The parking lot appeared deserted,

except for a single car. A street lamp rose to the stars, towering over the parked vehicle. One of its two light bulbs was burnt out, leaving the car to sit in the darkness of the cold night.

Two people were conversing among themselves in the vehicle. Outside, they could hear the owls' hoo as their sounds echoed through the night. The moonlight slithered through the tinted car windows. The night grew long as one of them began to tell a story.

"Did you hear what happened at East High?" a female voice spoke.

The moonlight illuminated the girl and boy in the grey car. The boy had dark skin with black hair. His eyes seemed lost, distracted by something else, but still responded to the girl as she spoke.

"Tell me," he said.

As the girl started the story, a breeze picked up outside their vehicle and scudded through a cracked-open window. The boy's hair and clothes ruffled slightly, as if he was a feather and the wind could sweep him away at any time.

"Well, it started because of this kid named Elijah," the girl continued. She did not seem eager to be telling the story at such a time. Leaving the boy to wonder why she was in the first place.

* * *

Elijah wasn't the typical, preppy kid in school. He had medium length shaggy hair, and wore a black hoodie every day. He reeked of shame, embarrassment.

He was a sophomore at the time, and throughout all of middle school and high school, he never spoke. His teachers and peers could never get him to say a word. A lot of days, Eli didn't show up to school, and when the school called his home, no one would answer.

* * *

"He grew up alone," the boy interrupted, "That's why no one answered."

The light that kissed off the moon was no longer focussed on the people in the car. As the boy spoke, the girl couldn't see his mouth move due to the icy dusk of night. She wondered what his facial expressions held, fascinated by the boy sitting next to her.

"How did you know?" she questioned, "I mean, yes, he did, but I thought you didn't know this story?"

"I never said that, but either way I never had a chance to hear the full story. Continue please."

"Oh, alright. I'll keep talking from the beginning then."

* * *

Eli didn't fully grow up alone, his homelife just made it feel that way. At a young age, his parents would regularly argue, shatter glass, and hurt each other. His dad had been to jail when Eli was young. After imprisonment, he was no longer able to see his son. As Eli grew older, his past repeatedly haunted him. His life had demolished his soul. His mom turned to drugs and alcohol and he was neglected. He was alone.

* * *

The wind grew fierce outside the parked car. The branches on the trees swayed vigorously through the air, causing the girl to shutter at the piercing chill before continuing her story.