Chapter 17: Hugs and Kisses

"Hurry up over there, I don't have all day you know," I yelled to Elliot who was cleaning a few feet away from where I was sitting comfortably with my textbooks and notebooks scattered all around me. "I've got so much work to do here and so do you."

Elliot turned and glared at me, his hand on his waist. "Gee, I'm sorry for taking my sweet time. I forgot that mister stuck-up was also around," he said with an eye roll. "If you don't want to be here, then you should have let Neil take this shift and not force anything."

I rolled my eyes at him. "If I did that, you two would continue your planning and frankly, I don't want that to happen," I called back as I picked up my English Literature homework. I always wondered why I decided to pick English Lit as one of my honour classes. "Get moving, you still have to finish up all your homework. That was the only way Ms. Wells let you still attend the classes."

Elliot groaned and tugged at his hair in agitation. "I know but you always reminding me isn't making me do the way faster and diligently you know," he yelled back. "Just let me focus on what I'm doing without your constant nagging and when I'm done, I'll finish up the homework. Deal?"

"Deal, just don't make me regret it," I called back then went back to reading this week's book-1984 by George Orwell. So far, it was an interesting book and I actually liked it more than I thought I would have.

I spent the rest of the time reading and taking down important notes that I was going to use to answer the question sheet later when I suddenly felt a pair of hands wrap around my eyes, making everything go dark.

"This isn't funny Elliot," I said. "You should be cleaning and not wasting your time playing games."

"Guess again," the person whispered in my eye and it didn't sound like Elliot but it sounded more feminine unless he was just trying to trick me which was working, I held the hands and they felt so soft but so were his hands.

"Okay, this isn't funny anymore," I said, starting to panic. "Who are you and what do you want?" I could hear the panic in my own voice because if this wasn't Elliot then I was in some really serious trouble. What if I was being kidnapped? Oh gosh.

The person laughed and heard two more people laugh as the person let go of my eyes and I could see once more. Neil and Elliot were sitting laughing but there was a sadness in Elliot's eyes. Slowly, I turned to look at the person who had nearly given me a heart attack.

"Sorry," Patience said, smiling sheepishly as she sat down next to me. "Neil thought it might be fun to scare you and I was kind of against it until Elliot said it was fine."

My eyes darted over to Elliot who was picking at his salad. How did that get there? I turned back to Patience who looked a little embarrassed and took her hands in mine.

"It's all right, I'm sorry these two forced you to do it," I playfully glared at them as I said that. "Next time, just kick them in the shins and forget about it."

"Hey!" Neil and Elliot both exclaimed at the same time which made Patience crack a smile.

I smiled seeing her smile because that was one of the things about her that had me fall for her the first time. But now as I looked at her and at Elliot, I just wasn't sure what I wanted anymore. Was it okay for someone to like two people equally at the same time or was just some weirdo who truly needed help? Pushing away that thought, I turned to face the guys.

"Why are you here?" I asked with my hands crossed. "Didn't you say you had better things to do than watch someone work. Then why are you here?"

Neil rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortable as he looked anywhere but at me and Elliot. "Patience wanted to come so I offered to drive her and then we got food on the way here," he said as he pushed the plastic bag of food in front of me. "We got all your favourites since I didn't know what Elliot likes, I just got him chips, a salad for that figure and a burger."

Elliot smacked him upside the head which made Neil whine as he held the spot that Elliot had just smacked. "What was that for?" he asked, his lips quivering. "I did a nice thing for you and this is what I will return?"

"That and much more," Elliot replied coolly. "And here I had thought we were now friends then you go and say such things."

"Come on, Luke just said that to pit us against each other because he knows what's coming for him and he can't take it," Neil whined. "You know I'm always on your side all the time."

Elliot rolled his eyes. "Sure and the Earth is a square."

Patience and I looked at each other and started laughing as Neil and Elliot continued going back and forth arguing. Patience placed her head on my shoulder as she continued laughing. I missed having such moments with all my friends. Just hanging out and laughing without a care in the world as to what the future held for us.

"I thought you said you had forgiven me, why are you bringing it up again?" Neil asked with his hands flailing in the air in exasperation. "This is so not cool man."

Elliot rolled his eyes as he dipped his chip in some sauce and then popped it in his mouth. I watched how his muscles flexed from doing just such a small task. "Because I need you to understand that you have hurt my feelings. Yes, I have forgiven you, but that doesn't mean that I have forgotten," he shrugged casually as he sat back and then his eyes landed on me and Patience. I was almost certain I saw them widen then narrow with a flash of anger before they went back to normal.

Were my eyes playing tricks with me or what?

Neil sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair then bit his bottom lip. "And I will always apologise for making such a mistake and I promise you that it won't happen again," he said in the most sincerest voice I have ever heard him use. "I really do mean it when I say that I won't ever do it and I don't want it to ruin our friendship. So I shall ask again, would you please forgive me for being ignorant?"

Elliot took a deep breath in, "I'm sorry for bringing it up. I have forgiven you, truly. It's just something that I have to deal with by myself. It has nothing to do with you."

"Aw," Patience cooed as she pushed away from my shoulder and sat up straight. "That was so sweet you guys. Now all that's left is for you to hug it out and then we shall all be good." She was looking at them expectantly. "Well, we are waiting."

I bit back my laughter as Neil and Elliot looked at each other with so much discomfort. Neil's hands were making these weird gestures while Elliot didn't know what to do with his hands. The whole thing was hilarious. But finally, they were able to have a hug which only lasted a few seconds before they were both pulling away from each other as if they had been burnt.

"That was...awkward to say the least," Patience said. "But it was better than nothing. Let's eat, I'm starved."

Patience and Elliot pulled out the rest of the food and spread it out on the table then everyone dug in. We ate and talked about the funny stories from our childhood as we laughed.