Elijah chuckled and crawled up the long, limp body. �Saving yourself for me.�
He hovered over Orlando�s grin for a breath, staring down into the dark, dilated eyes before flashing a smile, pressing a light, quick kiss to the crooked lips and dropping onto his side.
My God, he�s beautiful.
Elijah closed his eyes against the ache of watching dark curls and smooth skin. He left the warm weight of one calf draped across Orlando�s knee, barely managing to control the violent, vibrating demand of his morning-redhard cock.
Just before Orlando came, Elijah had felt the impending pound clench of gonna-come-soon between his thighs and lifted his hips clear of the sheet. He swallowed whimper-hard, unable to breathe at the sudden, self-imposed denial.
Elijah discovered something shattering in that half instant pause of stop-before-there�s-no-going-back. He wanted Orlando touching him � anywhere - when he came.
More than he wanted to come.
Elijah let a soft snort escape and shifted against the sheets, moving further away. Ridiculous. Not like he didn�t jack off - daily - to the mere thought of Orlando touching him.
Orlando turned his head to look at Elijah.
Elijah opened his eyes when he felt the roll of Orlando�s knee under his calf.
Elijah grabbed at a broad shoulder, his low yelp of surprise sharp and involuntary as he was flip-rolled onto his back, large hands pinning his arms to the sheet, a long thigh trapping his hips, the flexed muscle nudging the base of his erection.
Orlando loomed dark and flushed over Elijah�s surprised sprawl. He palmed one side of Elijah�s face, a gentle rest of long fingertips against skin, and stared.
�Can I touch you�anywhere?�
Elijah strangled out a sound that could have been a yes, then nodded, jerkily. And tried to relax.
Orlando caught his lower lip between his teeth and slid to the foot of the bed. He darted a look at Elijah�s face as he wrapped long fingers around Elijah�s ankles and squeezed gently. Elijah nodded in response to Orlando�s silent question and spread his legs.
Wide.
Orlando knelt between them, naked, sitting back on his heels. Lower lip still caught, he glanced at the red-hard twitch of Elijah�s cock, tip-slick brushing against his belly. Orlando�s mouth curled into a hot, dirty, you�re-a-naughty-boy, snicker smile. Slowly, he dragged his thumbs up the inside of Elijah�s calves, gaze riveted to the dip-sway-twitch of Elijah�s cock as he twisted his grip, slide-touch, and pressed against the back of Elijah�s knees.
Swirl, spiral.
Elijah�s breath burst out of his mouth, before being audibly sucked back inside. His cock twitched and another drop of pre-cum appeared on the tip.
Orlando blinked, leaned forward and licked the inside tendon of Elijah�s knee.
Elijah cursed and his leg jerked under Orlando�s tongue.
Orlando hummed low in his throat, and licked at the inside of a thigh. Elijah�s cock answered with another twitching drop, sliding down the side.
�Jesus, Orli�� Elijah�s temples were damp. He swallowed and tried closing his eyes against the hot painful sight of Orlando crouched between his spread thighs. He released another breath and started to pant when he felt the warm tongue make a slow figure eight on the inside of his other thigh.
Elijah changed his mind mid-lick and opened his eyes. He couldn�t bear not to watch Orlando explore.
Careful.
Curious.
There was a firmness to the touch of Orlando�s fingers, lips and tongue that spoke of a new-found confidence. And a delicate attention to the sure-stroke of nerves under the skin that spoke of something like awe.
Orlando alternately dug and prodded at the smooth muscle of Elijah�s legs, tasting skin with a mischievous lick or a thoughtful suck of lips, before moving on.
Orlando shifted to lay sprawled face down between Elijah�s legs. He pushed at a muscled thigh until it bent at the knee, wide enough for Orlando to rest his head on the inside curve. He turned to look at the leaning flush of Elijah�s cock. So hard. Hard and trembling.
Orlando cupped the tightly drawn skin of Elijah�s balls, gently testing their weight, long fingers grazing the soft skin, and felt Elijah�s body jerk under him. Orlando twisted his head to look up when he felt the gentle slide of fingers through his hair.
�Am I�is this ok?�
Elijah could only stutter a nod, his hand shaking as he carefully, gently, slowly petted Orlando�s curls.
Orlando settled again with a murmur, lower lip caught once more as he wrapped a hand completely around the hard cock just inches from his gaze and squeezed, thumbing the head � Elijah grunted harsh and hurt sounding � Orlando released the beet-red length and brought his thumb to his lips, looking up again at Elijah as he sucked the finger into his mouth.
