Eli and I had been through a lot in the past couple of months…
We had our first monthiversary, which I'm pretty sure Eli came up with just to embarrass me. He had a thing for making me blush, which I've become used to.
Introducing Eli to my parents…The awkward dinner the four of us shared. I knew that my parents wouldn't really like me dating Eli. My parents are the kind of people who do judge a book by its cover. Ohh, the thoughts my parents probably had when Eli showed up in his signature black and grey attire. But I told my mom and dad that Eli made me very, very happy and that they had to keep an open mind. And so they did. They don't approve of Eli, but they accept that we're together.
Eli's step-mom pressed charges against Eli's dad, Eli's step-mom, Amber, winning custody over Eli. I went to court with him, supporting him as once again he had to live through that night. It was just as hard for me to relive. Those couple days I hadn't heard from him. Not knowing where he was, what had happened to him….But that was the past.
I could tell that Eli would always love his dad, but that he was relieved to be free from him. Him and his step-mom moved to an apartment not too far from my house. It was closer than where his old house had been. Our occasional late night…...Get-togethers were a whole easier now. He usually snuck over to my house, but recently I've been heading over to his place. The less time I spent at my house, the better. My parents were slowly growing farther and farther apart. It was more like being in prison…
And of these last couple months, the biggest thing we'd gone through was the A Night in Vegas dance. Just thinking back to that night, I got chills, my eyes unfocussed. I do admit, I was naïve and stupid for agreeing to go to the dance with Fitz. But at the time, I really believed I was helping. I just couldn't continue to live with all the back and forth fighting between Eli and Fitz.
I remember standing in the dark hallway with Eli, Fitz slowly approaching us. The blade of a knife shining from his hand. The way Eli moved backward whenever Fitz pushed him, Fitz eventually cornering him. Somebody's got to shut you up. Fitz sticking the knife forward, the look on Eli's face, him sliding down to the floor. I remember feeling like I was drowning. Like the initial shock of being submerged under the water, not knowing exactly what happened. Then realizing that you're under and there's no way of coming back up. I thought I had lost him, Eli Goldsworthy. Those few moments of thinking he was gone, I felt like a part of me had been taken away and I'd never get it back.
I then remember my knees collapsing, finding my way over to Eli who was looking ominously off to the distance. My eyes traveling up to Fitz, the knife sticking out from the plaster wall. At that very moment, I promised myself to make each day of my life memorable, because I'd never know which would be my last…
And with that vow, I didn't regret any second of those past months. Even if there were some rough patches…It made me who I was. It made me and Eli who we are.
My thoughts were suddenly interrupted, reminding me where I was…
"So…Did you?" My mom asked, tightening her grip on the steering wheel.
"Did I what?" I said, puzzled.
"Did you have a good time at your grandma's?" She asked, letting out a sigh.
My grandma's. Two weeks up north at her little cottage, with little to no internet or phone connection. Two weeks without seeing Eli. Sure mom, I had a good time…
"Umm, yeah it was…Relaxing." I said, lying through my teeth.
"Ahh, I'm glad. Is the kitchen still painted that awful green color?" She asked playfully.
"Yeah." I said with an unexpressive laugh. I just wanted to get home. I wanted to go to school tomorrow and get back on track. I wanted to see Eli so desperately.
It would take another hour or so before we got back home. If only the freaking speed limit wasn't 25 MPH.