A/N: Ahhh, here we are in the 2nd Book with Eli at the helm. Just like book 1, this is written in third person with Eli at our center. Enjoy! [Q&A on my profile.]

Eli above

It was a seemingly quiet day today for Eli Jackson if he were to discount the fact that he broke a boy's nose just an hour earlier. 

Reason for breaking said boy's nose is undisclosed to anyone but Eli. He could care less what the principal had to say to him and whichever parent he chose to call for him. Either way, Eli knew in his heart that boy deserved it.  

'Because there is no way in hell that he needed to look at me like that. Giving me white women clutching their pearls energy.', Eli thought with a slight grin to himself.  

"Where the fuck is my son!", a familiar pissed off voice echoed through the narrow.

The person to whom the voice belonged glanced past the secretary and with a wave of his hand began bounding up to his cub.

Rhys Hanover-Jackson struts down the hallway like he owned this building. Sunglasses pushed up taking back his length of red hair, muscled arms stretched under a cotton polo and a prominent baby bump stood front and center also stretching said polo. Rhys had a look that Eli has seen more times than one.

Who the hell was messing with his cub?

Rhys cups his son's head gently. His eyes darted all over his face and body looking for any signs of the fight that he was sure to be told about. 

"What happened Eli baby? Who fucking tried  you?" Rhys says with a furrowed brow.

"It was him again."

That made Rhys' face harden. He looked like he wanted to swear some more but Eli figured his dad's voice rang in his head about watching his blood pressure. Rhys took a deep breath before walking into the office. Eli followed quickly in his tow.

Upon entering the room, Eli took in two things. One, this lady standing to this side looking snooty  is not that fucking idiots nanny and two, the principal looks like he is about to loose his balls once seeing my daddy and not my dad.

The principal gives a weak smile. "Mr. Jackson, I thought your husband was going to be in attendance. " 

"I had an ultrasound in the area.", Rhys said, "Either way, I should not have to be in this school again after you said you would fix the issue."

The principal laughed weakly, "Yes that is true, however, as you can see, the situation has become more intense."

"I'm sorry," the lady who was standing behind finally began to speak, "You are this child's father?"

Rhys turned and raised an eyebrow. "No I fucking stole him off the street, of course I'm his father. Might I ask, who the fuck are you?"

The lady was taken aback by the red head's strong language but continued, "I'm the mother of the boy your son ruefully assaulted."

"Oh really. Nice that you can make it to fifth one of these meetings.", Rhys rolled his eyes and focused back on the principal. "Mind explaining the full situation Mr Walter?"

"Yes, well.. sixteen year old Eli Jackson assaulted seventeen year old Pond Suk-..... uh Suksaber? Uh…

"What is this a court hearing." Eli thought ruefully and tugs them hem of his blue uniform button down.

"Suksabaijai", the lady pronounced with a side glance.

"Uh yes…Pond in the face with his fist resulting in an injury to his nose.", The principal concluded.

"What caused this to happen?" Rhys questions.

"That was all I was given from those who witnessed the fight. " he replies. "I called you both here to discuss the tense history these two boys have with each other."

The principal pulled out his desk draws retrieving a thick black folder. "This is all the incidents that have occurred around the two boys. As you can see, it is quite lengthy. Now, I feel that we, as adults, should try to make a better improvement between these two relationships."

Eli could only chuckle to himself at that. 'Really? That's your plan you sweaty man? But, go off sir. Speak your peace.'

"I think my son is being influenced by that boy. Just look how he sits there! He has no remorse for what he did to my son's nose!", Mrs. Sukadick said.

"Now that is not true." The principal turns to look at Eli. "Mr Jackson, I'm sure you are sorry for your emotions getting the better of you.", The principal tried.

.

"I'll do it again."

Rhys looked away trying to hide his proud expression. The  boy pushed back his loced hair and  looked back up at the principal with a dead serious face. Mrs. Sukadick just stood flabbergasted like a fish with no water mouth hanging open to fully fill  her last name purpose.

In the midst of the tense situation, the door opened revealing a tall boy. Despite his swollen nose, he looked quite handsome to those who did not know the mischievous male within. He squared his shoulders back before taking a seat next to his mother.

'Fucking Pond…" Eli swore to himself.

Mrs Sukadick is none the wiser. "Look at him Mr. Walter! See how he damages my innocent boy!" She screeches.

"Ma'am we all have eyes." Rhys says and moves closer to his son. Leaning down to take a seat he whispers quickly to him, "Great aim."