Tasted the raw hot sizzle of pure Elijah.
Elijah�s fingers tightened infinitesimally in Orlando�s curls with gentle warning. �Orli, I�mgonnacome�� voice shattered and longing.
The words took a millisecond to register. Orlando�s gaze another millisecond to skitter down Elijah�s flushed-pink body to the trembling rigidity of his cock.
Orlando rolled lightening smooth to his stomach, looked up at Elijah, kissed the already expanding head of Elijah�s cock and opened his mouth.
Wet, suck, lips-tongue-making-it-tight sliding down. Just like Elijah.
His fingers dug into Elijah�s thighs as Elijah strangled on a hoarse cry and thrust up, helpless and already coming deep hard fast into the awkward, tight heat of Orlando�s unpracticed mouth. Elijah released the dark curls so that he didn�t pull them out as he arched and jerked and came, another arch, another pulse, another stretched cry of bliss.
Orlando moaned, shivered at the effort of not choking around the strange fullness and heat, pushed his hips against the damp sheets and moaned again at the brilliantly raw and addictive sensation of being hard, with Elijah�s cock and come in his mouth. The taste sizzled under his skin, pulse, pulse down his throat as he tried, tried again, and finally swallowed.
Orlando grunted when Elijah�s hips hit the bed, his mouth still holding soft tight suck, as Elijah fell out of his obscene arch.
Elijah groaned and tugged on Orlando�s hair. �Orliorli�stop��
Orlando let the softening cock slide from his mouth with a sound that made his nose wrinkle in amusement. He looked up, certain he hadn�t done that very well (Practice though, that will be fun). He licked his lips, and said the thing that had been tripping his senses for the last uncounted minutes.
�You taste as good as you smell.�
Elijah whimpered and reached down to fist his fingers in dark curls, yanking Orlando up by the hair.
Orlando scrambled to keep up with Elijah�s hand. �Ow! Lij, I know I�m not any goo��
Elijah stabbed his tongue between the still damp lips and fought back to the dark hollow taste, laid like a claim over the inside of Orlando�s mouth. He found it. And licked. Hard.
His taste. In Orlando�s mouth.
Slow physiology was the only excuse for not coming again, right then.
Elijah felt the pliant give of Orlando�s body against his, the dark head turning, mouth opening wider once Orlando understood.
Elijah licked the inside of his mouth over and under and over until Orlando rubbed himself against Elijah�s hip in the same rhythm as the tongue between his lips. Elijah stilled the answering rub of Orlando�s mouth and kissed him closed-lip hard before pulling back.
Bruised lips. Dilated brown and blue eyes.
Elijah dragged a thumb across Orlando�s lower lip. �You�you��
Orlando�s dark brows wrinkled in concern. �I�ll get better with practice.�
Elijah blinked. Then let his head drop back onto the pillow with a snort. �You get any better and you�ll have to break out the defibrillator. Shit.�
Orlando leaned forward and knocked his forehead against Elijah�s. �Really?� He grinned mischievously. �So you don�t want me to practice on you?�
Elijah growled and flipped Orlando to his back, tangled legs, sweaty temples, bent knees. �Did I say you were good? Actually, you suck.� Elijah raised an eyebrow.
Orlando snorted. �That�s the point, isn�t itmmmffff��
+
�Ohmygawd.�
Elijah and Orlando turned their heads in a slow-motion comedy of shock.
�Buffy.� Orlando was gob smacked. �Oh. Fuck.�
Buffy�s eyes were the size of small planets. Her gaze jumped from where Orlando�s hands disappeared into the back of Elijah�s boxers, to where one of Elijah�s hands disappeared down the front of Orlando�s boxers, to the impossible image that was Elijah, straddling Orlando, on a chair, in the middle of Orlando�s kitchen.
Buffy spun around, blushing, her back to the two entwined boys.
Her movement set off a chain reaction in the young men. Elijah dissolved into a hysterical fit of the giggles, sliding � pushed - off of Orlando�s lap, into a heap on the floor.
Orlando was horrified. �Fuck. Buffy. I�I�� He fled.
Elijah�s laughter stopped. His mouth snapped closed and he climbed to his feet. He stared through the empty kitchen doorway for a moment before turning to Buffy. �Hey.�
Buffy was still pink around the cheeks. �Hi, Elijah.� Her gaze dropped, then snapped up to the ceiling.
