I leaned back in my desk and crossed my arms. All I heard today from everyone was, 'tonight's a big game', 'I hope we win', 'Elliot's so hot', or 'Oliver better step his game up'. My head pounded as I walked through the crowded hallways.
I opened my locker, shoving my materials in and grabbing my favorite bag. The bag that carried my strings and projects. I closed my locker and headed to the fashion room. I cluttered up my work area. I grabbed my sewing machine, grabbed my supplies, and lastly grabbed the dress I had been working on.
I worked at a slowed pace and knew time was slipping from my hands. I would not be going to lunch today or Monday, if I don't finish by the end of the class period.
Sewing was actually my calming nature. It relieved stress, made me focus, and it was something I loved to do. I never worked on it at him due to the football players, my brother, and of course Oliver. If they found out I sew and do this girly stuff, they would look at me differently. I liked how I was but I hated having sewing as a secret. It seemed stupid to have a secret of sewing but not everyone is comfortable with sharing everything about themselves.
I clipped the last string off and looked at the seam I finished. I ran my fingers over it. Smooth and straight, exactly what I was looking for. I held the dress up and examined it.
"Very bold. This is the best I've seen from you Daniella." Mr.Campbell complimented my work.
"Thank you." I said with a bright smile. It was a simple dark blue dress. It will hug my curves and then flare out a little. It had short sleeves and an open lace back to top it off. I folded my dress and placed it in my bag. I cleaned my materials up and ran to lunch. It was the middle of lunch by the time I managed to sit down.
"Where were you?" Oliver asked.
"I needed to finish a paper." I lied. He handed me the last half of his sandwich and gladly ate it.
"You're coming tonight right?" Elliot asked. His eyes tired and still a little puffy. It's only been two weeks and it was rough.
"Of course." I smiled.
"Will you be on bench?" Nolan asked from further down the table.
"Sadly, no. I found someone who will let me sit with them." I said.
"Really, who?" Oliver asked very curious.
"Someone." I shrugged.
"Let it go Ol. It's great to hear you found someone to sit with." My brother smiled. He hasn't used that nickname for Oliver since we went to middle school.
"Thanks. Look at the time. I'll see you all later." I said as I quickly took the last bite and headed out of the cafeteria.
"Hey, Daniella, wait up!" I heard someone call me. I stopped mid walk and turned my head too see Ellen catching up with me.
"Hi Ellen." I smiled.
"So are we having a sleeping over tonight?" She asked with her books held up to her chest.
"I don't see why not." I said. Let me introduce Ellen Roberts to you, she was on the cheerleading team. Hence the was because she saw how much of a bitch Veronica is. She a little petite thing, she's four foot seven inches. The devil can sometimes crawl around in her.
"Great. Veronica never let us have sleepovers because she thought it was immature and stupid." She rambled.
"Well she is no fun." I stated as it was a fact of Veronica.
"Where should I meet you at the game tonight?" She quickly asked before we departed.
"By the boys locker room!" I shouted to her, getting stares from everyone in the hallway. She gave me a thumbs up and I headed to my class which was my study hall.
***
"I'm so glad you are having someone stay over." My mom gushed.
"I guess. I'm happy, I think. Will dad be home? I kind of home you say no." I said. MY mom looked hurt.
"He won't. I think I'm going to kick him out." She said looking at her hands.
"I think that would be the best choice. I'm sorry mom. I know you two were in love but if he hadn't even had an affair there could be another way for him to get kicked out. To have an affair means that you yourself isn't happy, so to find happiness you look for someone else even if it means hurting the one you once were so happy with." I said as my mom flooded the tears.
"When did you become an adult." She partly laughed through her tears. I hugged her tightly.
"Elliot and I will always be here for you. Just stay positive." I said and kissed her cheek.
"I'm going to try to just for you two." She said.
