birthdays and holidays, for each accomplishment in my life she had missed. I cried until nothing was left but dry heaves.

When I finally got up and left the shower I made one decision. Maya had left me without as much as a goodbye and she was back without a hello. She could stay dead for all I cared because I was done. She wanted to pretend I didn't exist well two could play that game. I would ignore her until the end of time and find a way to finally move on from her. I needed to heal, I was already long overdue.