ELI & JASON: Chapter 3

It took Eli two weeks to return to school. He spent his days hanging out with Jason, talking, making plans about leaving the town, and learning more about each other. Eli loved to read and bake but he hated his peers and their behaviour at school. He told Jason about the work study program and Jason said it was the perfect solution, but Eli was both afraid and embarrassed to go back to school. Jason understood. He left school at sixteen when his parents kicked him out for being gay. He lived on the street for a few days until Jim picked him up, took his virginity, offered him a place to live – the motel room – and a job to pay for his room with some spending money. His first tattoo was drawn the day after his first night of work. He threw up when he gave a man a blow job and he was roughed up by Jim for losing a client that night. But Jason was determined to get through it and survive long enough to escape. The airplane tattoo on his right shoulder blade represented freedom – escape from Jim, his tricks, and this town. He never flew on a plane and he couldn’t wait to get on one someday.
“What about these words?” asked Eli as he touched the phrase “Veni. Vedi. Vici.” on Jason’s left arm.
“I came. I saw. I conquered. I heard it in a song and I liked the meaning behind it. It connects to the freedom of flying away. When I finally leave this town then I’d have conquered it. It’s a battle I’m looking forward to winning.”
Eli smiled and kissed Jason. It was easy to kiss Jason. They kissed every day. Some days, Eli had urges to do more than kiss but Jason said they’d wait until Eli’s eighteenth birthday. It was only a couple weeks away and it would be his birthday gift. They both planned to take the night off work but Jason hadn’t decided how he was going to ask Jim for the time off.
Jason pushed Eli to return to school after two weeks so that he could try to salvage the work study with a pastry chef. It would get him away from the students who bullied him and he’d make connections that could send him to a big, diverse city where they’d both blend in.
“It’s nice to see you, Eli,” said Mr. Assuage. “I was worried you’d never come back. I tried calling your home but no one answered the phone. Does your mother know you weren’t in school?”
“Y-y-yes sir.”
“What about the permission form? Is it signed?”
Eli nodded and pulled the crumpled form from his bag. Jason’s scribble on the signature line looked like a credible adult signature and Mr. Assuage didn’t say anything even if he thought it was fraudulent.
“Perfect! In a couple weeks, you should be set up with Darlene at ‘Gastro’ restaurant.”
Eli’s face went pale like a dim moon. He didn’t know if he could put up with the taunting and punching and kicking from the other kids. Could he miss another two weeks of school? As if he were reading Eli’s mind, Mr. Assuage commented, “I’ll help you deal with the kids who keep bothering you, Eli. I know that’s why you haven’t come to school in two weeks but if you don’t tell us who harms you, it’s difficult to help you. But I received a call from your dad…”
“My dad?” interrupted a surprised Eli.
“Yes. Your dad called this morning and asked if you could stick around after school until your brother Jason came to pick you up. Maybe the kids will leave you alone if they see you with your older brother.”
Older brother, right, thought Eli. Jason thought of everything but now he was putting himself in the middle of the bullies. What if they tried to hurt him too?
“Th-th-thank you, sir,” said a worried Eli before he took his seat in the back row of the classroom.
As planned, he stayed after school in Mr. Assuage’s room. He helped wash pots and pans, organized recipes for tomorrow’s class, and tidied the pantry.
“So this is where all the magic happens,” said a familiar voice. Eli peeked from behind the pantry and saw Jason standing by the door. He ran to give Jason a hug and realized that this was probably too intimate a gesture to show between two teenage ‘brothers’ in front of his teacher.
“You must be Jason,” said Mr. Assuage.
“Yes. I’m here to pick up my brother. Is it ok if we leave?”
“Absolutely. And thank you for your help, Eli. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Eli blushed and waved goodbye as he joined Jason on their walk back to the motel room. It was late enough that the school was deserted but early enough to give Eli some time alone with Jason before his shift started at the coffee shop.
“When did my dad call the school?” asked Eli.
Jason laughed. “I hope you don’t mind but it was all I could think of this morning.”
“No, I don’t mind. Thank you.” He kissed Jason on the cheek. “My hero!”
Jason smiled and took Eli’s hand in his hand as they walked the rest of the way to the motel. When they arrived at the motel, the door was busted open and Jim was waiting, holding a metal crowbar in his hand and a tin can in the other.
“Someone’s got some s’plainin’ to do,” growled an angry Jim.
“Eli, go to the coffee shop. I’ll deal with Jim.”
“N-n-no. He-he-he’s got a weapon.”
“Please, go, now!”
Eli ran down the stairs and away from the motel room. Jason entered the room slowly and stood at the other end – as far away from Jim as possible.
“You’ve been holding out on me,” said Jim.
“No I haven’t,” replied Jason.
“What’s with all the cash?”
“I’ve been saving the money you give me.”
“I haven’t given you this much money.”
“Yes, it’s all mine. Please, don’t take it from me. It’s all I have!”
“What do you plan to do with it? You’re supposed to spend the money I give you. That was the deal.”
“I’m saving it to…to buy a gift for Eli’s birthday.”
“Is the cripple your boyfriend?”
“He’s not a cripple! He’s my friend!”
“Well the cripple’s getting shit all for his birthday. This money is mine.”
“No! Give it back to me!”
“Watch it boy unless you want a smack in the gut with this thing.”
“Please, I’ll do anything. Just give it back!”
“Anything, eh? How about I give you twenty percent if you give me a blow job. Twenty-five if you swallow.”
Before Jason could reply, there was a loud ‘whack’ and Jim’s body fell forward. He was hemorrhaging from the head and behind him stood Eli with a bloody baseball bat.