Elijah's POV:

Why did I bother when I already knew my chances? Why did I bother when I knew I'd get humiliated and rejected? Madison has always been that way, closed to everyone and only open to Noah and Lauren. So why did I bother?

Why am I still thinking about it?

I huffed at myself and my thoughts as I kicked a small rock out of my way. I've been walking and circling the campus for a while now.

I woke up too early today, tossed around in bed for a while trying to go back to sleep, but when that didn't work I dressed myself and called Max to pick me up.

Poor Guy.

Max was dad's driver, an old sweet guy, but ever since I had my accident and I stopped driving, Max had been my driver, since he's trustworthy and been working for my dad ever since I could remember, while dad got himself a new one.

I was one of the first people to be at campus today and while I circled it about 10 times thinking walking would help me like it always does, it did absolutely nothing this time.

Why was I giving this subject a second thought?

"Eli, wait up!"

Why was it invading my mind and depriving me of my sleep?

"Eli!"

I looked back realizing someone was calling me and saw Mason hurling after me.

"You made me run after you and you know I never run after anyone unless it's a hot chick" he whined breathlessly.

"Well I'm flattered" I laughed lightly and pretended to do a hair flip.

He rolled his eyes at me annoyed then took a couple of breaths until his breathing went back to normal. Once it went back to normal, he narrowed his eyes at me and gave me a confused look.

"How come you didn't ride with me today or did you come here early?"

I didn't know what to reply so my eyes immediately went to the ground and I remained silent.

"Alright then, I'll take you silence as an answer. It was the latter, but why would you come early if you don't have anything to do?"

Eventually he'd pull the answer out of me, so I replied this time

"I couldn't sleep, so I came here and took a walk"

"You only walk when you want to clear- Oh" he paused, realization hitting him "Is it about a girl?"

"How the hell could you conclude that from me only telling you I went for a walk?" I groaned

"Your face said it all, so who is she?" he smirked

"It's not what you think, I got rejected by her even though I was expecting it"

He looked at me confused.

I sighed and went on explaining everything to him, leaving the nightmare part and only telling him about the next day.

"Madison seriously! Dude you know how hard to approach she always is. She even ignores me, I mean come on, who could resist this!" he pointed at his body.

I ignored him.

"I only asked her to befriend me, it's not like I was indirectly asking her on a date" I shrugged, still not knowing what I did wrong for her to snap at me like that.

He stared at me quietly, taking his sweet time thinking.

"Why do you want to befriend her?"

"I-" I paused, truly not knowing the answer myself.

"Alright let me rephrase that, do you want to befriend her?"

"Yes" I muttered honestly.

He smiled at my reply, like genuinely smiled, and deep inside, it freaked me out.

"Listen, she told you see's been through a lot, so why don't you try to take it slowly with her. Maybe try to break her walls that she has for some reason, then you could try the whole friends thing again"

I shook my head "It won't work, she shuts me out before I could even try anything"

He nodded to himself "Maybe it has to do something with you being in her childhood or more like what you did to her" he paused his words to think.

"Why don't you try to approach her in secret?"

"Excuse me?"

He faked a sigh, pretending to be exhausted "Do I have to teach you everything?"

"Then stop talking in riddles!"

"Alright, think of a way you could approach her without her knowing it's you. Now change the subject, incoming" he muttered the last part quickly, glancing behind me.

I turned back to look in the direction he was looking at and saw Noah walking towards us.

"Mason could you give us a second, I would like to have a word with my big brother?" Noah asked as he approached us.

"Ouh, the big brother is in trouble" he wiggled his eyebrows at me and left as asked.

"So how can I help you baby brother?" I teased even though on the inside I trembling thinking he might somehow knew about the conversation Mason and I just had.

"You did as we agreed two nights ago?"

I let out a breath, he didn't doubt anything.

"Yes" I nodded, confused where this was heading.

"Then what happened yesterday morning during breakfast? What did you go after her for?"

"I just wanted to make sure she was alright. I gave you my word I won't mention the night before and you know I always keep my words, so you don't have to worry about this"

We both nodded in agreement and just as I was about to head to class, Noah stopped me with a hand on my shoulder.