Elijah looked down, then promptly scooted behind a high-backed kitchen chair, his cheeks flushing. His boxers looked like a polka dot teepee.
Buffy cleared her throat. �I just came by to remind Orlando about the church picnic. I didn�t know if he�d want to go alone because his parents are out of town, so I thought I�d�I�wow.� Buffy laid both palms flat against her blushing cheeks. She smiled at Elijah. �That�ll teach me to use my key without knocking.�
Elijah chuckled.
Orlando came back into the kitchen wearing a pair of jeans and a beat to hell football jersey. He cleared his throat. �Buffy, I�there�s something I should tell you.� He was staring at the kitchen floor. Even the bridge of his nose was red.
Elijah�s knuckles tightened on the back of the chair.
Buffy tried not to giggle again. She knew how hard this probably was for Orlando. �You can tell me anything, Orlando.�
Orlando didn�t look up. He cleared his throat. Again. And again.
On the third attempt, Elijah walked up behind Orlando and wrapped his arms around the slender waist. Orlando immediately grabbed at Elijah�s hands, twining his fingers through the slender digits. Elijah pressed his cheek flat between Orlando�s shoulder blades.
Orlando straightened, meeting Buffy�s gaze dead-on. �I�m dating Lij.� Orlando tightened his hands on Elijah�s. �And I guess that means�I�m�I�m�� the hesitation was painful.
Elijah finally leaned up on tiptoe and whispered something low in Orlando�s ear. Orlando snorted, twisted around to whisper something in response, then turned back to Buffy, a little pink around the ears. �I�m exploring my�sexuality.�
�I see.� Buffy nodded solemnly. �Well, if I can date a 30 year old, I suppose it�s ok for you to date a guy.�
Orlando frowned at her.
Buffy dissolved into giggles. �Oh, baby it�s fine. I don�t care who you date, just as long as you�re happy. We keep each other�s secrets, right?� She smiled, and pulled Orlando�s face down for a quick kiss.
�Hey!� Elijah�s head appeared around Orlando�s shoulder, eyes narrowed in pretend annoyance.
Orlando blushed and lowered his voice, as if Elijah wasn�t wrapped around his middle. �Uh, the kissing thing?� Orlando shook his head. �Probably not a good idea anymore.�
There was a nanosecond of silence before Elijah and Buffy dropped to the floor, howling with laughter.
Orlando sniffed and stared down at the two of them, his lips twitching. �See if I kiss either one of you again.�
+
Buffy opened the door and clambered into the back seat of the truck. �Sorry it took so long.�
Billy and Dom turned to look at her from the front seat. �Where�s Orlando?�
�He�s not come�going.�
Dom snickered and whacked Billy in the arm. �Told you he was still there.�
�Shut up.� Billy turned in the seat so he could talk to Buffy as Dom pulled the pickup out of the drive. �So, was Elijah still there?�
Buffy�s laugh was high-pitched. �Yeah. Wait, how did you��
Billy cackled and leaned over the seat. �Ohmygod were they naked? Please say they were naked��
�Not quite�wait, wait! You know?� Buffy looked back and forth between her two good friends.
Billy grinned. �Of course.�
Buffy�s face twisted in confusion. �How?�
Dom snorted. �Hello?�
Buffy blushed. �Oh, right. The gator thing.�
�Gay-dar, Buff. Gay-dar, like ray-dar? On a plane?�
�Whatever. Look, you guys aren�t going to tell anyone, are you? It�s one thing for you two because you�ve been inseparable since elementary school, and, well, it�s you and no one talks about it, but Orlando? I really don�t think��
�No, Buff. We�re not going to say anything.� Billy patted her reassuringly on the shoulder and turned back around in the seat.
Dom reached for Billy�s hand.
Billy smiled at his boyfriend and squeezed the fingers wrapped around his. �Doesn�t mean we aren�t going to help, though, does it?�
Dom squeezed back.
+
Elijah peered at Orlando from the far end of the couch. Their blue-jean clad legs were tangled with one another. Elijah glanced down at his chest and barely resisted the urge to drag the neck of the too-big borrowed shirt up to his nose. Again.
He was wearing an old football jersey of Orlando�s.
They were both pretending to read homework for tomorrow.
Neither one would admit that they were really interested in how much time they had before Orlando�s parents got home that afternoon. And if it was too�something to want to make out again. Like, now.
�You could have gone, you know.� Elijah sounded vaguely pitiful.
