For You

A Cruel Remark

"Are you okay?" A question whenever someone asks me as a starter conversation I don't give the right answer . Maybe I want the other person to figure out by themselves . Maybe, I don't want them to figure out at all . It depends on how I want things to end .

"Are you okay?" Dave comes closer to me asking with profound concern illustrated on his face . I don't respond to him.

"Alex, I have math class now . I will meet you at lunch." I tell as I walk past him storming out. I started walking faster even if I get out of breath . I stop at my locker where I am literally panting for air. I take out my math book and other stuff as I keep my bag inside . I shut the locker door closed and turning around I see him standing in front of me .

He looks into my eyes saying ,"Ellie! Please . Talk to me."

I can see the dark lines under his eyes . I can see veins in his eyes popping up . His face painted with guilt and him filled with sorriness. He was hurting and so was I . I pursue to leave but he turns me around pulling me by my hand. He forces me to meet him face to face . Out of blue, he hugs tightly which took me by surprise .

" Give me a chance to explain," his voice quavers . I can apprise he's crying . My hands were in a position where they didn't want to hug him back . I strive to push him. Somehow, I am not trying hard enough.

"Dave, let me go."

"I won't ."

Our bodies were entangled together . I missed him . I missed hugging him like this .

"Please El. I can't stay away from you. Let me explain."

I push him hard this time and he finally quailed away .

"You are being stubborn." I clamour .

I notice few eyebrows rising up at us . People were talking . I look back at him where I see small drops underneath his eyes . I get closer to wipe slowly and I held his hand to race us out of there . We went to the rooftop of the school . The rooftop is usually closed and we used to get each others in by my special unlocking skills . I take out my hair pin to unlock it . I opened the door where I see the sun lines on the roof . It was bright daylight . I can't believe I am missing classes again . I lose my grip as we stand there on the plot.

" I am listening."

Seeing him like that wanted me cry to . Last time he cried like this for me was when I was hurting for that jerk Blake . But that was ages ago .

"Abigail called me after the incident in school," he begins not meeting my eyes .

"She said she's gonna kill herself."

It gets my attention hard .

"And you believed her ?" I say bewildered.

"It wasn't the first time she said something like this."

My mouth was shut for a while.

"It was the beginning of this year . When her parents had a divorce . She was broken . She was hurting . At a point I remember she stopped talking to me . She started acting different , acting.....wild. She ignored me for a week . I was worried the whole time. Everytime I texted, she said she was busy . But, I guessed she wanted to be alone as far Maggie shared. It was the day before summer camp where she finally texted me to meet her . So, I got myself ready . I thought she was finally okay . I brought flowers, chocolates even her favorite author books . But , when I reached her house I didn't expect what was coming. I went to her room which looked opposite than before . Smell of cigarettes and pile of clothes everywhere on the floor . I didn't see the twinkle in her eyes I saw always when she used to look at me . I didn't see her happy . I sat beside her to hold her. But , she got out of the bed walking away admitting that she did something terrible. I heard everything . Everything she had to say. But you know what made me pissed ?"

I walk a step closer seeing him turning red .

"That, I could have been the one for her . I wanted to be that guy . I wanted to be there just for her. But, she didn't let me," his voice rises .

"Dave," I whisper as I head over close to him .

"I wanted to take a break. But, she threatened me that she will kill herself . I thought she was just being childish with those words . But oh no! She f*****g wasn't. I kept the things I brought on her bed as I tried to leave . But she shouted and took the sharpest thing she could find. She took the blade out of the sharpener and I wanted to stop her . I told her to stop being crazy . But you know how Abby is . She pierced her skin using it . Her left arm was covered with blood. I snatched it out of her hand and she mutters into my ears that she can do much worse than this ."

I grasp his shoulders , "You should not be afraid of her and her stupid threats."

"It isn't her which I am scared of . " He says lowering his voice .

"It's ...." Before he could finish I hear someone coming.

The rooftop entrance bangs open as Mr.Colin pushed it.

"s**t. We are in trouble." I say as I watch Mr.Colin walking towards us .

"Ellie Daniels and Dave Anderson. What a surprise!"

Dave tries not to show his face because of the recent tear drops. I speak , "Mr.Colin we were just...." I look at Dave and think twice to what I was about to say . I didn't want him to get in trouble.

"I was telling Dave before to come here since I just got of a recent relationship and I am really depressed." The second I say depressed I think I heard Dave giggling .

"Well, Miss Daniels you know it's gonna affect your grades if you miss classes like that ."

He takes a pause as he stares at Dave , "And well, if you really did had problems than you know there is a school advisory committee ; where you could find teachers to talk to ."

"Yes...but Mr. Colin, I thought a friend can help me better . It wasn't actually his fault it was me . "

"Ellie you do know that I can't do anything . You both are in trouble . "

I try to extenuate. "But, why him? It wasn't his fault. "

"Well that's for Principal Lincoln to decide."

He looks at his watch and turns back to us saying , "And he wants you two to meet him at his office exactly now."

We both walk behind Mr.Colin as we go downstairs .

"It's okay El," Dave says walking down the stairs .

I smile back saying nothing .

"So, I heard everything from Mr.Colin and no matter how you two try to justify it won't help . You are getting the punishment anyway."

I am not surprised by Principal Lincoln.

"Which is .... parents meeting."

We were in shock . We were dazzled .

"What?" I shout which I don't often do in front of teachers and the Principal of course .

Principle Lincoln watched me react crazily through the space above his specs, on the tip of his nose.

"Parents meeting only for Miss Daniels . Since, she missed a lot of classes this month . "

He turns to Dave , "For Mr. Anderson , you have to clean the cafeteria after school."

I wanted to the clean cafeteria . Not wanted wanted... just that it is way better than parents meeting . Because, I don't want Dad to know I bunked classes without him knowing. He will kill me . Not kill me , kill me . Just that he will be disheartened.

"Are you kidding me life ? " I say persuasively looking up . Dave laughs looking at me as we walk out of the principal's office together. I am glad to see he coped up so fast.

Getting out the first face I see outside was Abby's . She was standing crossing her arms with fake tension on her face . Maggie was beside her telling her something . When they saw us, Abby dashed to Dave and hugged him . In a flash, I moved away to the other side . Alex was with them too. I watch Dave trying to push her slowly.

"You have no idea how worried I was!" She says with her yet another dramatic accent . Dave doesn't pay heed to her rather he is glancing at me . They were talking from a minute, where I spot Abby telling something and Maggie nodding. I am not sure what they were all talking about . Was it about me ?

Alex suddenly comes to the right side where I was sitting alone to talk to me.

"Are you okay?"

I say straight away , "Yeah man. I am fine." Looking at Dave looking at me while the others hating. It was like Abby's wish finally came true . In conclusion , I was finally out of the picture.