Mr Walter, bles-sed this man's mental health, says, "Now that both boys are here, I may share this idea with you all."

"Don't keep us waiting." Rhys says.

"The current Soccer captain, Lloyd got into that terrible boat propeller accident just last Saturday." Mr Walter said.

Eli internally winces. He remembers that all too well. The video was circulating all over the school last month. Man got so drunk on his father's speedboat that he fell over. Foot got caught on the propeller and-. Eli shakes off the image of the severed bloody stump that was the rest of that boy's foot.

Eli didn't really like him anyway.

"I talked to the head and we came to an agreement." 

Eli isn't liking where this man's heading.

"Pond Sucka-...Eli Jackson. Captain and Co-Captain of Mason Academy's Silver Horse. " Mr. Walter says. He grins like he just invented the wheel.

Eli scoffs. "What happened to Adam?"

Mr Walter waves a hand. "Adam decided it was time he left to join the swim team."

"I'm not doing it." Pond says and crosses his arms.

Mrs. Sukadick smacks her son's arm in protest. Pond looks at his mother betrayed but is met full force with her brazen disapproval of the situation. Eli couldn't understand what they were saying as they fully switch to Thai, but by the looks of it, Pond is losing dramatically. And Eli is loving every moment of it.

Pond finally throws his hands in the air and drops them onto his lap with a smack! He looks over Mr Walter's and says, "Fine, Mr Walter. I'll do it." His gaze becomes fixed on Eli. The nerve. "Only if he doesn't screw up."

"Bitch, you think you're special?"

"Language Eli." Mr Walters said. "I take it you agree then Eli?"

Eli pouts his lips in thought. One, he could reject. Why not? No shame on him quitting. It would give him more time to finish his legacy challenge or play that new call of duty. Then again, he could accept.

More practice in a sport he actually enjoys. But then he would have to see Pond everyday. Fuck that man. But, he would see him anyway at class. Can't kill him to see him a little more. 

Eli nearly gagged.

But Co-captain isn't so bad. He is sure he could do a better job than the walking tampon that is Adam. He's glad his father can't read his mind and chastise him for laughing at a fellow ginger. He could really clean up that team. And he had to admit, with much carnage, that Pond is semi decent at the game. 

Shit, he's actually contemplating this.

Eli takes a glance at the annoyed boy he supposed to co-captain with. A small smile come to his lips and he turns to the principal.

"I'll do it Mr. Walters." 

Rhys eyes his son up and down. A mother's concern and bewilderment lays plain as day on his expression. Mr Walter's is more than pleased.

"Beautiful!" Mr Walter's said. "I can see it now. The new face of beautiful era."

Eli looks over to Pond to find his heated gaze locked with his. The young Thai boy's gaze filled with contempt as Eli smiles. Pond's leg shakes in a tapping motion. Eli obliges and walks up to the boy. He extends a hand out for him to shake.

"Glad to be working with you, captain."

Pond watches the hand for a minute before taking it. He rises to his full height which is two inches above Eli. A cool smile plays on Pond's distinct features.

"Glad to be working with you as well, co-captain."

~

In the car ride home, Rhys allowed them to leave the parking lot, before the rain of questions came down. Least he tried to be subtle.

"Why the hell would you agree to being Co-captain to the team." Rhys began. 

"Because, I love soccer all my heart.", Eli tries.

Rhys scoffed. "Eli, be serious. You love your legacy challenge with all your heart.  You like soccer. You said you were thinking of trading it with swimming anyway. Now you're agreeing to co-captain?"

"Calm down daddy. Your blood pressure." Eli tries only to be shut down with glare from the rear view mirror. "But daddy. It was a great opportunity."

Rhys hits the steering wheel. "Great opportunity? Yes! It's a brilliant opportunity! But your motive isn't just that." A softer look comes to Rhys' face. "I just want you to be honest with me cub. That's all."

Eli deflates a bit, finding the skin between his thumb suddenly interesting. "I can't tell you, okay daddy. It's nothing stupid though. No need to worry. "

"I know it won't be stupid. You're too smart for that. " Rhys slows the car down into the elementary school parking lot. "Please don't get too involved with that Pond boy. I have seen that type of smile on a person before. It doesn't bode well."

"Don't worry daddy. Pond is nothing that I can't handle." Eli reassures.

Rhys looked he wanted to press further but decides to relax his aching back in the seat. Those chairs in the office did no help to his back problems. 

"Is dad coming home today?", Eli asks.

