I walked to the Library even though this place is known to be bad luck to me. I sighed and grabbed a seat on the second floor. I pulled out a book on the way up here.
It was the same book I had yesterday about The Civil War. I paged through the pages when I felt a presence. "What the fuck was that?" He growled angrily. I sighed and looked up.
"I don't have time for this Elijah." I was emotionally drained. I just wanted to forget these past two days. This week has started off weird and I don't know. It's just weird..
"Aaliyah, what was that." He demanded again through clenched teeth. I was getting angrier. "That was me protecting myself!" I whisper shouted so I wouldn't draw attention.
"Yourself, well what about Toni, huh?" He pushed. "How do you think she feels now that you rejected her?" He was almost yelling. Good thing no one was in here and the Librarian was too busy reading.
"I don't know, Elijah!" I ran a hand through my ponytail. "How do you think I feel? I'm so confused and worried!" I concluded and he didn't seem any better. His teeth were still clenched shut and I sighed.
"Why are you worried?" He finally spat. "I'm worried because I don't want to be hurt, Elijah, I don't think I could possibly take any more pain! I don't think I could ever be able to handle someone else leaving me because I wasn't good enough!" I could feel tears brimming my eyes.
I laughed lightly, and shook my head. I glanced up at the ceiling to keep the tears in. "Liyah, we have to take chances in life, and Toni isn't like that, she won't leave you." His voice was calm now, but he was still mad at me.
"Yeah, well what if I get close with the rest of you, then one day, you guys decide you don't want to be friends with someone as cruel as me?" I pushed. "What then? I already had one of your friends leave me. I don't need that again, plus all of you." My voice was now a whisper and some of the tears spilled.
"I can't speak for anyone here, but I know the guys better than anyone, we've all been there, we all want to be your friend. We find something different about you, and we're drawn to you. If anything we should be worried about you leaving us." He explained softly and I couldn't answer without a sob breaking loose so I just stood there.
"Now, stop crying, and start smiling. You barely smile, and you're already getting worry lines. So stop frowning and smile." I let out a small laugh and used the back of my hand to wipe away my tears and the mascara that's probably down my cheeks.
"Liyah, promise you won't leave us." He almost sounded pleading. I looked up and locked my blue eyes with his brown ones. I smiled and nodded. "I promise." I whispered and he smiled back.
Has smiling always felt this good? It's been awhile since I actually smiled and it feels kind of good. Now, don't think I'm going to go around skipping with a thing of daisies in my hand giving girls compliments. Hell no! I'm just going to be me.
Around a bunch of new people, who want to know the real me.
"Come on, let’s get back to our friends." Elijah smirked and I rolled my eyes, but got up nevertheless.
We walked back to the cafeteria silently with a few girls glaring at me, then gawking at Elijah. "She's such a slut, I bet she's fucking him for money." The one girl whispered to the other. Oh hell no!
"What did you just say?" I stopped walking and growled at her. She smiled sweetly and flicked her hair over her shoulder. "I basically called you a prostitute." She concluded while sticking her perky nose in the air.
I laughed darkly, then walked up to her. "Say it again." I demanded in a threatening tone. Fear clouded her eyes, but she pushed it back. "I said you're a dirty sl-" She didn't finish that sentence because I punched her in the nose.
Good. I hope I broke it. "You little, bitch." She spat at me, a bit of blood flying out of her mouth that was forming on her lips due to her bloody nose. She threw a punch at me and I quickly dodged it. I raised an eyebrow at her as she huffed and tried again.
She pulled my ponytail and I quickly punched her in the jaw, causing her to let go. She screamed and attacked me, causing me to fall on the floor. She kept aiming punches at my face, which I easily dodged besides one that landed on my cheek.
This pissed me off and I threw her off me, allowing me to straddle her. "Big." Punch. "Fucking." Punch. "Mistake." Punch. At this time, her body was giving out and she was falling unconscious.
"Liyah, come on, get up." Elijah tried to pull my arm but I didn't budge. I punched the girl one last time as Elijah picked me up and off her. I yelled profanities at her but gave up as my feet connected with the ground again.
The girl’s friend was calling Elijah and I names as she approached as and sent a good blow to Elijah's cheek. "What the fuck?" He growled out and I stepped in front of him as he clutched his eye.
"I suggest you leave, before you're lying next to your friend unconscious." I growled out and she scrambled away. When she left I sighed and looked at Elijah. His cheek was red and was already forming colors.
