Living Two Lies

Dreaded Days Lie Ahead.

I woke up the next morning after an eventful night. I snuck back upstairs to get ready for school. I quietly opened my room door, and saw CJ fast asleep on my bed. I rolled my eyes and thought to myself, what I would do, to have my bed back all to myself.

I grabbed my clothes I'd wear for the day. My clothes consisted of ripped skinny jeans, and a black band t-shirt. I straightened my, somewhat, long brown hair, slabbed on some mascara, and brushed my teeth. I made sure I stayed quiet, I didn't want to wake CJ up. I just didn't feel like setting my day off on the wrong foot. I mean, he acts so crazy for no reason and out of no where. I grabbed my black sneakers and my bookbag. I slid out my bedroom door, and headed for the bus stop.

Once I got to school, I was greeted by my best friends. They always made my day and made school worth coming to.

"Lydia! Over here!" said Josh. They always stand by the trophy cases in the mornings, I always know where to find them. I still love that they call for me, though. I look over to see Josh standing with our other close friends; Sammie and Duncan (they're together), Paul (he's CJs cousin but I've known him way longer than I've known CJ), Alan (my life long best friend since birth) and Becky she's Josh's girlfriend. I walk through the thick crowd of high schoolers to get to my friends, little did I know who was with them was Eli. I didn't notice him at first because he was sitting down, and the crowd blocked him. I froze staring at his blonde curly hair, his ocean blue eyes, and his beautiful smile as he was laughing and joking around with our friends.

"Earth to Lydia," said Sammie as she was waving in my face trying to get my attention. I blinked a few times, and smiled. "I'm here, I'm here. Last night was just eventful. I'm not really with it today."

"CJ again?" asked Sammie. I groaned and shrugged my shoulders. I didn't even want to think about last night. I didn't even want the school day to end. I dreaded going back home, especially because I knew he was off.

"Lydia," I knew that voice, it instantly sent chills down my spine. "Want to go down to the cafeteria and grab breakfast with us?" Every time Eli talked to me, I got butterflies. I was instantly mesmerized. "Uh-I, yes I'm starving." He flashed me his notorious half grin, and waved the rest of us along to follow him.

I walked along Sammie and Duncan. I quickly gave Sammie the new scoop about what had happened last night with CJ. "I don't know how you're still with him, Lydia."

"I try to leave him, Sam. I've tried multiple times and every single time he starts hurting himself screaming at me. He won't leave, he always asks me 'why do you do this to me?'. I'm starting to realize I'll be stuck with him for the rest of my life and I'll always be miserable," I responded.

"We got to do something about this, Lyd. This isn't okay, how he acts isn't normal." Duncan tries to sympathize, they all do but I still somehow I still feel alone. I still feel empty.

We get to the cafeteria, we all grabbed our trays and sat at our usual table we've been sitting at for the last three years. Sammie usually sits across from me, but this time, Eli did.

"Lydia, did you do the homework for our AFDAH class?" Eli asked me. He's talking to me right now, face to face. I just kind of stare at him. AFDAH is our math class, Eli and Josh are in the same class as I. We all sit together.

"Yeah, I always do my homework, did you do it?"

"For once, yeah." Eli said with a small chuckle and yet again his amazing half grin.

The bell rings for us to get to our first class. I jumped, startled at the sound.

"Can I walk you to class?" I turned around stunned, Eli just asked me if he could walk me to class.

"If you want to, you can." Play it cool, Lydia.

We walked in silence, but it wasn't awkward. We arrived at my first class of the day.

"Well, this is my stop," I said.

"I guess so. I should probably get to class." He starts to walk away, stops and turns around.

"Lyd, text me later. I got something I want to talk to you about."

"Oh? I'll text you later." Great, I'm blushing but also super nervous.

I spent my whole day pondering about what on earth Eli would want to talk to me about. I texted Sammie about it.

What do you think he wants to talk about Sam? I'm nervous. If CJ sees me texting Eli he's going to flip his lid. Would I be wrong if I texted him?

Lyd, you and Eli are just friends. Everyone does catch the way you look at him. People are starting to think somethings up. He looks at you in the same way. There's definitely something there, we all just don't know what. I don't even think you know what it is yet either. But I think he does. xoxo Sammie.

Her text signature gets me every time. I lock my phone and stick it in my back pocket. The final bell of the day was about to start ringing, which meant I get to go home. I couldn't be anymore excited.

The bell finally rings, I gather my belongings and head to the bus. Half an hour later, I get off the bus. I start walking home, still thinking about what Eli wants to talk about. I couldn't wait anymore so I text him.

Hey Eli. It's Lydia. You said you wanted to talk?

I press send, and my heart is thumping. I finally got to my front door, took a deep breath and walked upstairs. I stand there staring at my bedroom door not wanting to go in. I groaned, rolled my eyes and opened it. There was CJ, sitting on my bed like he had been waiting for me from the moment I left. His face was bruised and swollen from the night before. I stood a few feet from the end of my bed, looking at him with a blank stare. He looks up at me from his game, and says “I’m sorry for last night.” He stands up and hugs my head tight against his chest. “I just don’t want you to leave me,” he says while crying. I don’t hug him back, he noticed. He grabs my arms and puts them around his waist. I just stand there, numb.