Orlando looked up. �Don�t be a jerk.� He prodded Elijah in the thigh with a toe and looked back down at the book in his lap. �It�s just a stupid picnic.�
�Church picnic.�
Orlando sighed and turned the book face down in his lap. �Did you want me to go?�
�No.� Elijah sighed.
�See?� Orlando picked up the book with a snap, sliding on long leg more firmly against Elijah�s. Just a few more inches and Elijah�s foot would�
�Didn�t you?�
Orlando jerked his gaze up. �Huh?�
�Didn�t you want to go? To the picnic?�
Orlando stared at Elijah. Very slowly, he reached up and tugged his glasses off, setting them carefully on the coffee table. Then he threw his book at Elijah. There was a flurry of notes and papers as Orlando launched himself forward and pinned Elijah flat to the couch, their legs a stretched tangle. �You�re ten times worse than a girl.�
Elijah frowned, a vague pout to his expression. �I am not.�
Orlando snorted. �Yes, you are.� Elijah wrenched under him, twisting to get away and there was another flurry of muscled limbs as Orlando struggled after, caught, and finally pinned him down again. �I don�t want to go to the picnic. I want to spend the rest of the day with you. I don�t care where we are or what we do, I just want to be. With. You. Ok?�
Elijah sighed, exaggerated and whiny. �Ooookaaaayy.�
Orlando�s mouth opened, then closed. His eyes narrowed. �You�re fucking with me, aren�t you?�
Elijah�s expression went from pouting to mischievous glee in an instant. �Yeah, but you�re cute when you get all sweet and serious. And isn�t this better than doing homework?� He thrust up against Orlando�s hips to emphasize his point.
Orlando growled and flipped them both to the floor. They landed with a unified grunt. Elijah laughed and tried to scramble out from under him. Orlando chuckled and pounced, wrestling in earnest, his fingers diving for the ticklish length of rib under Elijah�s arms.
Elijah actually squealed with laughter, which made Orlando grin and tickle him harder. Orlando laughed, a Disney wicked laugh. �I had no idea my boyfriend was such a manipulative little bastard. You�ll have to pay for being such a dick, my pretty.� Orlando tickled Elijah until he howled with laughter, pushing and bucking under the long arms and legs.
Elijah was gasping for air, desperate for an escape from the tormenting fingers and hands. He was knife-hard, his cock push crush slammed against Orlando�s hip and thigh as they rolled back and forth across the living room floor. He finally managed to twist an arm free and writhed down, snaking and pushing his hand until he felt the equally hard press of Orlando�s cock through denim scraping against his thigh. Elijah grabbed and squeezed-stroked. Hard.
Orlando jerked and strangled on a moan, pushing back into the awkward grope, the long fingers still digging into Elijah�s ribs, but no longer tickling. Elijah squeezed again, a firm drag of his fingers and palm from deep between Orlando�s thighs up the hard length under denim. Orlando moaned audibly, hands sliding to Elijah�s shoulders, thumbs digging into the divots of muscle.
Elijah waited until Orlando�s mouth grazed his, seeking contact. Then he bucked under him, flipping him wide-eyed to his back and pinning him flat, Elijah�s hand still cupping him squeeze hard firm through his jeans.
Orlando was breathless, arms caught over his head, Elijah straddling his hips, chests pressed together, Elijah�s ankles pinning down his shins. Orlando lifted his head, lips seeking Elijah�s. Elijah grinned and lifted up out of reach. He licked Orlando�s lips and pulled back when Orlando tried to follow. Orlando�s eyes narrowed and his head dropped back to the carpet.
Elijah twisted, raising one hip and moving his thigh out of the way. He licked Orlando�s lips again, teasing, and pulled hard on the button fly of Orlando�s worn jeans and they popped open with a soft ripple of sound. Orlando�s sucked-in breath was audible, his thighs tense against Elijah�s.
Elijah didn�t pause, just slid his hand twist push under the warm cotton waistband of Orlando�s boxers, wrapped his fingers around the hard heat of Orlando�s cock and started a firm stroke, licking at Orlando�s parted, panting mouth with teasing glimmers of his tongue with every pull.
Orlando was writhing under him in all of five strokes, the swaying undulations of the long body following the gorgeous pull, twist slide of Elijah�s fist. Elijah traced the damp open part of Orlando�s lips with his tongue, flickering at the edges, sucking sharp on the lower lip, always just out of reach until Orlando arched repeatedly under him, thrusting into his fist, head lifted off the ground as far as he could reach with his pinned arms, wanting Elijah�s mouth, whispering Elijah�s name.
