Eli’s phone buzzed again. Noah’s eyes trained on it.

What?

Eli picked it up and opened the message from Sinclair: ‘This was being spread around by some asshole.’

There was a picture attached.

Eli’s good mood fizzled out, dissolving into nothing. He just stared at the image, unfeeling, as he took it in. It was him and Cameron in the bathroom. It was taken from the doorway, when Eli was on the counter. The caption across the bottom read ‘Fag’.

The numbness was replaced with a growing heat in his chest. He quickly text Sinclair back. ‘Do you know who took it?’

Her reply was instant. ‘No idea.’

“Okay boys,” Jenny’s voice pulled his attention away from the screen. “Enough with the phones.”

Eli’s stomach turned as he stuffed the phone into his pocket. He didn’t know what emotion it was, but it wasn’t good. He couldn’t look up to meet Noah’s gaze, though he felt it heavily on him.

“What is it?” Jenny put down her fork.

Eli couldn’t make himself look at her either. He wasn’t embarrassed. He wasn’t. But having a picture like that taken and get passed around. He rubbed the back of his neck. It was unpleasant. Who would go out of their way to spread a picture like that anyway? Given the caption, someone who’s against gays?

“Elliott.”

Eli flinched. His dad’s voice overlapped with Jacksons. “Don’t call me that.”

His dad’s expression immediately moved to anger. Eli didn’t apologise. The dinner table was completely silent, and Eli was certain he’s the one who’d just spoiled the mood for everyone. Still, the apology stuck in his throat. He was too annoyed. Too aggravated. Too pissed off.

“Eli,” His dad’s voice didn’t come out as angry as he looked, and he said the shortened version of his name with a slow, clear pronunciation, “I understand you may not like being called Elliott, but there was no need to snap about it. Asking is enough.”

Eli noticed a silent communication passing between Jenny and his dad. She was telling him to be nice. Eli tried to swallow the anger and forget the message sitting on his phone. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

His dad let out a small huff. “I just asked you not to snap.”

“I wasn’t snapping.”

“Eli.” His dad growled.

“Shall I just not speak then?!” This time, Eli snapped. He erupted at his dad, his angry outburst escaping unchecked.

“Until you can mind your tone, maybe you shouldn’t. Go to your room.”

Eli stood up from the table. He saw Jenny’s head shooting from Eli to his dad with a look of anxiety etched into it. Noah was still looking at his phone.

He didn’t say anything as he trudged up the stairs, but his eyes were burning when he reached the second floor. He fought aginst them, but his vision blurred and the tears started to flow as he went into his room. He clicked the lock into place, crossing over to the bed and throwing himself down on it. He took in hard, stuttering breaths as he tried to calm himself down. He didn’t even know why he was crying. It wasn’t because he was upset. He didn’t think so anyone. He was just… mad.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and looked at the picture again.

Fag.

He’d never actually been called one before, not in a way that was so clearly malicious. Sinclair had the picture, Noah had the picture – no doubt it would be spread around the school by tomorrow. It wasn’t like Eli knew anyone there enough to care. So why was he crying? It just felt exposing.

His phone beeped. ‘You okay?’

‘I’m fine.’ Eli didn’t know what else to say.

There were a few seconds before a reply came. ‘Hot pic.’

Eli smiled despite himself, but it vanished after a couple seconds.

There was a knock at his door. “Eli,” Noah called, “Can I come in?”

Eli titled his head, looking at himself in the full-length mirror on the wall opposite his bed. Tears stained his cheeks, and his eyes were red. He swallowed hard. “No.”

The floorboards creaked outside the door. “Just for a minute?”

“No.”

Eli heard Noah sigh, then listened to his footsteps as he walked away. Eli tried not to think about the expression Noah had held when looking at him, but it came uninvited it his head. It’s like Noah had been accusing him of something when he looked at him like that.

There was a knock again, and the handle turned. Eli scowled at the ceiling. “I said no.”

“Open up.” Noah ordered.

“No.”

“Open up or I’m showing dad.”

Eli’s insides clenched. He jolted out of the bed. He’d never had ‘that’ conversation with him before, and the idea of his dad seeing that picture made him want to throw up. The idea of Jenny seeing it wasn’t any better. “Noah, don’t be a dickhead.” He yanked the door open and glared up at him.

Noah’s eyes widened, and then the familiar angry expression took hold of his features. He looked away. His avoidance of Eli’s gaze stung, but it fuelled the burning in his chest. If Noah was going to treat him badly because of a picture than fuck him. “What do you want?”

Noah looked haltingly at him, his brows creasing as he did. His face was too blurred for Eli to read properly anymore. Ah. Eli cringed. He was still crying. “If there’s nothing then leave me alone.” Eli pushed the door, but Noah caught it before it closed. Eli ground his teeth together. “Seriously, what do you want?”

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay” Noah said softly.

“I’m great, thanks.” Eli muttered, “Don’t show it to him.”

“I wasn’t going to anyway.” Noah admitted, his arm relaxed, and Eli shoved the door closed.

“Eli.” Noah sighed.

“Leave me alone.” Eli wiped furiously at his eyes. No matter how much he thought about other things, the photo, or a million other things, he couldn’t get himself to calm down. The ball in his chest was wound too tight, and it was long into the night when exhaustion finally dragged him to sleep.