"No not for you us. You need to do it for you. I'm sorry to cut this short but if I'm not at the locker room, Ellen is going to wonder things I don't want to know." I said. My mom laughed and hugged me once more before letting me go.
I drove to the school, only for it to be packed and I had to park way out away from the damn school.
"Ellen, it's Danny. I'm going to be a few. I have a far walk from the school since it's packed." I told her over the phone.
"Okay. I think I'm hitting it off with one of the players, so take your time." She giggled and hung up. That's Ellen for you.
Once I made to Ellen, she was talking with my brother. My brother.
"Ellen, I'm glad you met my brother." I said and she giggled.
"I like him." She said and it made Elliot laugh.
"So is this your new friend?" Elliot asked and I nodded.
"Good choice." He said.
"Before you two start flirting up a storm, you need to get on the field." I said and hooked my arm with Ellen's. My brother caught up with Oliver and the rest of the team.
"Let's go grab us some seats." I said and then we went across the bleachers. Ellen had a firm grasp on me so she wouldn't lose me. I pulled us all the way to the other side of the bleachers towards where the snacks were. I planted us where we had a great view.
Our new coach was a blister. If you did something right nothing would irritate him and he actually had a great character. He could be very funny and extremely but if work was not getting done. He let hell loose. Exactly why he's a blister.
Ellen sat down on the ground next to me as watched the game. We screamed as the ref threw a flag on the field. He announced that there was holding. Come on! We were not close to winning and if we didn't win, Coach was going to pop big time.
Elliot threw the ball as Oliver ran to catch it. It was a faulty, the ball way ahead of Oliver. I could tell the Oliver swore as he ran to get it.
The next time Elliot threw the ball, one of the other teams players intercepted it. Elliot looked stressed out. He wasn't in the game mentally. He wasn't counting his steps or watching his footing.
I guess tonight I was not his goodluck charm. The game score was other 37, home 14. Not a good game at all. Ellen nibbled on a pretzel as I chewed on popcorn.
When the game ended everyone who was hoping for us to win were very bummed and unhappy.
"Can we get more food before we leave?" Ellen asked.
"Yeah." I told her.
"We may as well grab it now before they close." She said and we walked to the snack bar and basically grabbed snacks for like an entire week.
"We can place the snacks in my car since it's closer and then I drive you to your car." Ellen suggested.
"That would be great." I said. She unlocked her sports car. Ellen is rich, but she doesn't like to tell anyone because so many people take advantage of her. I wonder why people think it is okay to take advantage of people.
"Danny! Danny!" Someone screamed my name. I saw Jackson who was also on the team running up to me.
"We need you. We can't get Oliver off of him." He sort of explained and grabbed my arm making me run to the locker room with him. I slowed my pace as we entered the locker room. I heard shouting and the slapping of skin. Most of the guys were only in towels and their faces reddened in embarrassment. Oliver was whacking punches on Elliot.
"If you wouldn't throw so crappy, we would have won!" Oliver screamed in his face.
"Maybe if you ran faster and not like a girl you would have caught it!!" Elliot argued. I grabbed Oliver and was pushed back. I grabbed his bicep and was punched in the face. I fell to my butt. He didn't even realize he punched me. I could feel blood running out off my nose.
"Get off him! Get off my damn brother!!" I screamed bloody murder as I shoved Oliver off of him. Oliver finally realized what he had done and he sat on the ground with his hands covering his face. Ellen was yelling at him and the other boys got me rags that were wet with water.
I wiped Elliot's swollen, bloody face. Some tears formed in my eyes as I turned to Oliver.
"How dare you! How dare you do this to my brother!" I said walking up to Oliver and pointing my finger up at him since we was a little over six feet tall.
"Danny, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He cried as he pushed my hand down.
"Don't talk to me ever again." I said through gritted teeth.
"Will, Jackson, can you help my brother to Ellen's car?" I asked and they nodded right away. Before we left I turned around.
"Next time boys, do something to stop it. Don't you dare help to keep it going, you are all immature and extreme idiots." I said and then held my head high and walked out of the locker room.
