BLOOM • awsten knight

10

"I don't want to help you out with your fucking garden!" Elle finally snapped, being just loud enough that her neighbours probably heard her. "I'm so fucking done, with being here! You don't give a fuck, and I- I'm just done, fuck this," she turned around and left pushing through the pain of her ankle as she stomped away.

Elle's parents have been strict with her for as long as she can remember, and she's never had the courage to snap, or even stand up for herself whenever she felt things were unfair, because they always taught her that it was disrespectful; but at almost twenty two years old, she finally reached breaking point.

She left the house, but quickly realised she wouldn't be able to drive; she made it to the end of the street, limping heavily, before she broke down.

It didn't seem to cross her mind that she was in public, sobbing uncontrollably for at least twenty minutes; luckily for her, Taylor was still in the city after coming home for Christmas, and hadn't left to head back to Houston just yet, so she pulled her phone out to call her.

"Hey! You-" Taylor greeted her happily, but soon recognised the sniffling sound coming from the end of the line. "Elle, mate, what's wrong?"

"Can you-" she choked on a sob, trying to push her sentence out. "Can you come- help?"

"What? Yeah, of course, what's-"

"I saw Alex, they don't give a shit, I left the house, I've fucking sprained my ankle, can't drive and I can't fucking breathe," she cried harder and she could hear Taylor's car engine turning on.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming, don't worry," she replied, calmly. "I'll stay on the phone, just breathe, okay?"

Oblivious to the fact that Taylor couldn't see her, Elle nods in response, but she was pulling up in front of her within minutes.

She tried to push herself up from the ground, failing miserably, but Taylor was already out of the car, and ready to help her up.

Elle felt pathetic, for the way she had to be helped into the passenger seat, even though she doesn't think she could have done it by herself, even if she had the energy to try.

Taylor never fully asked what happened, not really - the vague cry for help was enough, which Elle is grateful for; she finds that Taylor is good at just knowing, and doesn't push her unless she knows she has to.

She'd brought Elle back to her own family's house, sitting her at the table as she iced Elle's ankle, resting it on her knee.

"I think I'm gonna go," Elle let out a breath, as she stared out of the kitchen window, biting the nail on her thumb.

Taylor looked up at her, with a blank expression, "where?"

"Maybe Houston, with you," she mumbles, her voice muffled against her hand, "if that's okay."

"Of course that's okay," Taylor gives her a soft look.

Elle finally looked at her, tears still fresh in her eyes. "I just can't stay here."

"I know," she nodded. "I'll help you out as much as I can," she offered her a small smile. "Or at least, as much as you want me to."