*Ring* *Ring*
"Mmm?"...
*Ring* *Ring*
"Nnnngh" *tsk* who is calling me so early!! I roll over to reach for my phone and pick it up wincing at every movement I've made thus far. "Hello?" I answer the phone groggily.
"Hey snowflake, did you forget about our plans?"
"Mmm, why are you calling so early? What plans?" I answer back half asleep.
"First of all sleeping beauty, it's like 1:30 in the afternoon. Second uh we had plans today to go to the beach which you made...."
It took me a while to register what he's saying to me and then it hit me, finally wide awake I reply back. "Ooohh! I'm so sorry Ethan! Where are you I'm getting dressed now." I said as I sat up in bed slowly trying not to wince while I'm on the phone.
"Well I'm downstairs in your kitchen eating chips while waiting for you to get up, I've been here hours ago."
"Why didn't you wake me up?"
"What kind of a best friend would I be if I missed a chance to give you a mini heart attack."
"So you waited a slow waiting game just for that chance?"
"Patience is key darling."
"You make no sense I'm hanging up now."
"Okay, I'll be up there in a few seconds."
"No! Don't come up here I'm gonna get dressed."
"Hmmm very sus, I don't know all the more reason to go upstairs."
"Mhm, yeah. You come in here and you're gonna have a taste of my fist of fury. Bye." I hang up the phone before he can get another word in. Miraculously I haul my body out of bed. I start to limp all the way into the bathroom. I take a quick glance at the mirror cabinet before opening it. What I saw in the mirror made me really realized how hard they kicked and punched me.
I thought they'd just cut my cheek but I guess that wasn't the case. I don't know how I didn't feel it yesterday, must've been all the adrenaline running through me. The cut I had on my cheek looked like nothing and my eye seemed okay yesterday maybe a little swole but it was okay, but it looks like it's gotten swollen overnight.
How am I gonna hide this? I literally have a blood clot in my eye. I avoided my mother yesterday but I'm not sure how I'm gonna hide this every day or if I even can. Snapping out of my head for a second I continue to
rummage through the mirror cabinet to stop the pain. I ended up finding some fever reducers that have some pain relief in them. I get some water and take it. My entire body feels so sore. Not wanting to take my medications I go back in the room to stand in front of the mirror in my room. At first glance, it looks like my legs and my eye are the only things that are bruised.
I pull up my shirt to see the damage that was done to the rest of my body. I ache all over.
I turn towards my sides to see that I was covered in bruises. I had bruises on my stomach, ribs, shoulder, arms, and legs...Well, it could've been worse. Just like before.
*Knock* *Knock*
~🌸~
"Liz, Are you done? Is it safe to come in?"
"Uhhh..No! Don't come in!" I say jumping into bed and under the covers. Thinking quickly I part my hair to the right side to cover my eye and I lay back in bed. "Um, come in!"
I say and a second later Nathaniel walks inside my room.
"Are you okay? You're acting a little weird." He says with a small smile while sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Yeah, amazing. Why are you asking?"
"Well for one your still in bed when you said you were gonna get dressed, and you forgot our plans today. You're acting pretty suspicious, it just seems like you're trying to hide something."
"What? Are you even listening to what you're implying." I say avoiding looking him in the eyes. I don't want him to know about anything but it's a little harder to hide something from your best friend.
"Elizabeth, I know you and you know I can tell when you're trying to hide something from me. Stop lying to me, you're better than that. You're a good girl." Ethan says as he pulls my hair away from my face and tucks it behind my ear revealing what was hiding underneath. I take a quick glance at his face and I can see how concerned he looks. I pull the covers over my head.
"Don't look at me!"
"Come out from under the covers."
"No! I don't want you to see me."
"Elizabeth."
"No..." The weight that was on the edge of the bed is now gone and Nathan is silent. Did I make him upset with me? Did he leave? I just don't want anyone to worry about me... I'm not worth it. Suddenly I feel the blankets pulled off of me and Nathaniel is in my field view, he seems overwhelmed but he doesn't say anything.
"I don't want to talk about it."
"..." Nathan just says nothing and sits down beside me and lifts up my shirt.
"Don't tell my Mum. Please."
"Does it hurt?" He says running his fingers on my skin.
"I took something for the pain." I biting my lips to stop me from yelling out in pain.
"Guess our Saturday's plan changed huh?" He says giving me a small smile.
"Yeah, I guess."
"Your Mom and brother went out we have the whole house to ourselves. I'll run you a really nice bubble bath, get some snacks, and we'll spend the rest of our Saturday cuddling while binge-watching movies. Sounds good?"
"Yes," I say giving him a small smile.
"Good, I'll be back. Get something comfy to wear." He says getting up heading to my bathroom. A minute later I hear the bath running. I get up carefully and pick out something comfy to wear as I head to the bathroom.
"The bath is ready for you. It's filled with bubbles, roses, and cherries blossom bath salts. All that's missing is you." Nathan tells me as he pats my head. He can be so bittersweet but I'm so lucky to have him as my best friend, I love him so much. No matter how far I fall I know he'll be there for me when I need him but I can't rely on him all the time. He has his own issues I'm sure not to mention that he lives in a different town now. Still, I'm glad he's the only one that understands me or at the very least the only one I can talk to from time to time and he'll listen to me.
"Okay I'm gonna go downstairs bring the snacks upstairs and get everything ready, I'll be back though so until then just relax... But not too much I don't want to have to call the ambulance or something."
"Yeah, yeah," I say tying my hair up into a high bun. Nathan leaves the bathroom off getting things ready. I'm kinda hungry I'm not gonna lie I think as I take off my clothes and get in the bathtub. The bubbles come up to my chest, you can barely see my body. How much soap bubbles did he put in here? Eh, I'll tell him to stop wasting so many soap bubbles later. Who does he think I am? The Queen of England? Probably not that'd be absolutely ridiculous, we don't even live anywhere near England.
I sit there for a while lost in thought, thinking about all the that's happened lately. If I'm being honest with myself, I feel absolutely alone. Especially now with Nathaniel moving into a new town and a new school. I feel abandoned, I know Father didn't leave only because of me but to top it off everyone at school dislikes me. They hurt me with their words and battery. It's draining really, I'm just really tired. Almost to the point of taking their offer and honestly I probably would too if it wasn't for my Mother, my little brother, and Nathan.
*Knock* *Knock*
"Hey Lizz, I'm just checking on you are you okay?"
".......Yeah. I'm okay, I'll be out in a minute or two." After saying that I hurry to wash up and get dressed. In about 10 minutes I step out of the bathroom only to find Ethan on the bed with Netflix already set on his laptop and a variety of snacks out. Nathaniel holds out his hand to me and tells me.
"I won't ask you what happened today but take care of yourself while I'm gone okay? Here take your medicine and come lay down with me let's watch Ghostbusters we'll have a movie marathon today." I nod and take the pills from his hand. I grab the cup of water that's on my nightstand and drink my medications. After that I lay down next to Ethan, soon enough we're cuddling together watching Ghostbusters: Answer the call and eating cheese popcorn and ham till dawn. Thanks, Nathan I don't know what I would do without you, I'm glad you're my best friend.
A/N:
Sorry, It'll take me a while to release the next chapter, my budgie died suddenly yesterday 9/25 at around 11:30 pm. I'm really upset I think I might need a little time before I can actually get a chance to work on the next chapter. Sorry for such a crappy and short chapter I'm just not into it at the moment. Hopefully, the next couple of chapters will be okay with the change of mood, until then later guys. 💔