The Unexpected Partnership

Elliot walked into the library the next day, hoping for a quiet escape from the chaos of high school life. The rows of books and soft hum of the air conditioner always felt like a refuge. He had just settled into his favorite corner with his notebook when a shadow fell over his table.

“Brooks.”

Elliot looked up, his brows furrowing when he saw Leo standing there, hands shoved into the pockets of his letterman jacket. “What do you want?”

Leo glanced around, lowering his voice. “I need your help.”

Elliot blinked. Of all the things he’d expected Leo Walker to say, that wasn’t on the list. “With what? Learning how to use the alphabet?”

Leo sighed, clearly trying to keep his cool. “No. With computer science. I’m failing, and if I don’t pass the next test, I’m off the team.”

Elliot leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. “So, let me get this straight. You’ve spent the better part of the last three years making my life miserable, and now you want me to help you?”

“Look, I know I’ve been…” Leo hesitated, scratching the back of his neck. “Not great to you. But I’m desperate here.”

Elliot snorted. “And you think I care about your football career why exactly?”

“I’ll pay you,” Leo said quickly. “Fifty bucks. A hundred, even.”

Elliot raised an eyebrow. “You think you can buy me off like one of your fans?”

Leo groaned, running a hand through his hair. “No, I just—look, you’re the only one who’s smart enough to actually help. Please, Brooks.”

Elliot hesitated. He hated the idea of helping Leo after everything, but there was something in the way he said “please” that caught him off guard. It wasn’t the cocky, self-assured tone he usually had. It sounded… genuine.

“Fine,” Elliot said finally. “But you follow my rules. We meet here after school, no exceptions. And if you start acting like a jerk, I’m done.”

Leo exhaled in relief. “Deal. Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” Elliot muttered, pulling out his notebook.

---

The first tutoring session was awkward, to say the least.

Leo sat across from Elliot, his large frame almost comically out of place in the tiny library chair. Elliot spread out a stack of notes and diagrams, explaining coding basics while Leo scribbled furiously in a notebook.

“You’re overcomplicating it,” Elliot said, pointing at one of Leo’s attempts. “The code is fine, but your logic is all over the place. Think of it like football—there’s a play, and every player has a role. If one person messes up, the whole thing falls apart.”

Leo frowned, tapping his pen against the table. “Okay, so the ‘players’ are like the functions, and the ‘play’ is the program?”

“Exactly,” Elliot said, surprised at how quickly Leo picked it up.

By the end of the hour, they’d managed to complete one practice program together.

“Not bad,” Elliot admitted, though he tried to keep his tone neutral.

Leo grinned, leaning back in his chair. “See? I’m not as dumb as I look.”

“Debatable,” Elliot quipped, but there was a hint of a smile on his face.

---

Over the next week, their sessions became a regular thing. Elliot noticed a shift in Leo, he still had his moments of arrogance, but he was also surprisingly determined.

One afternoon, as they were packing up, Leo glanced at the notebook Elliot always carried. “You never let that thing out of your sight, do you?”

“It’s important to me,” Elliot said simply.

“Can I see it?” Leo asked, his tone curious rather than mocking.

Elliot hesitated, but eventually handed it over. Leo flipped through the sketches of knights, dragons, and pixelated landscapes.

“This is… actually really cool,” Leo said, sounding genuinely impressed. “You’re designing a whole game?”

“Yeah,” Elliot said, feeling a mix of pride and vulnerability. “It’s a side project. Something I’ve been working on for a while.”

Leo looked up, his expression serious. “You’re really talented, you know that?”

Elliot didn’t know how to respond. Compliments from Leo Walker weren’t something he was used to. “Thanks, I guess.”

As Leo handed the notebook back, their fingers brushed. It was a small moment, but it sent a spark through Elliot that he couldn’t ignore.

Neither of them said anything, but as they left the library that day, Elliot couldn’t help but feel like something was shifting between them.

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