Group projects have always been considered torture to most students but for Ellis it was more than that, it was a disaster; A type of schoolwork designed to dismantle his perfectly maintained academic record. Group work required trust, leadership and work ethic, none of which the other boys had. It was fair not to trust anymore after what they went through together, but lack of work ethic was inexcusable. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway; Ellis wasn’t letting anyone else get near the project. He wasn’t about to risk his future on the likes of Sam Schuyler and Roman Davenport.

Alone again, Ellis sat hunched over the library table. Scattered notes and half read books were spread across the table haphazardly. His laptop rested precariously on the edge of the table. Surprisingly, he chose to sit at the table they originally had been meeting at. It was more private than most of the library and he liked being hidden in a mountain of books. Sometimes, Ellis wondered if he liked looking academic more than being academic. The perception he assumed onlookers would get from his work set up often satisfied him more than the work did although he didn’t particularly care at that moment if people saw him. Too much work to be done and with no help. Fantastic, Ellis thought to himself

Ellis always had thought he was better off alone. Alone was good, it meant now one there to stand in the way of his progress, no one to distract him and most importantly no one to disagree. Being alone made everything easier for him even if it did get lonely. Progress was progress and he wouldn’t let anyone stand in the way of it.

Scribbling in the margins of his notes, he tried his best to simplify the section he was giving to Sam. In truth, Ellis didn’t think Sam was dumb; He just didn’t care but that was worse. It meant he would grossly oversimplify Ellis’s well documented points and most likely miss the mark. He considered how Roman would speak during the presentation but there was less to be concerned about there. Although Roman was a wildfire waiting to happen, he still knew how to read and all he had to do was read the cue cards.

Staring down at his notes, he reviewed and reconsidered his points. There were obviously better ways to phrase them but he wasn’t sure if he could trust the other boys to do them justice. A loud clap drew his attention away.

“Ellie.” Warren said with a slick smile akin to used car salesmen. “You coming to my birthday party?”

Ellis short-circuited for a moment. He didn’t go to parties nor was he invited. Furrowing his brows, he looked up at Warren entirely perplexed but Warren stared blankly as if it was a normal offer.

“Ellis.” He corrected. “And no. Frankly, I don’t take part in your…ahem…Lifestyle.”

Warren didn’t reply at first, instead choosing to trace his fingers over Ellis’s notes as if he was trying to comprehend them. People like Warren didn’t belong at Holloway Academy. He was a vile kid who cared for nothing more than a good time. Ellis hated Warren more than he hated most. There were two reasons people liked Warren; Money and Roman. Neither of which Ellis particularly cared about. Ellis suspected the silence would have driven him away, but Warren stayed. He picked up the notes and squinted at them.

“Don’t you have someone else to harass?” Ellis popped out of his chair and snatched the paper from his hand.

“I was just really hoping you’d come to my party.” He flashed his puppy dog eyes as if he really thought that it would work.

“Why? So, I can watch you and Roman shotgun beer until one of you inevitably gets alcohol poisoning?”

He didn’t mean for it to sound so harsh. It was supposed to be a casual remark not a defensive statement but even Ellis knew how it came across. Warren gave a sly smile to which Ellis only replied with a gesture as if to say why are you here?

“Fletcher’s coming.” Warren's smile shifted into a knowing look.

“And I care because?” Ellis asked and Warren laughed softly, almost mockingly. “I’m sure there are plenty of places Fletcher goes that I don’t…He’s not even my friend, so I don’t understand what you are getting at.”

“Beck isn’t coming.” Warren didn’t acknowledge anything Ellis had to say.

Beck’s absence was an opportunity for Ellis. For the first time since all the recent nonsense had begun, he could have a real conversation with Fletcher, free of drama and girlfriends. They wouldn’t have to talk about the strange occurrences at Aradia Lake, they could just talk like they used to. Ellis didn’t wish for the past to come back but he did miss certain parts of it. He could have lived without Roman and Sam coming back into his life but Fletcher coming back made him realize how hollow he felt most of the time. Outside of the other boys, he didn’t have any other friends.

“Okay. I’ll go but tell me why you want me there?” Ellis asked mostly out of curiosity.

“I made a bet-”

“Bullshit. You wouldn’t make a bet you couldn’t guarantee. Why do you actually want me there?”

“Fine. There isn’t a cop in this town that would shut down a party with a Holloway in attendance.”

“Smart.” Ellis replied, surprised by the logic. It was true but the fact Warren had the foresight to know that was astonishing considering his diminishing brain cells. “How did you get Fletcher to come?”

“He’s coming of his own volition. No clue why, but it works for me.” He flashed his perfectly straight teeth.

There was something intriguing about Warren. He was so unapologetically himself. No amount of peer pressure or societal standards could break him, and Holloway Academy certainly tried and yet he remained the same wild child. A ticking time bomb wrapped up in a pretty bow was the most accurate way to explain who Warren was. Bound to blow at some point but until then he was as he always was; a fascinating creature. Ellis was certain that Warren would be making headlines and for all the wrong reasons.

Almost excited, Ellis smiled genuinely. Drinking and drugs wasn’t of any interest to him but being perfect for so long meant he missed out on opportunities to be a normal teenager. Having the teenage experience would give him something to write about when he was older, something interesting to spice up the autobiography he was already planning. Plus, he would see Fletcher and maybe they could be friends again. He just hoped that it would work out.