The only place I wouldn't use a hide is in a rack system. In a vivarium or large cage, I would definitely give the snake his choice of many different hides.

How long have you had the snake? I guess only a few weeks. It takes them a little bit to feel secure in a hide, and will sometimes prefer to squish themselves between the waterbowl and glass, or something else that is tight... even though it's not your hide.

That behavior is them using a hide, even though it's not the conventional one you provided, at the time they obviously felt safer squished or next to the wall because they need to feel something surrounding them and touching them.