Elijah felt the tension lock Orlando�s thighs, the sudden stiffness of the wet hard cock in his hand, the slender body lifted off the ground and still for a long heartbeat of silence. Elijah slammed his mouth over Orlando�s driving his head thud back to the carpet and licked back deep inside the wet heat with hard thrusts of his tongue.
Orlando shook, bucked and came, the strangled shout trapped by Elijah�s mouth. His fingers curled and locked above his head, arms and legs shaking, his entire body exploding, lightening bolts ricocheting off every centimeter of skin as Elijah�s hand squeezed and pulled another series of trembling jerks out of him.
Elijah�s hand gentled, his kiss softening, licking slow through the taste of Orlando�s gasped breath. He rolled to the side, releasing Orlando�s arms and resting his hand on Orlando�s stomach, nose pressed into the curl of hair just above Orlando�s ear, more than breathless himself.
�Fucking hell, that felt�fuck. Just�fuck.� Orlando rolled to the side, groaning at the effort, but managing to convince Elijah to roll to his side, his back to Orlando. Elijah craned his neck around, confused until he felt the long fingers fumble with the fly of his jeans and Orlando�s teeth sink into the side of his neck.
Elijah moaned and pushed back against Orlando, lifting a thigh and then grabbing Orlando�s waist, letting Orlando roll him back on top of his long body.
Orlando lying on his back, Elijah lying on his back, on top of Orlando.
Elijah rolled his head into the side of Orlando�s chin and licked his jaw. Orlando pulled up the jersey Elijah was wearing, bared his chest to just above the pink peaks of his nipples, and shoved the part of Elijah�s open jeans and cotton boxers down to his hips, baring his red hard cock. Orlando nudged Elijah�s head to the side and scraped his teeth along his neck as one hand wrapped firm and smooth around Elijah�s cock and the other pinched lightly at the already hard nipples.
Elijah arched against the body under him, feet sliding and scrabbling for purchase so he could thrust up into the fast rhythmic grip of long fingers.
�Ohgod. Orli.�
Orlando made a low noise of agreement and tightened his sliding fast, thumbing the head of Elijah�s cock and scraping a nail against Elijah�s nipple on every up-slide. Elijah cursed and bucked into the fist and fingers, most of his weight suspended by his thighs, bent knees and planted feet, fucking up into the incredible sensation of Orlando�s touch.
Orlando licked along Elijah�s neck and slowed his pull on the stiff cock in his hand, sliding his legs over the top of Elijah�s, curling and pinning them down flat so that he could feel the flex of Elijah�s hips against his as he returned the favor and attempted to jerk Elijah into oblivion. Elijah reached behind his head, fingers blinding digging into Orlando�s curls, others digging hard into his forearm, flexing repeatedly under their tight grip, nipples ache burning from the pluck of Orlando�s fingers. Elijah felt the hot tightening thunder of orgasm ripple in warning before he twist-jerked on top of Orlando, toes curled and came with a yell, come slick and warm over his belly and Orlando�s hand.
Orlando chuckled low and wicked, pulling the spasms out with twists of his wrist until Elijah growled and tugged on his forearm. Elijah watched, droopy eyed as Orlando lifted his hand past Elijah�s face.
Elijah turned and his eyes widened impossibly as he watched Orlando�s glazed eyes drift shut, his mouth open and two long, white-damp fingers disappear inside. Elijah could feel the low hum of appreciation in the chest under him. �Holy fuck.� Elijah rolled off Orlando with a grunt, scrambled and dropped back to his chest, mouth hovering over Orlando�s fingers, still twisting between the red lips.
Orlando�s eyes cracked open and he went still. He pulled the fingers out, and blushed. �I�sorry. Did I gross you out? I just��
Elijah grabbed Orlando�s wrist, hard, and shook his head. Gently he moved Orlando�s slick thumb towards Orlando�s lips. Orlando�s breath stuttered and he sucked his thumb into his mouth. Elijah pulled the clean thumb free and replaced it with his tongue.
Screw physiology.
That was fucking insanely hot.
+
Orlando squeezed Elijah�s hand one last time, the truck engine idling in
front of Elijah�s house.
There were kids playing in the yard across the street, a surprise deterrent to any idea of a good night kiss.
