#eli b.

[eclatantgossip]

I just heard somebody put a ring on Eli Bardet!

yikes ! I mean, congrats bardet junior ! we’re all very happy for you. but also crying. there goes my chance. 

[forloveofpetrichor]

Do What You Do 7/?

"Would you stop making that noise?" Eli looked up at her, slowly placing the spoon he had been tapping back on the counter. "Sorry, I just get anxious when I'm waiting," he confessed. "It's perfectly okay," Ruby told him matter-of-factly, "but it's also perfectly annoying." He nodded absentmindedly, knowing she hadn't meant it as an insult at all, and took a gulp of his green apple smoothie. Ruby toyed with her straw from where she sat at the opposite side of the booth, glancing around the small shop impatiently. "What do you think is keeping him?" she asked urgently. "Oliver? Knowing him, he probably just lost track of time," Eli answered simply before furrowing his eyebrows and leaning slightly forward, "What about Arwen? Do you think she's just running late?" "Oh, yeah," she reassured him, "She most likely just had to get to a certain spot in whatever book she was reading or movie slash tv show she was watching, which put her behind schedule. You know." "Well, not really, but I guess I kind of understand," he replied. Ruby laughed, much to his confusion. "I'm sorry, it's just that sometimes your blunt honesty astounds me," she explained, still thoroughly enthused, "You're really very blatant." He blinked. "Okay, is that a bad thing?" "No, I don't think so," she replied thoughtfully, "It's just amusing, is all." "Alright then," He latched onto the smoothie straw and continued drinking, trying to come up with something to say and getting a brain-freeze in the process. Eli truly didn't know what to make of Ruby. He often felt uncomfortable around her if Arwen or Oliver wasn't also present. He hoped this feeling would fade in time, but it hasn't happened quite yet so he was stuck with it for now. If it was any consolation, he was sure that Ruby felt awkward around him too. The look she was giving him was rather disconcerting, like she was contemplating something. "So, can I ask you an important question?" she inquired finally. He stared at her for a moment, rubbing the plastic straw between his fingers. "Can I hear the question first?" he asked warily. "I don't see why not," she replied, "Why do the teachers all kind of hate Oliver?" "What?" he spat immediately. Eli wasn't sure what he was expecting, but it surely wasn't that. "God, you look just like a deer in headlights," Ruby commented, "Is it, like, something really bad or... something?" He opened his mouth, wondering if he should spill it or not, but closed it a second later. "I really think he should be the one to tell you." She bit her lip and stared down at her hands folded on the table, looking conflicted. "But they all treat him like crap, like no wonder he feels the need to be sassy with them, he's got to defend himself somehow," she continued, obviously upset, "The first time I saw Oliver, Mr. Narrison just started talking to him, with no warning at all, about how surprised he was that Ollie didn't flunk last year and how worthless the artistic abilities he 'supposedly' had were. He's not the only teacher I've seen do that kind of stuff. Obviously whatever is making them do this is some kind of known event." "Kittiwake's a small town, Ruby," Eli began delicately, "Everybody here seems to take things personally and everybody knows everybody's business. It's just, there are some things no one talks about yet everyone takes into account. It's a pretty stupid system, and I'm not going to be the person who tells the new girl all the juicy gossip even if you are my friend. Okay? Just ask Oliver about it." She rolled her eyes. "You know perfectly well he won't tell me." "That doesn't mean you shouldn't ask him first before coming to me about it," he answered logically. "Eli," she begged, "please," He breathed in and out, his thoughts going back and forth. On the one hand, any good best friend would never tell the darkest part of his past. Yet, on the other hand, this was Ruby. They had known her all of four months but she had somehow weeded her way deeply into their lives, bringing Arwen along with her. He had never seen Oliver happier, to be honest, since they had started officially dating... What was it now? A week and a half ago? It was during that thunderstorm. Frankly, it seemed like they had been girlfriend and boyfriend for much longer. They sure acted that way. But it still didn't mean Eli should tell her. Though there was that one thought nagging his mind, the one that said that it was a miracle she didn't know already and it was only a matter of time before she did learn it, and it would be from someone who cared a lot less about Oliver. In the end, it was this undeniable fact that led Eli to swallow his guilt and confess. "No one's sure why he did it- not Oliver! Oliver's never done anything... it was his father."

[forloveofpetrichor]

Do What You Do 5/?

