Chapter 9

The following days, I felt guilty for the interaction between Ellie and I. We made up, yes, but we had been so close in that moment and it felt so good, and I went and pushed her away. The image of betrayal on her face was nailed into my brain. That night when I closed my eyes to go to bed it was outlined in perfect detail. Right after we had just made amends, too…

“What are you thinking about?” Ellie murmured in my ear, leaning over her desk and onto mine. My gaze snapped over to her and away from our science teacher who was rambling on and on.

“Nothing. But I also don’t understand a thing she’s saying,” I whispered to Ellie as I looked back to Mrs. Mountara who was pacing in front of her desk.

“No one does,” Ellie murmured. “Probably stressed about her husband divorcing her,” She said with a smirk.

“Ellie,” I hissed, looking over at the brunette incredulously. “You can’t say that-” I scolded. Everyone in town knew it by now, though. Mrs. Mountara was going through a nasty divorce and she hadn’t been teaching anything for about two weeks now.

“Girls!” Mrs. Mountara’s shrill voice called from the front, making me jump in my seat. Ellie covered her mouth with her hand, very clearly snickering underneath. “Why are we talking?”

Neither Ellie nor I responded, looking at each other. Everyone else around was quiet and I looked down to my plaid skirt anxiously, fiddling with the fabric as I felt myself sweating.

“Sorry, Mrs. Mountara,” Ellie said casually after a moment, leaning back in her seat and rubbing her neck. “Eve was confused ’bout the notes.”

“Right…” Mrs. Mountara said, squinting at us. I didn’t dare look up, gnawing at my bottom lip instead. “Well, pay attention. And ask me if you have questions next time.” She said before going back to her pacing. I let out a relieved breath, my head falling on the cold wood of the desk. I looked over at Ellie with a playful glare while she winked at me.
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“No, just come on, Eve. It’s fine. Promise.” Ellie reassured me for probably the millionth time. She had insisted on us going to some get-together Friday night with a few of her friends in what was apparently the middle of nowhere.

“Ellie, I’m going to fall. Hold my hand, woman,” I grumbled as I clumsily walked across the old and creaky wooden bridge. It was about six at night now, but the sunset was quite early. How she convinced my father to take me out, I had no idea. Must’ve been a darn good lie. I tried to block it out when they conversed, scared Dad would blow up.

“I’m trying! You’re the one clutching your dress like it’s a lifeline,” She chuckled, holding her hand out for me to hold as she stood on the other side of the bridge, already having crossed the whole thing.

“Ugh, I- okay…” I murmured as I reached out for her hand. I held it tight, closing my eyes as she pulled me the rest of the way across. It was silent for a moment and then I finally cracked my eye open again, letting out a breath as I realized I was standing on land again. Ellie smirked at me and let out a string of giggles as I slowly let up my death grip on her hand and she released my waist.

“See? You made it,” Ellie taunted, motioning me forward again. “We’re almost there. I can hear them.” She said as she headed up the hill, the ground littered with soggy leaves and wet grass.

“You could’ve told me to wear more appropriate shoes, ya know,” I sighed as I followed behind her, taking careful steps. She didn’t respond, just continued to trudge up the steep hill and pull me with her. Finally, we arrived at the top where the sounds of chatter and the bonfire invited us.

“That’s them,” Ellie murmured as she touched my lower back and led me along.

     “This place looks weird…” I said quietly. I looked around us, my arms wrapped around myself. It looked kind of like an old junkyard with a discarded, graffitied bus and stuff strung out everywhere, food wrappers and old furniture.

“Oh, it’s fine. Relax. I’ve been here plenty of times,” Ellie said, pulling me closer to her side. She leaned down to talk closer in my ear. “But innocent Eve hasn’t been anywhere.” She teased, running her fingers down my back teasingly, tickling and making me shiver. I squeaked and pushed her hands away with a glare while she chuckled.

“Ellie!” A male voice shouted, causing both Ellie and I to look up in that direction. Over around the fire sat two boys and two girls around our age. The one who had called for Ellie had a beer in his hand and his arm around the blonde girl beside him.

