"Eli?" Sam murmurs, his hair poking out in several gravity defying directions. His eyes are squinted and just manage to peek over the edge of the covers. He looks unassuming and adorable, but I know better than to be fooled.

"Yes, Sam?" I respond, not bothering to continue looking at him from my position at the desk as I know what he's going to say already.

"M'hungry." He slurs, not quite able to function fully yet and I laugh under my breath.

I hum in response, checking my watch with a raised eyebrow. He'll be asleep again in moments and I smile as I hear his breathing even out once more. I roll my eyes but my smile doesn't fade.

I grab my jacket and carefully jot down a note, leaving it on the pillow beside him. Whilst my handwriting is fluid and 'old-fashioned', Sam's is illegible and practically indecipherable, as though his mind is full of thoughts, all trying to be written at the same time. It's handy that I know him so well, but I still feel the need to leave a note just the same.

I walk quickly towards the Starbucks at the end of our road, noting that my ensemble today is distinctly black and I grimace. Sam doesn't like my 'overwhelmingly depressing wardrobe' but it does seem to suit my exterior demeanour. I roll my eyes at my internal monologue, since when do I care what Sam thinks of my fashion sense?

I push open the door and order Sam's usual drink as well as picking out something for breakfast. Sam isn't picky when it comes to food, but he needs caffeine to live.

I drum my fingers on the counter but wait patiently for my name to be called. Times like these it's easier to have a nickname; Elias can be a mouthful.

"Eli? Hi, I'm Alice, we met last night?" A small voice announces from behind the counter, a bag clutched in one hand with a drink in the other. 'Eli' is scrawled across the cup and I smile faintly.

"Yeah, I remember. I'm sorry if last night was a bit awkward, if it's any consolation it really was nice meeting you." I say sheepishly, reaching for the bag and the cup she's holding out to me. She smiles kindly, a little more relaxed and even laughs a little, waving off my apology.

"Don't be sorry, Miles is a pretentious snob who loves to know everyone's business." She chirps, bitterness creeping into her tone and I smile a little more genuinely.

"Good to know it wasn't me who brought it out of him. I know I don't give the best first impressions, Sam is the sociable one." I reply and Alice smiles, shaking her head.

"No, that's Miles through and through. He insisted on meeting you, you'd be surprised at how many people want to talk to you but are too afraid to do it." She says, rolling her eyes and I snort.

"I can't think why." I respond honestly, laughing at the mere thought of it. Alice tilts her head thoughtfully, pondering her reply.

"The two of you act very differently when you're together. Sam speaks very highly of you, he's a good friend." She says quietly.

"Hardly, he's a pain in my neck." I reply good-humouredly, holding up the bag and the drink as evidence and Alice laughs. I try to brush off Alice's comments the only way I know how, her sincerity making me feel uncomfortable.

"I should have known, he sent you out?" She asks and I shake my head.

"No, it's just what friends do." I reply simply, although Alice raises an eyebrow as if to contest my statement. I grab my stuff as Alice's name is called, most likely an attempt to regain her focus at work. I wave and thank her, her expression morphing from confused to bemused. She waves back and I sigh, jogging back to our building.

I hop up the stairs and unlock the door, throwing my keys onto the table beside me.

"Honey, I'm home." I call out, grinning when I hear Sam shuffle around excitedly.

"Sweetie!" He coos in an awful American accent and I laugh. He is sprawled out and is sporting one of my jumpers. He is in a far better mood than I anticipated, but his eyes light up when he spots the coffee in my hand.

"You're too good to me, I swear." He mutters, his eyes zeroed in on the drink and plucks it carefully from my grasp, grinning all the while and his eyes sparkling.

I ignore his comment, knowing that it's nothing. It's what friends do.

He peers inside the bag and smiles contentedly at the bizarre mixture of a bacon sandwich, blueberry muffin and a giant chocolate coin.

"You know me so well, I sometimes wonder if you're actually in my head, thinking my thoughts and feeling what I feel." He says, eyeing me suspiciously and I roll my eyes, albeit forcefully. My mind panics slightly at the latter part.

It's funny, this is the only secret I have ever kept from him, for the simple reason that it is about him. There have been so many times I have thought of telling him, thought out the exact words that I would say. In the end though, I hadn't and I'm quite glad of the fact.

Now that we're older, I know full well that Sam would never forgive himself if he found out. I have been taking every pain; whether it be a paper cut, a migraine, a broken bone or a knee to the crotch, for almost eleven years. Without complaint or reason, besides the fact that he is my best friend.

I wouldn't be able to explain the whys and hows, because I don't know myself, but I do know that he would be distraught with guilt for being the reason of my pain. It isn't logical, but that's the way Sam's mind works.

I secretly hope that he'll never find out. I don't like to keep it from him and sometimes it is exceedingly hard to do so. It's hard to explain why you're always off at the same time, or why you flinch at the exact moment someone else grazes their knee.

"Elias?" My eyes flick over to Sam, who is sipping his coffee thoughtfully.

"You zoned out for a while." He explains and I pull my mouth up into a half smile.

"I ran into Alice in Starbucks, she works there." I blurt quickly and Sam nods to himself.

"Yeah, she's actually really nice, did you speak to her?" He asks and I nod, interlocking my fingers. Sam watches me and pats the bed beside him. I huff but kick off my shoes, reluctantly joining him. He beams and gestures for me to elaborate.

"I apologised for last night, she said that Miles is a...pretentious snob and to not take any notice." I say slowly, pausing as I remember her exact words. Sam laughs and nods happily in agreement.

"He is, he wouldn't stop insisting to meet you, I'm actually quite sorry I had to subject you to that, but it was too funny to see his reaction when you turned him down." He said, chortling as he speaks.

"What do you mean?" I ask, my eyebrows furrowing and Sam throws his head back dramatically, sighing in exasperation.

"He's been crushing on you hard, ever since our second lecture." Sam mutters, his words are hard and laced with irritation. My eyebrows raise in disbelief and I choke on my laughter.

"I'm sorry, what?" I say, laughing at the ridiculous notion. Sam watches me, his eyes wide in a mixture of concern and amusement.

"Calmed down yet?" Sam mutters and I loll my head sideways to meet his gaze.

"No need to sound so jealous." I drawl, smirking at the blush that faintly brushes his cheeks.

"You can have him." He says, scoffing and I recoil at the idea, grimacing. Sam watches my expression and grins widely.

"My favourite part was the 'Eli' not 'Elias' fiasco." Sam says happily, his prior mood vanished.

I shudder and cringe again at the thought of Miles discussing his feelings towards me with Sam.

"How did he even know me? I've never seen him before yesterday." I ask and Sam sighs.

"He saw you during our first week, that time you waited outside of the lecture hall for me so I didn't get lost again?" He explains and I nod, remembering the day.

"Surely it was awful, having to hear Miles harp on about me?" I ask and Sam's posture slumps, his gaze wondering towards the ceiling.

"You have no idea." He murmurs quietly.