"Ellie… I didn't think you'd be here today" Ashley as I walked up to her behind Marco. Way to keep your mouth shut Marco. "how are you?" she asked in a sympathetic voice
"I'm cool" I said and smiled. She looked at Marco and he shrugged. I walked past her and headed for my locker. Maybe I should've stayed home… I shouldn't be here…I remembered how great Marco was the night before. He didn't asked what happened, he didn't make me tell him anything, he was just there for me. We talked about the latest stupid movie we saw… and he just… he just got me.
"Ellie, hun, I heard about your dad I'm really sorry" I recognized Paige's voice immediately
"Yeah… whatever…" I said and kept walking Don't cry Nash… you're ok… just get to your locker and you'll be fine…don't let this bother you. I said to myself over and over until I got to my locker. It took me a while to remember my combo. I didn't have much in there since all my stuff was still at home...I reached up and found the little black box
"Ellie can I see you in my office for a few minutes?" Ms. Sauve asked. I stuffed the box in my sweatshirt pocket and followed her to the all too familiar guidance office. We sat in her office in silence for a while. I could tell she was searching for the best way to ask…
"How are you holding up?" She finally said. I shrugged "How about your mother?" I shrugged again. "Ellie, I know we've talked a lot about this, but it is ok to cry" I nodded. "Why are you at school today?" I shrugged again "Maybe you should go home." I shook my head " you need time to grieve, you need time to yourself, you need to have time to cope with your father's death." Tears were falling again. I stood up and I left. I couldn't, no, I didn't want to listen to here anymore. I found Marco and told him I was going back to his house. He gave me his keys after arguing that he should come with me. "Call me if you need anything… and you should probably go get some of your stuff… if you're up to it" I nodded and walked out of the halls that I hated so much and into the streets that I now hated more.
I reached under the welcome mat to get the spare key. I opened the door slowly. "mom…?" I asked not sure if she was there. Call me if you need anything… and you should probably go get some of your stuff…I thought about what Marco said that morning… that's why I was here… for my stuff. I slowly opened the door. I checked the downstairs and I didn't find her. I ran upstairs and checked her room and bathroom. She wasn't there either so I went to my room. I started throwing clothes in my backpack. I dug in my closet for my duffel bag and started throwing stuff in there too. I ran into my bathroom and grabbed all the things I needed from there. Then I remembered something… my box… my secret box under the bed. I slowly got onto my stomach and dug around under my bed shit I got too much stuff under here… there… got it. I suddenly felt myself getting pulled by the ankles
"DIDN'T I SAY YOU'RE NOT WELCOME HERE?" my mom yelled pulling me up off the floor. "Didn't I say you don't belong here?" I stayed silent "DIDN'T I?" She pushed me back. I tripped over my backpack and my head hit the wall. "YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING RIGHT ELEANOR NOT EVEN WHEN I PUNISH YOU" I felt her kick me again, just like she did two days ago but this time it hurt so bad I couldn't breathe. She picked up my backpack and threw it at me "SO YOU WANT YOUR STUFF HUH?" She went over to my desk and picked up a CD case. It hit me on the head and blood trickled down my forehead "THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT? ALL THE STUFF I PAYED FOR ALL THE THINGS YOU'RE SO UNGRATEFUL FOR" She kept throwing things at me. She picked up the picture frame with the picture of me and my dad in it
"not….not daddy…" My mom stopped what she was doing. She looked at the picture, laughed, and put it back on my desk. She walked out of my room. I heard the front door again I gotta get up… I gotta go… before she gets back… gotta get back to Marco's…I slowly started to get up. The pain in my side was unbearable c'mon Ellie you can do it…I managed to stand up and pick up my stuff. I grabbed the picture of me and my dad on my way out. I slowly got downstairs but by the time I made it to the front door I knew I wouldn't make it back to Marco's house on my own. I got my phone and called him
"Hello"
"Marco… I… I need help with my stuff… and hurry… please…" I hung up.