"He supposed to be here already. " Rhys casts his eyes put the window. "Told me to have his spot set for dinner tonight. But haven't heard from him since this morning."

Eli perks up and bring his body closer to Rhys' seat. "He's probably trying to surprise us. Remember, when he came back from the place where the sold those big lobster tails. He brought a whole bucket of them."

Rhys shakes his head. A small smile finding its way back. "And who had to shell all of them because you and your sister were too squeamish." He rests a hand on his son's head.

"I was not. That was only Mings." Eli argued.

"Okay Eli. If that's your truth." Rhys laughs and Eli cheeks puff up. "Hey, cub. Don't get all puffy on me now. "

"I'm not all puffy." He grumbles. Rhys laughs it off.

"Ha! Eli's a chipmunk again." Ming Lee's voice shouts into the car as she climbed in. A big smile engulfs her face as she scoots close to her brother.

Eli pushes her away. "Move Mings. You got your own space."

"Aww but I love my big brother so much!" She says in drawn out overly cuts tone.

"Quit it!" 

"But brother."

"Ah! Daddy tell her to stop." Eli protested.

"Mings, leave your brother alone." Rhys says.

Lee laughs victorious and finds her way to her seat. Eli groans, "finally." and places his earbuds in his ear.

The steady beat of drums and guitar riffs encases his eardrums for the rest of his car journey. Looking out the window seeing cars and large building become less and less as they approach the residential area. The familiar look of a sports car gravitated Eli's attention.

Laid back, out of uniform, Pond turns down the driveway out of the residential area. His eyes look up and they lock with the brown boy's once again. Instead of his usual ignorance, Pond stares for awhile and winks his eye before driving off. Eli felt and unsettled feeling in the pit of his stomach.

They pulled up to the large residential house. It wasn't as big as other houses in the neighborhood but it still blended in with other modern housing designs. They pulled up into the garage only to see another larger familiar jeep. 

Ming Lee screamed, "Dad!". She hopped out of the car in a sprint with one hand barely holding her Hello Kitty book bag. She runs through the halls of the house looking in every room. She lets out a long huff of air when she stops in the kitchen noticing the stove on. She drops the bag and let's her arms sag, not seeing her dad like she hoped.

"Got you." A familiar voice says and wraps his arms around the young girl.

Lee develops into a stream of giggles and laughter as her father lifts her up into the air. 

"Dad! It tickles!" Lee giggles.

Eli and Rhys make it to the source of the noise. Malik turns around and smile doesn't leave his face. 

"Nice to see you got back home in one piece love." Rhys says moving closer to him. Malik smiled at him and presses a quick kiss to his lips.

"Had to get back home to my family." Malik says.

"Dad we missed you! Did you take pictures? Any souvenirs? Wait, any famous autographs. Did they let you try their field? Don't go again dad! I missed you too much!" Lee said in rapid fire.

Malik could only nod along to the various questions. His eyes turn to Eli who was slowly floating away from the group. He pulls the young boy into his arms.

"Where you going? Think you can hide away?" Malik asked 

"Nowhere. Too much feelings going around." Eli says.

"Okay Eli. Though, will have to talk to you about that call I got from the principal.", Malik says.

Eli groans. "It wasn't that serious. "

Malik shakes his head. "It never is."

Eli breaks away from the hold and moves away. "I'm going to my room for awhile."

"Alright Eli. Will call you down when dinner is ready." Rhys says. 

Eli nods and heads up to his room. The room was spacious. It was separated into two levels with a low platform. All around the walls hung the many band posters he has collected over the years. From punk rock to heavy metal, he found an appreciation to all around him. He quickly ignores the desktop computer begging to be cleaned to instead flop onto his bed. His room overlooked the front street. Eli stares at the many fancy cars that drive into their luxury houses as the sun fades into purples and reds in the sky. He turns onto his back and sighs. 

Buzz!

His phone vibrates in his pocket. Eli eagerly fetches his phone from his back pocket. He unlocks the phone to see the only person willing to text him.

Eli was not ignoring Paris. He was being distracted by the rhythmic pitter patter on his window. Eli crawls his way to the window to find the smug, perfectly punchable face of Pond standing outside on the street. 

Buzz!

The phone rang. An unfamiliar number shined across the screen. Eli quickly picks up the phone, not once looking away from Pond. The wicked almost childish smile came to his lips. They curl in delight as they open to lead Eli to one of the biggest mistakes in his life.

"We need to talk."

[Question: What donyou think about the text image. Too much? Or just right?]