"Listen, you've always been the type to want a serious relationship and I know that if you happen to go after a girl, it won't be to fool-"

"Noah if this is about Madison then you don't have to worry. I know my limits and she's off of them"

He shook his head at me in disagreement.

"She isn't off limits to you, this isn't what I meant. Quite the opposite. I trust your decision and I know that if you ever think of getting close to Madi, you would never harm her. In fact I think the both of you would make a great couple, you both have a lot in common and more than you could think of. I will only interfere if you harm her and being my brother won't stop me. Just remember my words from the other night"

He patted my shoulder and left me to myself, not even giving me the opportunity to justify my thoughts and the fact that I only wanted to be friends for a reason which I still don't know of.

But why did it feel good to get his approval even though I didn't ask for it?

The thought swarmed through my brain as I started walking to my next lecture, fighting the urge of not skipping the elective course as I continued to analyze the same thought.

Creativity & Innovation

I had one last elective course to choose and out of all the options I had, some easier than the others, I chose this one thinking creativity is something necessary in business and mostly in finding solutions to almost impossible problems.

Yet now it seems as if I learned nothing, because the first obstacle that comes my way and I have no solution to it, not even a creative one.

I forcefully dragged myself to the class, slumping all the way up until my new seat, in the last row to be exact. I slid myself down the chair, my head barely showing and covered my body with the one in the chair in front of me.

I closed my eyes and prayed no one sits nowhere near me and leave the whole row to myself, needing the space right now.

The connected seats shook a little bit as the sound of footsteps became closer and a female perfume started to fill my nostrils.

I groaned. Probably one of those girls that were after me for false pretenses, though the perfume I was smelling was light and sweet unlike the heavy ones I usually smell.

I laid my arm over my eyes, forcing them to stay closed, as I remained in my same position and hoped that whoever she is would leave without bothering to approach me.

"Elijah" I heard a whisper from a voice that sounded way too familiar, the voice of the person that was causing my mind too much distress.

Madison

I immediately removed my arm off my eyes, opening them, and looked at Madison. Just to make sure I wasn't imagining things, but she was actually there, in flesh and blood.

"What do you want Madison? You've already made it clear to me that talking to you was a mistake" my voice was harsher than necessary and an uncontrollable flinch came out of her at it.

She took a deep breath and stared at me softly "I'm sorry for hurting your feelings and for everything I said, I felt really guilty after it. I just- you took me by surprise with your concern and I wasn't used to that unless from certain people. My point is I'm really sorry. God, that feels good to get out of my chest"

I guessed the last sentence was meant to be herself since it was barely audible, but I was glad I heard it since it plastered a small smile on my face.

"Apology accepted, but does that mean we could try discussing the whole friends thing again?" I teased, because of course I knew that her answer would be no. She never changed her mind, she was only good enough to come apologize since the guilt seemed to be eating her alive.

Her face fell, hearing my words.

"Elijah, this isn't what I meant when I came here to-"

"I know, I was only messing with you" she let out a breath and I couldn't help but feel a hit to my chest.

"Is it really that bad if we became close, because your expression is saying so right now?" offense was evident in my tone.

"I never meant it that way and you know that since I told you my reasons, and why would you be interested in being friends with someone like me? I know you're not the type to go after girls, I grew up close to you and I know a lot about you, so why do you want to be friends with me?"

I was taken by her words, it warmed my heart to know that she knew me as a good guy.

"Something about you makes me want to know you more" I shrugged

"And that just happened all of the sudden?"

"No, it happened after a certain incident, where I got to see a side of you not everyone knows of. The vulnerable side of you, that I think you don't want anyone to see fearing they might take advantage of you"

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion at my words.

I continued, not giving her time to think my words "Something about you draws me into wanting to know you more and a certain someone told me we have more in common than what we could think of and that just confirmed that I needed to know you. So consider this a promise, I will find a way and I will break your walls. I don't know the reason behind wanting this yet, but it will happen"

I sat up straight and looked ahead, focusing on the rest of the lecture and forcefully ending the conversation.

I was decided and it was true, right now I was willing to do anything just to get close to her. Even if meant in secret, as Mason had mentioned.

All I need to do now is find out how.
..................................