Falling for Friendzone

Chapter 21

One week later

I sit down at the kitchen table trying to force myself to stomach down something. My eating habits have been off and I can barely eat anymore. I sigh at the dissapointment of my breakfast in front of me and pour myself some coffee. I made my way to grab some creamer from the fridge when they struck. The same thoughts that have been permanently stuck inside my head keep circling around and around. That night. Everything happened that night. My entire life changed that night.

I slowly made my way over to the front door to get my shoes on. I haven't been able to sleep since the incident, and I'm constantly living in the horror of my nightmares, and even frequent flashbacks.

It was Friday. I made it through this week of school, but my teachers have noticed something wrong. The once cheery and knowledgeable student of last week, has turned into the quiet one that only speaks if spoken too. They don't know; no one in my school but my closest friends do. Not even my parents, who called to tell me that they got involved in some mission project with the local church and would be there for the remainder of the month. Honestly, right now they just wouldn't understand. They would just bring the police into the situation, and the last thing I wanted was for anyone to know what happened.

My friends constantly tried to help. They would do things to cheer me up, offer to go to the movies and shopping, but I just didn't have the ambition too. They were worried about me and I could tell. Deep down I was worried for myself, but all of that was smothered in the cloud of sadness that rained down on me this past week.

Abused. Mistreated. Worthless. Words that I believed I was every time the flashbacks occurred.

***

"Don't you think so Ellie?" Someone asked, but I wasn't listening. I never did. We sat around the lunch table, my friends and I, talking-well they were-about some new lesson being taught in math class. I wouldn't know, everything taught this week had been only a distant memory of showing up to the class, then leaving when everyone else did. Teachers have tried talking to me, but I've just been telling them all that I was a bit under the weather, and that I was having some personal problems. I have never been like this before, so they all cooperated with me and have been letting things slide. I don't know what's going to happen next week.

I stood up to throw my garbage away, and I don't even bother heading back to my table, I just go straight into the nurses office and explain to her how I've been feeling and just by one look at me, I am sent home.

Alone.

I quickly shake the thought as I walk up the stairs. I lifter my hand up towards the railing and  winced back in pain as I tried taking the first step. Somehow, I keep managing to reopen the cut on my forearm and while reaching for the railing, I felt a sharp stinging in my arm. There was a bandage on it, the one that Lane had put on it the night of the incident. I took it off when i couldn't bare to look at it anymore.

Lane and I still havent spoken since he saved my life. I've only seen him around school a few times, he's been distant with everyone, even Peyton.

Him and Peyton haven't been getting along lately. They've always been the dream couple since they started dating, but now they constantly fight. I see them in the hallways after school. He still doesn't know about her and what she did to me, but as of now, everything that she has done to me in the past seems like nothing with the pain I feel now. She knows about what he did to help me that night. She suspects him of cheating, selfish bitch. I'm assuming when she stops and really realizes it's me that he helped, she'll get over it. I don't know if I will though.

I shouldn't have kept my argument with Lane going, I shoulve talked it out with him that day we ran into each other in the hallway. My pride was too high and I couldn't let him win again. I always apologize, and I guess we know what happens when I don't. At least now I know about Alex.

Alex.

The lying, deceiving, man whore. I'm so stupid. Why didn't I believe Lane? Because you were trying to fill the void he left in your heart, I reminded myself. It was all too familiar, like something you read out of a cliché romance novel. No one believes the guy, and in the end, he's always right. My knight in shining armour was now my rapist. Just the thought of that had me sitting on my couch, ready to shatter down. None of my relationships in the past had worked, ever. Something always went horribly wrong. Not your average breakups where you just drift apart, full on cheating, lying, backstabbing breakups.

I was stronger than this, I knew I was. But I'm always strong, I'm everyone's rock, and I was tired of it. I hadn't been able to feel anything since I woke up that morning in Lane's bed. Before my thoughts carried on, the doorbell rang and I opened my front door. The person in the doorway and I just stared at each other, unsure. Silence.

"Ellie." I was done. Thats all it took. With one word from him, all of the emotions piled up over the last week had finally been set free.

I cried, I sobbed, I couldn't control myself as I grabbed him for comfort. I didn't know what I had needed to feel emotion, any kind again; it was him all along. He tightly wrapped his arms around me and pulled me tight to his warm body. He whispered soothing things to me and told me to let it all out, and I did. By the time I had stopped crying, he still protectingly had his arm around me. We sat in a comfortable silence, no words were ever needed between us, we always understood.

Lane's P.O.V

"You left." I looked at her with simpathy in my eyes. I had just witnessed my best friend break apart in front of me, and I don't think I could ever do it again.

"I didn't know what to do, I panicked." She replied looking down.

"Ellie, talk to me. I'm always here, even though lately, I've been drifting away, I'm here now. Please." I pleaded and she looked at me, took a deep breathe, and let me listen.

***

A/N

The next chapter will be the flashback as to what happened after Ellie woke up, along with what happened to Lane before, during, and after he saved Ellie! :)