All Chapters of Unrequited : Chapter 11 - Chapter 18

We slipped into the classroom through the back door, easing ourselves into the seats with a stealthy quietness. To my dismay, Kaelin and Elian were sitting right in front of us, blissfully unaware of our presence because we had chosen the rear entrance. “They’ll snub us anyway,” Ronald muttered, irritation heavy in his voice when I suggested we say hi. Mr. Bates was already at the front, droning on in a monotone voice that could easily be mistaken for the most tedious lecture in history.Elian sat there, laughter spilling from him in soft giggles as he and Kaelin were absorbed in their conversation, sharing some untold joke. Kaelin had his arms wrapped around Elian, a display of camaraderie that made me feel oddly envious. Meanwhile, Ronald was slowly succumbing to sleep, the sheer banality of Mr. Bates’ lesson pulling him under like a lullaby. With nothing else to occupy my restless thoughts, I found myself studying Elian’s profile intently.His hair was a cascade of soft, wavy brown

I’m on the phone with Elian right now, and we’re in the middle of yet another argument about something we've gone round and round over. He doesn’t seem to take anything seriously. He’s now living with the very person I specifically told him to avoid.Kaelin may be my late husband's best friend's son, but I have never approved of him as Elian's friend. It's painfully obvious that he’s a bad influence, and I won't stand idly by while he impacts my son’s life in a negative way.Now he’s moved in with him? Elian keeps whining about how he’s not a kid anymore and thinks that he can make his own decisions. He needs to understand that I have every right to be concerned about his choices!I was in the middle of my point when he abruptly ended the call. I sat alone in the living room, fuming, but felt a wave of relief wash over me when I heard Celia's voice. She’s a close confidante and brings a refreshing, straightforward perspective.After rummaging through her purse, she pulled out a handke

For some reason, Kaelin was always a step ahead of us while Elian lingered behind, but it was clear there was no tension between them. Kaelin kept stealing glances back at Elian, his concern palpable. As we filed into the class, Kaelin was ahead so he naturally grabbed the first seat, followed by Ronald, and then Lloyd. I wasn’t going to be left out, so I took the last chair. Elian stood there, his eyes wide with disbelief. In a moment of playful camaraderie, I would have loved to stick my tongue out at him and tease him but we aren't friends sadly. “You should try to be smarter,” Kaelin joked. Elian shot him a middle finger in response, but then he moved to stand behind Kaelin, resting his arms on the back of the chair as they chatted away. Ronald and I set ourselves a little distance away, busying ourselves with the papers in front of us. Kaelin’s voice broke through the quiet, “Sit on my thighs.” I turned to look at them, surprised. “No, I'm good,” Elian insisted, his determ

I decided to take some time for myself and clear my head after a heated argument with Mom earlier today. She’s convinced that living with Kaelin is a terrible mistake, and I’m tired of hearing it.I’ve also been reflecting on how Kae took my new friendship with that girl way too personally. I know he was talking about her, but I chose to play dumb and act like I didn’t notice.With Dad’s second anniversary approaching in just a few days, I felt a wave of sadness wash over me. Lost in thought, I wasn’t paying attention to the road and almost hit a man crossing it.I slammed on the brakes and jumped out of the car, adjusting my hoodie to cover half my face. I’ve had my share of awkward encounters, like the girl who recognized me from Instagram and gushed about how much she loved my videos and Kae, squeezing me in a hug that made me want to disappear. It’s moments like that which pushed me to stay low-key in public.I helped the man gather his fallen groceries, noticing he’d been on his