Instant Connection

Eli’s Perspective-

My senior year is bound to be better than the last, right? I’m walking to school and pass by the track field and see the one and only Allen Rhodes running. The man who has made my days at Stelone School a living and breathing nightmare. I wonder if he was born just to torture and humiliate me. I try to shake those thoughts away. For it seems I will never understand the continuous effort he makes to ruin my life. Just thinking about him makes me nervous. I can’t help but take a glance at him, to see the sweat glistening on his skin and the determined look he has to beat his record. I should turn away from the sight, but even with his obnoxious, cruel and arrogant personality there is one thing that no one knows.

I... Eli Sanego am in love with Allen Rhodes. It confuses me as much as it would anyone else. This guy that has done nothing but beat me down and call me disgusting names has stolen my heart. How is it that he took it and for years has refused to give it back? I wish I had the answer. If only someone else could take it from him. For I will never have the nerve to let go of my feelings, not yet.

I arrive at school and try to hurry inside when I see Allen jogging towards the building. He must have finished his practice early or he saw me. My thoughts become reality as I feel a hand on my shoulder. “I saw you from the track.” “You weren’t by any chance checking me out, were you?” I feel his face move close to my ear, from behind. I shiver at the contact and wish I had the strength to pull free. “Fag.” He whispers in my ear with venom and I feel my heart plummet as he shatters this moment for me.

His stature is over six feet tall, which brings my meager five and a half feet to seem puny compared to him. I feel his grip on my shoulder tighten before he shoves me from the crowd of students and into a wall. I feel the pain and see the smirk on his face as he walks away. I sit on the floor for a moment before picking up my bag and heading to first period.

The school year started off just like many of the others and I hate that it won’t change. I sit down in my desk and hear the teacher talk about what we’ll be doing throughout the year. There are only a few big assignments for English Literature, which makes me grateful since Biology and History class will expect a lot more out of me.

The only class I truly dread for this semester is Gym. The one class I am always guaranteed to have matched with Allen. It isn’t that I don’t want to be around him. I mean he is the only person who has fastened my heart and not only in fear, but excitement. I just know that while he shows me pain, I still hope one day he will show me kindness. That is a high expectation, isn’t it?

I hear the bell ring and sigh as I make my way to the cafeteria. I see Indy at a table and take a seat with her. “Hey, hows it been?” “The first day is always the worst.” “I agree.” “Meet any cute boys though?” I look away shyly and hear her giggle. “No.” She is the only one besides my family that has accepted me being gay. The students in school don’t exactly have an issue with it either, but Allen is the principals son. What he says goes...

If Allen Rhodes doesn’t accept something than everyone else can’t accept it either. I find that to be barbaric and the only one who doesn’t listen to his ruling is Indy. That also may have to do with the fact that she is gay as well. That common judgement that is lain upon us has only brought us closer over the years.

We’ve been through a lot together from the bullying and Allen’s constant harassment. I wish I could take the burden for both of us sometimes, especially those moments when I’ve held Indy as she cries. She tells me that it isn’t Allen that gets to her but the girls in her class. She told me numerous occasions where they would bet one of their friends to ask her out, or they would leave the locker room and change elsewhere if she was around.

The worst scenario that happened is when a girl Indy liked in eighth grade asked her out. She said yes and a group of girls swarmed her and laughed in her face while calling her names. That was the start of “the game”. Girls would make bets to ask Indy out and laugh as she tries to respond. I hated those times and Indy did a pretty good job of keeping her emotions to herself. It was only the rare occasion when she’d break down and let me console her.

“Eli!” “Huh?” “I was talking to you.” “Sorry, I spaced out for a moment.” “I was telling you of Percy Danes.” “Who?” I feel her smack my arm and smile coyly at her. “Listen, he is the new guy this year.” “We always have new students every year.” “Not like him.” “You should see the height, muscles and just aura about him.” “I heard that all the girls are going crazy over him.” “So...?” “He isn’t interested in them.”

She looks at me incredulously. “He isn’t into girls...” “He could just have a high standard for the kind of girl he wants.” “You’re unbelievable.” “You know for a guy that is into guys, you should have a sense with what I’m implying.” “You don’t know if he is...” She puts her finger to my mouth to shush me before she continues.

“The rumor is that he was dating some guy back at his old school but it turned out to be a prank.” “He beat the guy and everyone else involved so bad that they ended up in the hospital.” “The only reason he is here is because he got transferred and his old school didn’t want him anymore.” “Those rumors could be just that, rumors.” She rolls her eyes and continues to eat. “I’ll find out.” She promises me. “All I’m saying is maybe you have a shot with him, I mean you have to get over Allen at some point.”

“Someone say my name?” I feel myself shiver as I feel the breath of Allen across my neck as he leans over me. “What are you two love birds talking about?” “Oh, wait I don’t mean love birds since one of you only likes to take it up the ass.” I hear Allen’s laughter bellow at his own comment while my cheeks become red with embarrassment. “You’d much rather have me fuck you than this girl, right?” He teases me and then he does something unexpected. I feel his hand drag down my back before he quickly gropes my butt before pulling away.

“You like that?” He laughs and I can see that Indy can’t hear him, but is griping her fork tightly in her hand as she watches what he does. I feel my heart beating like crazy. “Get away from him.” I hear a voice say. It is deep and intimidating and I look back at the same time Allen does. “Who is this now?” Allen says with anger laced in his words. “Your boyfriend?”

“Yes.” “Now get away from what is mine.” I wasn’t sure what it meant as Allen turned back to look down and into my eyes. I saw anger there but more than that I saw the brimming of tears before he steps back and leaves. I look at the guy before me in awe. He is exactly as Indy described and while I thought the rumors were far fetched, perhaps not. For he may be the guy who will take my heart away from Allen and keep it for himself.