"Eli?" he said into the darkness as he lay flat on his back, hands resting on his stomach. His friend made a noise from the sleeping bag next to him, presumably to show he was listening. Oliver swallowed nervously. "What the hell am I supposed to do?" he asked hopelessly. There was a ruffling sound and a quiet sigh as Eli began to speak. "I don't know what you're talking about, man," he replied, "Ruby wants to hang out with you pretty much all the time, and you obviously like her. If the only thing standing in the way of your fairytale happiness is her parents' approval, than you've gotta get over it." He moaned in frustration and placed his hands over his eyes, rubbing them tiredly. "You are absolutely no help," Oliver stated. "What, because I'm repeating the same advice you've heard from everybody ever?" he answered, "Maybe that's because it's true, you idiot." He sighed, removing his hands and focusing his gaze on the sole light in the room, a tiny green glow coming from a laptop charger. There was always something about the immense darkness of night that made everything that happened in it more meaningful. It was like all that existed in that moment were their voices, their thoughts, their emotions. Oliver always imagined that was why the only time he and Eli ever talked about real things was during sleepovers. Once it had become early morning and they had both admitted their exhaustion, when the lights had gone out and they were waiting for sleep to claim them, a certain understanding was made known without any words or recognition of any kind. So Oliver knew Eli was giving him the absolute truth. He just didn't know what to do with it. "Oliver?" the sound of his name cut through his thoughts and he realized that he had been silent for a while. "I hear you," he answered quietly. "You know, everybody thinks I'm the socially awkward one, the shy one, but sometimes I think that that's you, man," Eli told him thoughtfully, "Have you ever thought that you don't act like yourself? Because I've known you since the 5th grade and every once in a while when we're at school or SuperSmoothie or whatever you do something that's like the guy I talk to at the end of sleepovers. 'Cause let me tell you, those are two different people." Oliver closed his eyes, found no change in his vision, and opened them again. "I don't know what to make of that, Eli. I mean, I believe you, but I don't know what to do about it." "I didn't think you would." Neither of them spoke for a couple minutes. "Have you ever thought about becoming a therapist, Eli?" "You just ruined this whole moment," he replied, mockingly stern, "We were having a moment, man, couldn't you feel it? A moment." Oliver laughed and Eli quickly joined him, the sound of it filling the seemingly empty void. Yet in the distance he could see the little green light reminding him that this was only a dark room at night, and all illusions are only that. An illusion.

[forloveofpetrichor]

Do What You Do 4/?

It was definitely sweater weather outside. But Arwen wasn't going out there. She hated the snow, the cold, the silence that surrounded it. That's why she had settled into a heap of blankets upon the couch with a mug of hot chocolate held closely to her chest. Her dad wouldn't be home until late that night so she had decided to use the alone time to get reacquainted with Lord of the Rings. But just as Pippin bumped a chain down the well, an unwelcomed phone call interrupted her bliss. Groaning unhappily, she paused the movie before reaching behind her and groping the table for the phone. Finally grabbing it, Arwen glanced at the caller ID and knew she couldn't pass it up. "Hello," she answered, taking a sip of hot chocolate. "Arwen!" an excited voice replied, "You've gotta get your butt over here." "Ruby," she began patiently, "It's Saturday and it's snowing and I'm home alone, so I'm enjoying some much needed LotR time. Don't interrupt me." "I understand you have your needs, but believe me when I say this is one of them," Ruby continued, thoroughly enthused. Arwen furrowed her eyebrows, unsure as to what she could be referring to. "I don't think I want to know," she finally decided. "Oh, yes, you do," her friend insisted slyly, "I'm at SuperSmoothie with Oliver-," "Ooo," Arwen joked. "Shut up, this isn't about me," she said determinedly, "I'm with Oliver, and Eli joined us a couple minutes ago. From the looks of things, it seems your boy was anticipating you being here with me." "My boy?" she repeated in disbelief. "Ever since the Gatsby incident you've totally been checking out Eli, and don't even try to say you haven't." "Stop calling it the Gatsby incident." "This is a perfect opportunity for you, Arwen, and I swear if you don't show up in the next twenty minutes I will drag Eli over to your house," Ruby stated matter-of-factly, "Now, I've gotta go because I've been in the bathroom for far too long, but remember what I said." Arwen hesitated, her gaze lingering on the still image of her beloved fellowship. But then she though of the infamous 'Gatsby incident'. She had never thought much of Eli Bodette, and indeed she had never even known his last name before his best friend Oliver became such a prominent person in Ruby's life. Not that Ruby had been in Arwen's life very long either, but that wasn't the point. The short exchanges she had shared with Eli before were nice, albeit forgetful. But then came the Gatsby incident. She was shocked, to say the least, at his honesty and strange warmth. The fact that he had read the book was enough to make her smile. So she had told Ruby about the conversation, keeping casual about the whole thing, but apparently Arwen wasn't very good at aloof because her friend had seen right through it. And maybe her persistence was at times annoying, but it had good intentions and found true footing. Which is why Arwen was about to give a positive reply when she noticed that Ruby had already hung up. She smiled wryly. Typical. Taking a final swig from her mug, she threw the blankets off her lap and dashed to her bedroom. It was sweater weather, after all, and Arwen knew that it wouldn't be beyond Ruby to persuade Eli to give up his coat for her.