He cracked a smile and winced but talked anyways. "Look, we have matching bruises." I laughed lightly at him, shaking my head I grabbed his wrist gently. "Come on." I said softly as we walked to the nurses.
"Scarlet!" I called out to the nurse’s room. "Aailyah Marie Langdon is that you?" She called back sternly. I flinched and walked into her office sheepishly. "What happened to you?" She gasped and walked up to me.
I walked further into the room, dragging Elijah with me. "Did he do this to you?" She gasped again, whispering. I laughed lightly. "Good, God, no. He wouldn't." I assured her and she let a breath of relief.
"Why is your cheeks bruised and why are your knuckles covered in blood, young lady!" She scolded and I flinched. Ladies and gentleman. Scarlet Lovelady. My mom's best friend. Also known as my second mother. Literally.
"I kind of had a disagreement with another girl." I said sheepishly while scratching the back of my neck. "Disagreement my ass." Elijah scoffed from next to me and I hit him in the gut with the back of my hand causing him to groan. I smiled in triumph.
"Okay, well, I'm going on my lunch break and I'm not missing it because of your irrational decisions. So please clean up, and clean him up!" She gave me a pointed look and I nodded obediently. She gave me a smile and offered one back.
She looked surprised, but left anyways. Why is it such a big deal if I smile?! Ugh. People.
"Come on." I sighed pulling Elijah back out to the waiting room area with the beds. I sat him on the bed and pulled out the supplies needed.
"You really know where everything's at, come here often?" He broke the silence with curiousness and slight mock. I shrugged and nodded. "Sometimes school becomes too much, I get bored, and I come here." I explained while continuing my hunt.
I could hear him shifting on the school bed and I glanced back at him. "Are you two close?" He questioned again. I nodded. "Yeah, she's like my mom more than my own mom." I paused before I continued. "She's my mother's best friend." I whispered and I could see him nodding.
I sighed and brought the tools over to the bed placing them next to him. I pulled up the alcohol wipe and brought it to his cheek hovering over it. "Okay, this is going to sting, so I want you to breath in and out deeply, okay?" I asked in a gentle voice and he nodded.
I grimaced and brought the wipe to his cheek, he flinched and hissed in pain. "I'm sorry." I whispered as I rubbed in tiny circles. "It's alright." He bit out. I finished up by rubbing a bit of cream to help the pain calm down and keep from swelling.
He released a shaky breath and I threw out the wipes I used. I walked over to the sink and turned the water on gently. I placed my hands under and hissed through my teeth at the pain. I closed my eyes and let out a breath.
I pulled my hands out of the water, turning it off and flicking the dripping water off. I grabbed a towel and dabbed them dry, making sure not to cause pain to the cuts on my knuckles. I placed Neosporin on a band and bandaged my hands.
"How do you do this?" Elijah asked in the corner amused. "What?" I asked through a laugh. "This. Like, wow! I don't get it." He explained and I shrugged. "You know what you're doing if you want to make a living out of it." I explained and he tilted his head.
"You wanna be a doctor?" He questioned and I shook my head. "I just wanna be the nurse. I couldn't be the doctor." I explained and he nodded. "You know, you're nothing I expected." He added and I narrowed my eyes. "Thanks." I replied sarcastically.
"No, no. Not in a bad way, it's good, it's a good way I, uh-." I cut off his rant with a laugh. "It's okay. I get it." I smiled and he looked relieved.
I moved over to a mirror and began to clean my cheek. I'll admit, she got a good punch in. Too bad it was just a punch and not more.
Wow. I think I'm really insane.. I should seek medical attention.
Nah! That's not needed. I hissed when I rubbed my now bruising cheek. It was starting to swell and I had to hurry my cleaning process or it won't heal properly. I finished cleaning my cheek with the disinfecting wipes and rubbed the cream on my cheek.
I sighed in relief when I was finished. "That never gets any easier." I muttered as I disposed the wipes. "You fight a lot?" Elijah questioned with a raised eyebrow. I shrugged. "When I need to." He nodded in understanding but didn't push.
"Where are you going now?" He asked next to me. "To talk to Jack." I replied casually with a shrug. "You mean Dean?" Oh, yeah, I forgot. I can't use his first name. "That would be the one." I replied sarcastically.
"Okay, well, I'll see you later?" He asked and I nodded. "They might call you down for questions because the one blonde punched you. I won't mention anything, but the girls might. I don't know." I explained and he nodded.
"Oh, and it shouldn't take me too long, but I need a favor." I asked sheepishly and he gave me a questioning look. "What?" He asked nervously.
"I have a plan." I grinned and Elijah groaned.