Innocent

Chapter 2

I smiled at him. “Sounds good. How are we going to do the models? I’m not very good with art. Seriously. Mrs Johnson almost gave me an F last year.”

James laughed. “An F in Visual Arts? Now that has gotta be the first that I have heard about you failing a subject. You’re so smart.”

“Thanks, but I don’t think I’m that smart.”

I turned to the textbook and flipped through it until I get to the chapter with human cells. From the corner of my eye I saw James reach over and pushed a strand of my wavy brown hair away from my face and tucked it behind my ear. I turned to face him.

“You’re smart, Ellie,” he told me. “You’re smarter than any other girl I know. You’re also very beautiful and I’m glad I have you as a friend.”

I blushed. “All guys say that.”

“Yeah, but I’m not like the other guys. Those other guys would say it to get just one thing from you. I’m saying this because you’re my friend. And I swear that you’re the most beautiful brunette girl with amazing blue eyes.”

I smiled at his words. Since getting to know him I couldn’t work out why no one ever wanted to talk to him or get to know him. James Waters was one of the most nicest guys I have ever met, better than any other guys I know. A lot of the guys in my grade were jerks who only cared about one thing. James had high standards of respecting people and their feelings. He was always doing as he was told and never back chatted to anyone. If he was being bullied he never fought back. He just walked away and only fought if he had to. I’m not really sure what he does when his dad abuses him. He never talks much about the things his father does to him.

We stared at each other and for a moment I think he was going to lean over to kiss me. But he didn’t. Instead he glanced down at the textbook.

Daniel placed his hand on my shoulder. “Please understand why we are doing this, Ellie.”

I pushed my brother away and lay down on my bed. “Please get out of my room. I want to sleep.”

I turned on my side so I didn’t have to look at my brother. Without saying anything else he got up and left, closing the door behind him. I lay there thinking about everything he had said to me. But I’m nineteen now, twenty in two weeks. I can handle things on my own and I don’t need my family to protect me from the world. There are going to be some things were they can’t protect me from.

But what still upsets me, actually it makes me mad, that my own family won’t believe my own words of what really happened. I tried to say it in the court room, but no one wanted to believe me. They judge said I was only saying it to protect him and that I shouldn’t do it. I kept looking over at James, seeing the scared look on his face. We both knew no one wanted to believe us, even if we were both witnesses to a crime but he was punished for it all because of…

I don’t want to think about it anymore.

I switched off the lamp and crawled under the covers, trying my best to sleep.

The next morning I told my brother that I wanted to go to the shops. I was going to sneak out and go myself without him, but I knew after last night that he will most likely tell Mom and Dad about me sneaking out. All I wanted to do is check my mail. But I wanted to do it on my own without him knowing that I had a PO Box. I knew he would rip up my letter from James or show it to my parents.

Once Daniel pulled up in the parking lot of the mall, I unbuckle my belt and turned to him, “I’m only going to be a second. You can wait here.”

Daniel unbuckled his belt and took the keys out of the ignition. “Nice try, Ellie, but I’m still coming in with you no matter what you say.”

I rolled my eyes and got out of the car. I wish I was in prison with James. My whole life feels like I’m in jail at the current moment and I don’t think I’m ever going to be release.