Ellen hugged me sideways as we walked to her car to help Elliot.
"I hope you don't my brother in your car." I said to Ellen.
"Don't worry about it. I like him anyways." She giggled. Oh geez.
"Thanks for driving me to my car. I'll meet you at my house, you can just follow me there." I said to her through her window.
"You okay Elliot?" I asked.
"I'm alive aren't I?" He shrugged.
"Sorry." I said and then got in my car. As I drove I made sure she was behind me. They seemed to be hitting off. He was smiling and I could tell she was too. I waved to them and they waved back.
Once I pulled into the driveway, Ellen parked at the curb. I got out and went to help my brother who just got out of the car.
"Do we have any frozen peas?" He asked limping.
"I think so, why?" I asked.
"He kneed me in the balls." He winced.
"I got the stuff." Ellen said as she signaled me to take him in.
"Damn him." I mumbled.
"It was a stupid fight. He knocked some sense into me anyway. So let it go." He told. My mouth opened.
"I'm not letting that go. He beat the shit out of you. It was uncalled for." I said.
"Don't overreact." He said and then opened the freezer for the peas. I rolled my eyes and turned on my heel and went to help Ellen. I grabbed her pillow, and a couple bags. We waddled our way up to my room.
"My room is straight down the hall and the last room to the left." I told her and followed behind her.
"You have a nice room." She complimented and placed her stuff by my closet.
"It's been the same way since eighth grade." I told her.
"Wow. I changed my room up like last month. I like the colors of your walls. Peach suits you." She said.
"Thank you, it's one of my favorite colors." I said.
"Thanks for inviting me. Since I quit cheerleading I don't have anyone to talk to. I'm glad you don't see me as a bitch. Many people do just because I was on the cheer team and since I live in a richer development." She said.
"I'm sorry. I really only judge one person because I can." I said.
"And that would most likely be Veronica." She said. I nodded.
"Is there something between the two of you?" She said. I hated to say this.
"Oliver." I said.
"Oh the dude that hangs on you?" She asked.
"Is that how everyone sees us?" I asked.
"No. But when I first wanted to talk to you, he was always around you and putting his arms around your waist." She said.
"Oh, yeah he does that a lot. He's my best friend but right now we are on hold because of the fight." I said.
"You two aren't dating?" She asked.
"Nope." I said.
"Where can I get another one of him." She said dramatically and fell to the floor.
"You are very dramatic. I like it." I laughed and it made her laugh.
"Hi girls." My mom said from the doorway.
"Hi mom. This is Ellen." I said.
"Hi Mrs.Braxton." Ellen said politely.
"Nice to meet you, Ellen. I'll let you two girls have fun. There is leftover pizza in the fridge, feel free to eat whenever." My mom said and then headed to bed.
"You're mom seems really cool." Ellen said and popped a chip in her mouth. I opened a packet of crackers and ate one.
"She is." I said.
Later through the night, Ellen and I were half asleep gossiping and sharing stories. We told each other our embarrassing moments and then we hit our secrets. It was hard for me say my deepest so I didn't say it. I just cried. The tension in the air was emotional. Ellen hugged me.
"Whatever happened I am truly sorry. I don't expect you to tell me everything just yet because we've only been friends for almost month. Just know I'm here for you." She said and wiped my tears. I mumbled a thank you and then we laid there listening to music.
The lights in my room were dimmed and I stared up at the ceiling as the music was low. Ell was sleeping. I mouthed the words of the current song playing. Tears would slowly run down the side of my face. I heard my door crack open but I kept on staring at the ceiling. I could hear his breathing, heavy and deep. His cologne drifted through him and swiped passed my nose just enough for me to inhale it. My door closed over with a squeak and I knew I could breath again. I rolled over on the floor and hid under my blankets. I concentrated on the music and made myself try and sleep even though it was going to be hard.