I woke up abruptly at nearly two am after I cried myself to sleep last night. With a start I looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings. Then it came back to me that I wasn't in my room. I was in one of the McArdles' guest rooms. This one was customized according to my preferences. Blue walls and a starry ceiling. When I was a kid, every time dad went out of the city and couldn't take me with him he would leave me in care of Linda. And this used to be my room.
I looked at the side table and groaned. Perfect. No water. I was thirsty so I got out of the bed and slipped my feet in a pair of slippers.
I made my way downstairs to the kitchen, still half asleep. When I reached the kitchen I took a glass from a cabinet and made way to the sink. I didn't switched on the lights. My hands fumbled their way to the tap and filled the glass. I downed the full content in one go.
I stretched and yawned as I made my way back and my eye caught some light coming from the living room. Without thinking I padded there and peeked from the door which was ajar. The TV was on and I could see a mop of brown hair on the couch.
Careful not to make any sound I went in and stood behind the couch. Even without looking at the face I knew it was Asher. I snorted mentally. As if that would make a difference.
I smirked evilly as an idea popped in my head. I raised my hand over his head and was ready to scare him when he tilted his head up to look at me. I made a face and let my hand fall to my side.
The TV was on but hardly any sound came from it. Some old movie was on. I wondered what was he doing up so late. I was going to ask him just that when he said, "You were crying." He was looking at my face and I realized I must have puffy eyes. Or worse, tear stains.
I turned my back to him and leaned against the couch mostly because I didn't want him to see me like this.
"You are awake," I said.
He looked ahead and stared at the TV.
"So I see," he said and I rolled my eyes.
"Do you have insomnia or something? It's like you don't sleep at all," I asked.
He didn't answer.
I sighed in frustration and went to stand in front of him, blocking his view from the TV. I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him. Then my eyes fell on his bare chest. He was just wearing pajama bottoms and I could make out his abs in the dim light coming from the television. I realized I was staring and looked away, blushing.
"Nice shorts," he commented and I looked down at my pink pajama shorts with little red hearts. They showed more skin than I would have preferred right now. I saw his eyes moving down my body, checking me out. This made me blush even harder. Somehow I felt naked under his gaze.
I coughed to distract him.
He met my eyes and my breath caught in my throat at the look in his eyes.
It was hard to talk when he looked at me like that.
"Go away. You are blocking my view," he grumbled after a while.
Jerk! Not long ago he was ogling at me and now I was blocking his view?
"Excuse me, I am the view," I said putting my hands on my waist.
He muttered something under his breath.
"What did you say?" I asked narrowing eyes at him.
"Nothing. If you're so adamant about not moving I might as well enjoy this view," he said and leaned back on the couch, making himself comfortable all the while his eyes trained on me.
I could see faint dark circles under his eyes. How long had he been staying awake at nights?
"You will get yourself ill if you continue this," I said.
He scowled at me, his blue eyes hardening.
"I have said it before and I will say it again. It. Doesn't. Concern. You," he said sharply.
I felt a pang of hurt. Why do I keep doing this when he clearly doesn't want me to? I blame it on my stubbornness.
"And I will say it again that it does," I said.
He rose form the couch.
"Why?" he raised his voice but not enough to wake anyone.
"Because...because..." I stalled, racking my brain for a reason but I came up short.
"See Anderson? You don't even know why you're doing what you're doing. Take my advice and let me be. Forget you saw me here and go back," he said but his eyes said the exact opposite. I didn't know who to listen.
I stood there in silence.
"This is bigger than it seems isn't it?" I said after a while. I looked at him and I could see he was holding back. From what I don't know.
"I'll let you be," I said and he almost looked relieved but he also looked rueful. "For now," I added.
"But someday I'll find out. Because I won't give up," I said. "On you," I thought to myself and went back to my room.
****
"Jesus," I almost shrieked as soon as I opened my eyes and scrambled back out of the bed, falling unceremoniously on my ass.
I heard a laugh and snapped my eyes at the foot of the bed where Asher stood, doubling over in laughter, clutching his stomach.
My widened eyes slitted into a murderous glare.
"I am gonna kill you!" I shouted and got to my feet, lunging at him.
He had put a scary looking doll with a big knife in its hand in front of me so that when I opened my eyes it was the first thing I saw. I almost crapped my pants when I saw that.
He held both my wrists with his hand and tried to sober up.
"You should have seen your face," he said barely able to keep himself from having another fit of laughter.
"This isn't funny," I gritted through my teeth.
"Oh you have no idea. It's hilarious," he said and laughed again.
