Eyes and ears
1326 Words
C H A P T E R E L E V E N
E Y E S A N D E A R S
“Good morning!” Kayla spook excitedly once seeing me. Oh god..
“Ella! Hi”
“Theo? What’s up?”
Thank goodness for him showing up.
“I need a partner on the assignment, I was wondering if you are free?”
“Yeah.. actually I am”
“Great! Here, let me type in my number and we can discuss the details later” He spoke, grabbing my phone and typing his digits in it.
I saw Kayla stare at us from the corner of my eye before she let out a big sigh and turned around, making her way outside.
Hell.
The rest of the day was torturously slow, I did not want to take any chances and risk seeing them and getting confronted, so I skipped lunch and made my way to the bathroom, hiding there. I checked the time, and my last period was starting soon, so I went over to the sink, washing my face with cold water before patting it dry.
“Ella Joseph, right?” A girl from beside me spoke. I did not recognize her. We were alone in here and for some reason my heart started racing.
“Uhm.. yes. You are?”
“Do not worry about that now. What you should worry about is the boss. He gave you one job, and you did the exact opposite. Clean up your mess before I have to clean your dead body up after the boss kills you. Remember, these walls have eyes and ears, and they are watching and listening to your every step.”
Shit.
I headed out and went to the spot were I would chill with the group in between classes.
“Look what the cat dragged in” Keven spoke as soon as he noticed me standing there.
“Hey guys, I am-“
“Stupid for working with Theo” Kayla said, interrupting me.
God damn it Kayla.. I am not doing this because I want to. God how I wanted to say that.
“Okay you are right, but you gotta hear me out. I push everyone away when I am stressed, Liz hasn’t been easy to manage lately. I have had to skip classes to stay with her, and it’s just extremely exhausting. I don’t want you to deal with the crappy, angry Ella. I am sorry that it was unexplained, but I really needed that time”
“I hate how you always say something good” Kayla sighed, before scooting over so I could sit beside her.
I smiled but in the inside I was screaming, hoping that she wouldn’t have accepted this apology and instead pushed me away.
“Perfect timing by the way, our parents are throwing their yearly Christmas party.”
“I need a plus one” Nik said, interrupting Andrea.
“Okay..?”
“Want to go with me?”
“Uhm.. I mean would love to but isn’t a family thing?”
“Far from that. It is a business thing where our parents drag us along to torture us. Businessmen and their ways to make new contacts are something else” Kayla explained as she Keven nodded, agreeing with what she said.
“Besides, they always host it in January so that everyone can spend Christmas with their families and not worry about the business for once”
There she was.. the same girl from the bathroom earlier. There she was standing there as if nothing was going on, as if she did not just threaten my life a few minutes ago..
Is this how my life will be from now on? Surrounded by mob and killers, let alone being the killer myself..
“I..”
I took one last look at her as she stood there, looking at her phone but was definitely listening to our conversation.
"I would love to. Just send me the time and place and I'll be there" I spoke, putting on a wide smile. Before much more conversation about the dinner took place, a few familiar faces caught my eye.
"Uhm.. guys ? Are those not your parents ?"
They all turned their heads around apart for Nik.
"Oh s**t, what are the dinosaurs up to?" Keven joked quietly, but loudly enough for us to hear. They then made their way over to their parents as Nik sat still in front of me.
"Shouldn't you go?"
"Why?" He spoke sternly.
"I don't know.. I just thought that since your parents are here you might want to check what's up"
"It's just business. Nothing I care about. Do you?"
"No.. no I don't"
"Ella! Nice seeing you again!" I heard Alex say as she made her way over and kissed me once on each cheek.
Fuck f**k fuck... the woman from earlier was still here... she distanced herself a bit but I could still see her, and she knew that I did.
I took a deep breath before replying with a sweet "you too miss Black!"
"Oh darling, just call me Alex. Oh is that my son here who doesn't even bother sayin hi?" She said, looking at Nik as he just shook his head smiling.
"I just couldn't believe how long it has been since I last saw you" he spoke sarcastically before embracing his mother.
He looked adorable... but also completely different from the person he portrayed himself as a few seconds ago.
He sounded cold.. truly. For once since this started, I was wondering if he somehow knew about it. Why else would he sound so cold and harsh?
Looking back at it as I laid in bed later that night, I realized that the man did in fact not say a single thing out of line nor was he harsh. It was me overthinking like usual. I knew I had to stop it if I wanted to get out of this alive with Liz.
Elijah's POV
"I'm sorry, who did you say the mother is?"
"That would be Caroline Starr, Mr Black" the principal repeated once more.
"but there isn't any record of a father?" Alex asked as I could feel how the storm was now growing more and more. It got colder in the room.. or maybe my body got warmer. I don't know... I knew one thing however.. s**t just got a whole lot complicated.
After we left the office and got into the car, no one said a single word. As much as it made the thoughts run wild in the storm that was raging in my head, I think it's the best thing that could have happened right now. I need time to think.. we all do.
"Elijah?" Alex spoke at last, not even looking at me. Her gaze was still located at the front of the car, looking out from the windshield.
"Yes"
"You once told me that nothing happened that night. You promise me that it did not. Please tell me that you are sure, and you did not just say that in the moment to fix things"
"I.."
"You have never lied to me.. that's what I have always thought since I knew you. Please don't tell me that I was wrong about that"
"Alex, you are not wrong. I just don't remember much of that night. I don't remember what happened but I.."
"I..."
The words wouldn't come out anymore. I didn't even know what words I was looking for. What would I say anyway? I might have impregnated her, but I don't remember?'
This was too damn good to begin with.. I should have known earlier that it wouldn't last. God how I wished that it would have thought, but sometimes wishes aren't enough for anything.
- Writer
