The things we almost were

My name's Elian Collins, and I live in this vibrant town in the heart of New York.  the kind of place that never shuts up.

Cars honking, people yelling, lights flashing like the city's in a constant rush. That's home.

Life's been... a lot lately. Ever since Dad passed, everything's been off-balance. He was one of those people who filled every space - confident, loud, impossible to ignore. A politician, CEO, and, well, kind of a legend. People loved him. I did too. Still do.

Now it's just Mom and me. She's been holding everything together - the house, the business, and somehow herself - all while pretending she's fine.

 I admire her for that, but sometimes it feels like she's trying to be strong for both of us, and that just makes the emptiness louder.

That's probably why I drive so much.

My car - a sleek black Mercedes Dad got me before he passed - feels like the only place I can breathe. The hum of the engine, the blur of city lights, that moment of control... it's the closest thing I have to peace.

Lately, though, I've felt this weird tug in my chest. Like something's about to change, and I don't know if that's a good thing or not.

Sometimes I catch my reflection in the rearview mirror and think, okay, maybe life's not all bad.

I've got decent looks, I guess - brown hair that refuses to stay in place, brown eyes that apparently look lighter in sunlight. Mom says I got both from Dad.

People at school notice me - some wave, some smile, some whisper. I smile back when I feel like it. Most of the time, I just keep walking. Not because I think I'm better than anyone - I just don't always know what people really want from me.

Everyone assumes life's easy when you've got money. Big house, private school, nice car - the whole package. But that's the thing: it's too perfect on the outside. People stop trying to look any deeper. You start wondering if anyone ever really sees you.

That's probably why I don't have a ton of friends.

Well - except one.

Kaelin Giles.

Kae's different. He's the kind of guy people notice even when he's not trying.

Tall, strong, the "don't mess with me" type. Tattoos run down his arms - black ink against pale skin - and somehow they make sense on him. He doesn't have to try to look cool. He just is.

And yeah, he's a bit of a snob - world-class level. He'll give you a blank stare instead of answering your question, or just walk away mid-conversation.

 But once you get used to it, it's kind of funny. He's just... unapologetically himself. Doesn't care what anyone thinks. Doesn't try to impress. That's what I like about him - he's real.

People love to whisper about us. "They're always together." "They probably share a brain." Whatever. I don't care, and Kae definitely doesn't.

He only comes to school because I nag him to. If it were up to him, he'd be home all day, half-asleep with his phone buried under his hoodie.

The guy lives like he's allergic to effort.

But somehow, when we walk into school together, people stare. Matching hoodies, same energy - it's not planned, it just happens. He acts like he doesn't notice, but I know he does. He just doesn't care.

That's Kae for you - unbothered, confident, and impossible not to admire.

********

I was knee-deep in my closet, tossing shirts and hoodies everywhere, trying to decide what to wear. First day of senior year. My last year of high school.

Crazy.

I already knew what I was going to wear though - my favorite black hoodie with "Elian" printed across the back in bold white letters.

 I threw on ripped-free black jeans, clean sneakers, and my red head warmer. All black and red - my thing. It just makes everything look put together.

My phone buzzed.

Kae: "At the gate. Don't keep me waiting, starboy."

Typical. I could practically see the smirk on his face while he typed it.

I grabbed my keys, slung my bag over my shoulder, and headed out. The drive felt quicker than usual - maybe because my mind was already at school.

When I pulled up and spotted him near the gate, I couldn't help but grin.

Kaelin stood there like he owned the place - tall, relaxed, leaning against his car with his hands shoved into his hoodie pocket. Cap turned backward, baggy jeans, that casual "I don't care but I look good anyway" vibe.

He looked up when he saw me, a small grin tugging at his lips.

"You look good," he said, pulling me into a quick hug. "First day glow-up or something?"

It had only been a few weeks since we last hung out, but somehow, that simple hug hit differently. Familiar. Easy.

"Ease up, man," I laughed, patting his back. He stepped back, giving me one of those once-over looks.

"What?" I asked.

He shrugged, smirking. "Nothing. You clean up nice, that's all."

"Yeah, right." I rolled my eyes, but the grin still slipped through. That's the thing about Kae - he's got this way of making everything feel lighter.

We started walking toward the building, and like always, he threw an arm over my shoulder. It wasn't even a question anymore.

The hallway was already alive - lockers slamming, sneakers squeaking, people shouting across the hall. I could feel the stares, the whispers. Same old story.

Some girls nearby were giggling. One of them whispered, "He's totally my type."

I didn't know if she meant Kae or me, but judging by how she was staring, I didn't have to ask.

Kae didn't even flinch. Just walked like the world didn't exist. That's what's annoying - and kind of impressive - about him.

Then, out of nowhere, his hand slid down from my shoulder to my side, brushing against me by accident. I jumped, heat rushing to my face.

"Kae!" I hissed, smacking his hand away.

He just laughed - that quiet, deep laugh of his, like he found life permanently amusing.

And of course, we had an audience. A new girl by the lockers was watching us - wide-eyed, like she was still figuring out what kind of place this was.

Long wavy hair, light brown eyes, that calm kind of pretty. She looked like she hadn't yet learned how loud this school could get.

Kae noticed me glance over and chuckled under his breath.

"What?" he said, all fake innocence.

"Don't start," I warned, grabbing his arm before he could say something dumb.

He smirked, clearly enjoying how easy it was to mess with me. I just sighed and pulled him down the hall before he made a scene.

He went back to talking about how boring the assembly would be, but I barely heard him. My brain was still replaying everything - his hand, the laughter, the stares.

I shot him a glare, but of course, he didn't care.

That's Kae - untouchable, cool without trying. And me? I'm just the guy trying to keep up.