"I'll get back at you. For this and all the other pranks you've played on me. You just watch your back," I warned and freed my hands, stomping to the attached bathroom. I glanced at the doll and shivered. I don't know what I would have done if it was real in any way.
I was so gonna get back at him. He was going to have to worst day of his life soon.
****
I took a shortcut to reach early to my next class as I was running late. This hallway usually remained empty so when I heard voices coming from round the corner, I halted. I strained my ears to listen.
"Don't try to mix with us. You don't belong here," a voice said bitterly. I recognized the voice. It was Dana, one of Kelsey's cronies.
"Stay away," another voice said. Amy, crony number two.
"Get lost," a third voice said and my grip on my books tightened. Megan. They were threatening her. Why?
I heard a crash and rounded the corner. They had shoved Megan to the ground and were hovering over her.
"You don't talk to us like that," Amy snapped.
"Which way shall I talk to you then your highness?" Megan said sarcastically.
Dana clutched her hair and rammed her head to the wall. She let out a groan.
"Don't open your smart mouth in front of us," she spat.
I gritted my teeth in anger. What the actual fuck.
"Get off her you bitches," I said and walked towards them. They stilled and slowly turned their heads toward me.
"Ellie," Dana said, smiling nervously.
I glared at her.
"What do you think you were doing?" I demanded.
Amy responded.
"We were just showing her where she stands. She was getting out of line," she said throwing a disgusted glance at her.
I clenched my fists.
"The way I see it you're the one who's out of line," I said.
Dana opened her mouth to say something but I shut her up with a glare.
"If I see any of you in ten meter radius of her I'll... Do I need to finish that?" I asked.
"But-" Amy started.
"Do I?" I repeated.
They both shook their heads.
"Then why are you still here?" I said.
They both shared a panicked look and hurried off. I crouched in front of Megan.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
She averted my gaze.
"Megan?"
"I am fine," she said curtly.
"Why were they bothering you?" I asked.
She looked at me then, her eyes cold.
I faltered.
"You are late for class, you should go," she said.
To hell with class.
I sat beside her leaning my back against the wall.
"You know I've always hated being with them. I only started hanging out with them a few years ago when... Anyway at first it was so suffocating. They were so bad. God I just wanted to kill each one of them," I said. I looked at her.
She was fighting back a smile. I bet she would love that.
"When Brooke came it became bearable for me. She was the first real friend I made. She was different. Not like Kelsey and her group. She didn't let them bitch around her," I said and smiled remembering.
"I don't know why I made friends with them in the first place. I guess I just wanted to be around girls. Fit in," I said. Megan was giving me a confused look so I continued.
"All my life I've been with Asher and Ashton. They were the only friends I had. But then high school happened and everyone went their own way," I said.
It wasn't that bad the first year. We were still close but then Asher left and Ashton started distancing himself. It was my worst year so I hung out with Kelsey more and more to avoid loneliness. Brooke came a year after and saved me from going insane.
"I am sorry," Megan mumbled.
I raised an eyebrow at her.
"For ignoring you. I knew from the start you weren't like them. I have seen them bullying and picking on other people but not you. Never you. You were nice and it bothered me why you had such shitty friends," Megan said.
"You became my friend. The nerdy loner's friend and what I did? I let you go just because those bitches started giving me a hard time," she said ruefully.
"Megan don't blame yourself. They were the one who should feel sorry," I said putting my hand on her shoulder and squeezing slightly.
"I was tired of being bullied Ellie," she confessed.
My heart gave a little squeeze and I frowned at her.
"Why didn't you say anything?" I asked her.
"It would've made it a lot worse. I thought if I don't say anything they will get tired and leave me alone," Megan said, brushing her red strands behind her ear.
I saw a fresh scar on her hand. I grabbed her hand and examined it.
"What is this?" I asked. A thin scar ran down from her elbow to wrist.
She shrugged.
"Guess they don't like sticking to verbal abuse," she said.
I clenched my teeth. But I felt a ting of relief deep down. I thought she was hurting herself.
"They are going to pay for it," I said determinately.
"I hope they burn in hell," Megan said.
"Oh they will," I agreed.
"Promise me you won't do this ignoring stuff again. I was really worried," I said.
"I am sorry," she said again.
I shook my head.
"I should be the one apologizing. I should have known what was going on. I shouldn't have let any of this happen," I said guiltily.
She smiled sadly.
"What can I say I am good at hiding," she joked.
I cracked a smile.
They were really going to regret it.
"Let's go before someone sees us skipping class," I said and she nodded.
"Ellie," Megan said.
"Hmm?"
"Thank you for being my friend," she said.
I gave her a small smile.
I was more grateful for being her friend than she could think.
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