Eli's POV
Eli woke to the buzz of his alarm vibrating against the wooden nightstand.
He groaned and reached blindly for his phone, slapping the screen until the sound finally stopped.
For a moment he stayed under the blanket, staring at the ceiling while pale morning light slipped through the curtains. Thin lines of sunlight stretched across the room, touching the messy desk, the half-open backpack on the floor, and the hoodie hanging from the chair.
"Eli!" his mom called from the kitchen.
"I'm up!"
"You're going to be late!"
"I'm not late!"
He checked the time.
Okay… maybe a little.
Eli rolled out of bed and walked into the bathroom. The cold tile against his feet woke him up instantly.
He splashed water onto his face and ran a hand through his hair before brushing his teeth while staring lazily at the mirror.
His hair stuck up in different directions.
"Great," he muttered.
Back in his room, he grabbed a dark green hoodie from his chair and pulled it over his head. The color made his green eyes stand out a little more in the morning light.
His backpack lay where he had dropped it the night before. He picked it up, shoved a notebook inside, and zipped it halfway.
From the kitchen drifted the smell of toast and eggs.
His stomach approved.
He slipped on his sneakers near the door just as his mom turned from the stove.
"You look like you fought your pillow," she said.
"I won."
"That hair says otherwise."
Eli grabbed a slice of toast and took a bite while reaching for the worn leather jacket hanging beside the door.
"Caleb's waiting outside," he said.
His mom pointed the spatula at him.
"Eat properly."
"I am!"
"Walking while eating doesn't count."
"Sure it does."
She sighed.
"Don't run across the street."
"No promises."
"Eli."
"Okay, maybe one promise."
He pushed the door open and stepped outside.
The morning air was cool and fresh.
Caleb stood on the sidewalk, bouncing a basketball lazily against the pavement.
"You're late," Caleb said.
"I prefer the term dramatic entrance," Eli replied.
"That's not how time works."
"Sure it is."
They started walking toward the bus stop.
Caleb spun the basketball on his finger for a second before almost dropping it.
Eli smirked.
"Impressive."
"Shut up."
"Did you study for the history test?" Caleb asked.
Eli gave him a slow look.
"That sounds like something responsible people do."
"So… no."
"Absolutely not."
Caleb shook his head.
"You're going to fail."
"Incorrect," Eli said calmly. "I'm going to strategically survive."
"That's not a strategy."
"It is if the questions are easy."
"And if they're not?"
Eli shrugged.
"Then I rely on charm."
Caleb laughed.
"You think charm works on teachers?"
"It works on you."
"That's because I have poor judgment."
The bus pulled up with a loud hiss of brakes.
They climbed aboard and slid into their usual seats near the back.
The bus rattled forward.
Eli leaned his head against the window as the city passed by outside. A man jogged past a café with a cup of coffee in his hand. A little kid struggled to keep up with his older sister while dragging a backpack that looked almost as big as he was.
Caleb tapped his shoulder.
"You still coming to basketball practice after school?"
"Yeah," Eli said. "But if we lose again, I'm blaming you."
"You blamed me last time!"
"Because it was clearly your fault."
"You didn't even pass the ball!"
"Details."
The bus slowed as it reached the school.
Students began standing and grabbing their bags.
Outside, the school courtyard buzzed with noise.
Sneakers squeaked on the pavement. Lockers slammed somewhere inside the building. Someone shouted across the yard while two students argued loudly about a soccer match.
Eli walked through the crowd with Caleb.
Near the hallway entrance, a younger student dropped a stack of papers. They scattered across the floor.
A few older students laughed as they walked past.
Eli crouched down and picked them up.
"Here," he said, handing them back.
"Thanks," the kid muttered.
One of the older boys glanced at Eli.
"Didn't know Bennett was into charity work."
Eli shrugged.
"Didn't know you were into being annoying this early in the morning."
Caleb snorted quietly as the boys walked away.
"You're going to get punched one day," Caleb said.
"Maybe," Eli replied calmly.
"But not today."
The first bell rang.
Students hurried into classrooms.
Eli slung his backpack over his shoulder and headed down the hallway.
Just another normal day.
At least, that's what it looked like.
Because somewhere in that same school was someone whose life looked completely different from Eli's.
Someone quiet.
Controlled.
Someone Eli hadn't met yet.
But soon would.
And when their worlds finally crossed—
Things were going to change.