“Aye,” Ellie greeted, the ‘e’ drug out as she walked closer with a casual smile. Her laid-back demeanor made me smile a little, a sparkle in my eyes as I watched her. “What’s up?”

“Kicking it,” The boy chuckled, removing his arm from around the blonde girl the shake Ellie’s hand. I thought so, at least, but they actually did some weird clap-thing. I watched in confusion at the new language and gestures, but I smiled nonetheless. “Who’s this?” He asked, brows furrowing and his lips curving up as he eyed me.

“This is Eve. The girl I was talking about,” Ellie said. At her words, the boy’s eyebrows raised, and the girls beside the blonde whistled. I looked between them all awkwardly while Ellie pulled me closer by my waist. “Eve, this is Kai. That’s Mena, then Jacqueline, and that’s Brae.” Ellie introduced us all, going down the line from the boy, the two girls, and the other boy. There were a few more people around, but it seemed she knew these ones best.

“Hey,” I said softly, smiling at them as I looked at them curiously. I tried to act casual, but my heart beating out of my chest was anything but casual. Gosh, I was so awkward. I fidgeted with my fingers, chest tightening at the fact they were all watching me with such interest. I wasnt’t that special. “It’s nice to meet you…all,” I murmured, mentally slapping myself for stumbling over my words.

“Likewise,” The dark purple-haired girl, Jacqueline, said with a smile. She held her hand out and I hesitantly accepted the greeting. Thankfully, she didn’t make the weird gesture that Kai and Ellie had. Instead, she simply shook my hand and smiled at me brightly. “I’ve heard a lot about you. I play with Ellie – basketball,” She giggled, her voice holding a teasing edge.

“Good things, I hope?” I laughed softly, pulling my hand away and awkwardly tucking it back at my side. She let out a laugh at that, leaning forward a little as her eyes squinted closed with her laughter.

“Oh, Ellie always-,” Jacqueline began.

“Obviously good things. Only good things.” Ellie cut in abruptly, patting my hip with her hand. I nodded up at her with my poor bottom lip trapped between my vicious teeth.

The party was an interesting affair but easily overstimulating and my brain felt as if it was melting within an hour. I did genuinely enjoy talking with Ellie’s friends, though. Meeting new people wasn’t as bad as I’d thought it to be. I laughed quite a bit, even almost falling over at one point, and a wheezing Ellie had to hold me up. I wasn’t intoxicated but with the way I stumbled, it probably looked that way. Ellie had more alcohol in her system than me by a long shot and she was fine. She was babysitting me, if anything.

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“You seem like you’re having fun,” Ellie chuckled, the both of us stationed on the ledge of a high rock now, just a few feet away from everyone else.

“This is fun…” I admitted softly as I swung my shoeless feet over the drop. I just had on my white socks now, giggling to myself.

“What? The party? Or acting like an idiot?” She laughed, smiling as she watched me.

“Shut up…” I scoffed, leaning back to rest my back flat against the rocks rough surface. I sighed and closed my eyes, relaxing my body. “The party…” I murmured quietly. You know, I didn’t exactly approve of the drinking or the smoking, or anything really, it was ungodly, but it made people fun in good amounts. I liked Ellie better on nothing, though. I liked Ellie because I liked Ellie. So, even if Ellie did things I disagreed with, that I went against, I still loved Ellie. Ellie was Ellie. And that made perfect sense to me.

“I told you it would be,” She mumbled. She reached over and patted my thigh which was covered by the fabric of my dress. Her hands were slightly cold, but I welcomed her comforting touch with a soft hum. When I opened my eyes again, I looked to the dark sky, lit by the moon and stars.

“The moon is pretty tonight,” I whispered as I stared up. Ellie was quiet for a moment, taking a swig from the transparent brown bottle before glancing up. She chuckled softly and then looked back my way, groaning as she guided herself up from the rock.

“Yep, yeah it is. I think it’s time I get your ass home, though,” She sighed, standing above me and offering her hand.

“Hey…don’t say bad words. And drinking is bad.” I murmured as I stared up at her with a smile. She huffed a laugh, rolling her eyes.

“Fine, I need to get your butt home,” She laughed, shaking her hand at me again. “Come on.”