Elijah pulled his hand gently from Orlando�s grasp and slid towards the door. He glanced down at the jersey he still wore, plucked at it and turned back to Orlando. �Oh, and I�ll bring this to you tomo��
�You�don�t worry about it. Keep it, if you want.� Orlando almost kicked himself for his junior high impulsiveness. What if Elijah didn�t want his ratty old jersey?
�Yes! I�sure.� Elijah cleared his throat. �Cool.� He reached for the door handle again.
�Lij?�
Elijah turned. �Yeah?�
Orlando sighed and leaned his forehead against his steering wheel, turning to look at Elijah, sideways and tired. �If I don�t�if I�m not�� Orlando waved a hand, at a loss for words. ��if I don�t pay attention to you or do stuff with you at school, it�s not because I don�t want to, ok?� He reached for Elijah�s hand again, rubbing absently at the back of it. �Because I want to, but I just�I�m still struggling with�� Orlando sighed and sat up straight, looking away from Elijah out the window. He released Elijah�s hand and turned to face him. �I�m afraid of what people will think, or say, or do.�
Elijah�s gaze was steady. �People will think you�re gay.�
Orlando nodded.
Elijah smiled crooked and picked up Orlando�s hand again. �It�s ok. As long as I know, and you know, then that�s fine. It�s�enough.� Elijah squeezed Orlando�s hand and pushed open the door, climbing out of the truck without looking back.
Orlando waited until Elijah was safely inside before pulling away from the curb. He drove the long way home, staring into the growing dark.
It wasn�t ok. It wasn�t fine. And it wasn�t enough.
+
Elijah lived in fractions of a minute for most of the week.
The two seconds of Orlando�s hand on his shoulder in the locker room as he walked past him in the narrow space between lockers.
The three second smiles across the drink table, meant only for him.
The torturous five second stare they exchanged when he came around the corner to the showers and Orlando walked out, still in the process of wrapping his towel around his waist, flanked by two other players.
The ten seconds it took to unfold the anonymous scrap of paper with the word �raincheck� scribbled in pencil, left folded on the shelf in his locker.
The forty six seconds he spent walking down B hall every day just a few steps in front of Orlando, pretending not to be walking together from third to fourth period because their class rooms were next to each other.
The half-second brush of Orlando�s hand against his across the back of the door as he stepped into his classroom.
The worst was the three seconds when Elijah walked by a group of football players in the locker room. And they stopped talking, stared, then burst into laughter as he walked past.
Elijah almost screamed when the hand reached out from the half-open door of the equipment room, clapped over his mouth and yanked him inside. Elijah breathed in sharply then instantly relaxed. The door shut with a soft click.
�Lij��
Elijah turned around and they were kissing hard sloppy and desperate, Orlando grinding him against the door so hard it creaked. Elijah half-climbed Orlando�s body draping a leg around his hip and fisting both hands hard in the dark curls until Orlando growled and reached down to lift Elijah up, long fingers kneading the denim covered curve of his ass.
They froze when the heard the drone of voices in the shower on the other side of the wall.
Slowly, Elijah slid down the front of Orlando�s body.
They kissed one last silent open-mouthed exchange and Orlando gently turned Elijah and nudged him out the door before shutting it again with a soft click. He leaned his forehead against the cool wood, his breathing irregular.
This was fucking ridiculous.
There was no reason he had to treat Elijah like the plague. They were team mates, and school mates and friends too, for Christ�s sake. It�s not like they couldn�t even talk to each other.
Orlando yanked open the door, lips set in a thin line as he stalked to his locker, grabbed his bag and marched out of the locker room.
+
Elijah�s mouth opened and shut with a snap. He shut his locker door again and checked the name: Wood. He opened it, and stared.
Hanging inside was a Lockhart High School varsity football letter jacket.
Elijah frowned. I thought coach said these were on back order until the spring?
He reached in and picked up the jacket. It was heavier than it looked. And worn, just a little, at the collar and sleeves. He held it up, confused. It was�huge, at least an XL. Elijah fumbled for the tag.
And dropped the jacket.
He bent down and snatched if off the floor, clutching it to his chest as he quickly threw his equipment bag in the locker and slammed the door. He turned, stumbling down the aisle and froze.
Orlando was peering around the last row of lockers, looking�panicked. He nodded, eyebrows raised in question.
Elijah nodded shakily back.
Orlando grinned, winked and disappeared around the corner.
Elijah clutched the jacket tighter.
The jacket had �BLOOM� printed in permanent black ink across the tag.
