"Yo, who's that?"
Eli heard it the second he stepped inside the gym.
The music was loud, bass-heavy, the kind that made the floor vibrate. Colored
lights flashed across the walls. Fog machines hissed near the corners.
Everyone was dressed up—witches, zombies, superheroes, things he couldn't
even identify.
And people were looking at him.
"Nice mask," someone said as he passed.
Eli paused.
"…Thanks," he replied.
The word came out smooth. No crack. No hesitation.
He kept walking.
"Where'd you get it?" a guy asked.
"Thrift store," Eli said.
The guy laughed. "Of course. That's kinda fire."
Eli nodded once and moved on.
His heart was beating fast, but it wasn't panic. It felt more like energy. Like he
had too much of it and didn't know where to put it.
He stopped near the snack table.
Someone bumped into him.
"Oh—sorry," the girl said automatically. Then she looked up. "Wait. That mask is
creepy. I love it."
"Yeah?" Eli asked.
"Yeah," she said. "It's simple, but it works."
"Thanks."
She smiled and walked off.
Eli stood there for a moment.
"…Okay," he muttered. "That's new."
"Eli?"
He turned.
Mara stood a few feet away, vampire fangs and all. She squinted at him.
"Is that you?"
Eli tilted his head. "Maybe."
She laughed. "Okay, mysterious. Since when do you talk like that?"
"Since tonight," he said.
She raised an eyebrow. "You going for scary or cool?"
"Why not both?"
The words left his mouth before he thought about them.
Mara blinked. Then smiled wider. "Fair enough. See you around."
She walked away.
Eli watched her go.
"…Huh."
He took a drink from a random cup on the table. He didn't even know what it
was. He didn't care.
"Move."
The word hit him from behind.
He didn't move.
"Hey," the voice said again. "I said move."
Eli turned slowly.
Three familiar faces.
No costumes. Same expressions. Same bored confidence.
The bullies.
One of them laughed. "What are you supposed to be? Discount horror movie?"
Eli looked at him.
Just looked.
"…You're blocking the table," Eli said. "So yeah. I'm not moving."
The gym noise seemed to dip around them.
"What?" the tallest one asked.
"You heard me," Eli said. "Go around."
The second bully scoffed. "Did you hit your head or something?"
"Maybe," Eli said. "Would explain why I'm standing up to you."
A few people nearby slowed down. Pretended not to listen.
The tallest bully stepped closer. "Take the mask off."
Eli didn't.
"Take it off," he repeated.
Eli leaned in slightly. "Make me."
That did it.
The bully grabbed his shoulder.
Eli didn't flinch.
"Whoa," someone nearby said quietly.
"Dude," the bully said. "You think this is funny?"
Eli glanced down at the hand on his shoulder. Then back up.
"No," he said. "I think you're embarrassing yourself."
The bully froze.
"…What?"
"You stole money from someone on the street," Eli continued. His voice stayed
calm. Clear. "Then you came to a school party and thought you'd do it again.
That's sad."
The second bully laughed nervously. "Man, listen to him."
Eli turned his head slightly. "You should stop laughing."
The laugh died instantly.
The tallest bully released his grip. "You got jokes now?"
Eli shrugged. "I always did. You just never listened."
People were staring now. Not openly, but enough.
Someone whispered, "Isn't that Eli?"
The bullies noticed.
The tallest one scoffed. "Whatever, man. Enjoy your five minutes."
He turned to walk away.
Eli spoke.
"Hey."
The bully stopped.
"You dropped something earlier," Eli said.
He pulled the single coin from his pocket and flicked it forward.
It clinked against the floor between them.
A few people gasped.
The bully's jaw tightened.
"Keep it," Eli said. "You clearly need it more than I do."
Silence.
Then laughter.
Not from the bullies.
From the crowd.
Someone snorted. Someone else clapped once before stopping themselves.
The bullies walked off fast.
"Yo," a guy near Eli said. "That was cold."
Eli exhaled slowly.
His hands weren't shaking.
"Yeah," he said. "I guess."
Mara reappeared, eyes wide. "Eli. What was that?"
Eli shrugged. "Conversation."
She stared at him. "You okay?"
"I've never been better."
She studied him for a second. "You're different."
Eli smiled beneath the mask.
"People keep saying that."
The DJ changed tracks. The lights shifted.
Someone grabbed Eli's wrist.
"Dance floor," a girl said. "Now."
Eli hesitated for half a second.
Then nodded. "Sure."
As he moved with the crowd, laughter and music washing over him, one
thought stuck in his head.
This isn't hard.
He glanced across the room.
The bullies were watching him.
Not laughing.
Not smiling.
Avoiding his eyes.
Eli lifted his cup slightly in their direction.
They looked away.
"…Yeah," he murmured. "I like this."
The stitched smile didn't change.
But Eli did.