This was another difficult chapter for me to write, but even more so. Chapter eight has the biggest cliff-hanger so far, but I won't elaborate. This one turned out pretty well, but in order for me to have a real opinion, I need reviews! That make me feel secure about my work, so don't forget.

Eight:

As Ellie stormed back into her house after the drive home, she saw that Sean was sitting on her couch in the living room, watching some television with Marco. She had absolutely no intention of talking to either one of them as she ran up the stairs. She hoped that they would understand and not follow.

Ellie could think of nothing but cold betrayal. It felt as if someone cut out her heart and replaced it with anger. The angst in her was released through her skin and spread Goosebumps across her flesh. The pain was always there—just waiting. Waiting for someone in her life to screw everything up. She had been stupid and vulnerable for it to happen though, and that is why she blamed herself. She knew that her insecurities about letting others in had to mean something—and now she was just realizing what.

She was surprised that she wasn't—surprised. Deep down she knew something like this would happen eventually, and that it was just a matter of time. She could trust no one. Probably not even herself. She knew this now. She was always setting herself up to get knocked down.

She wondered why she let her mother become such a big part of her life once again. She knew part of it was because as much as she tried to overlook it, she wanted a normal life. Not this messed up one that she was forced to portray.

The image of her mom back at the house flashed through her mind, and the conversation they had replayed in her head. How did she not see this coming? How did she not think to prepare? Since similar things in the same genre have happened to her in the past she should have been prepared.

Ellie looked around the house, and then finally spotted the cordless phone resting on her nightstand. She dialed a very short number.

"Hello.—Can I get the number for the Hamilton Facility in Ontario?" As she receives a number from the other line, she hastily scribbles it down on a piece of notebook paper. "Great." She hung up the phone; only to dial the number she had written down and put the phone to her ear once again.

"Hamilton Facility of rehabilitation, how may I help you?" The woman's voice on the other end was maddeningly cheerful.

"Hello." Ellie tried her best to sound pleasant as well. "I was just needing to know the date in which a woman had left the facility. She should be under the last name Nash."

The woman didn't speak for a short while. "Yes—Mrs. Nash is in out records. It looks like she checked herself out on—October 28th."

Ellie didn't say goodbye before she hung up the phone, and threw it across the room. "How could she do that? I gave her that money so she could get better and she just checked herself out!" Ellie was even more upset now.

There was a soft knock out the door, causing Ellie to utter "Go away."

"Ellie—are you okay?" It was Sean's voice. "I thought I heard something." Something being the phone being thrown across the room, of course.

"I'm fine." She was very annoyed now.

"You don't sound fine." He replied stubbornly.

"Please leave me alone?" As she asked this, she tried to sound nicer, so maybe he would just give her the space she needed.

"Just tell me what's going on okay?" Guess not.

Ellie was very irritated in Sean's persistence and aprehended he wouldn't be giving up any time soon. She then realized that she had some things she wanted to tell him anyway, so she opened the door. He walked in, surprised by the fact that she had let him in her room in the first place.

"Thanks." He muttered, now facing her. "Now what's got you so upset?"

"Oh you know—the usual. Dealing with things way beyond my maturity level." She said pretending to be casual. "I was just at my mother's house."

"So? I thought she was staying sober again." As her face dropped he realized what had happened.

"Not anymore. I don't know who I was kidding though. Nothing remains happy. Not for me anyway. I should just get used to it."

"Don't talk like that. Don't act as if you're—"

"Giving up?" Ellie interrupted. "That's exactly what I'm doing. Always being let down by those we thought loved us, aren't we Sean? Well I for one am not going to let it happen again. That's why we can't keep hanging out."

"What are you talking about?" He asked in confusion.

"I'm talking about us. As much as we tried to tell ourselves otherwise we can't be friends. It just can't happen for us. There's too much history, and I can't be let down again. I refuse to be let down again."

"Ellie—"

"No." She interrupted once more. "Don't tell me you'll never hurt me because you will. It's not your fault though, because everybody does. Let's just end this before it actually turns into something okay?"

"Ellie you're just upset. You're confused about your mom."

"The last thing I am is confused. If you haven't caught on yet, I am in fact dead serious. You may think I'm being a coward and your right—and I don't care. I know you wouldn't do this if you were in my situation but that's what makes us different doesn't it? Poor little Seany has a tragic life but he's been so brave. I'm not like you. That's why you have to leave now."

"Forget about it Ellie." Sean said sternly. "I know this isn't you."

"Actually this is me, finally showing through. I am my mother's daughter aren't I? Her blood runs through my veins, and I may as well not fight it anymore because I'm growing more and more like her all the time, and one day I'll turn around and be exactly like her. You can't fight science Sean—you can't fight genetics."

Sean wanted to protest some more, but he knew it would get him nowhere. He wanted to tell her that he would never leave. He wanted to tell her that he loved her, but instead shook his head and headed out the door. He did not plan on letting her go, but felt her mind was clouded for the night with thoughts of her mother so he left her alone—just for the meantime.

Ellie felt a surge of relief after he had gone. After he left, she cried softly in her hands. She knew she had to be cruel to make him leave, but she hated that she had to hurt him like that. She felt as if it would be better for both of them if he walked out that door, but she had to make it stick. He had to make sure that when she cut him out of her life, he wouldn't claw himself back in. Not this time.

A few hours had passed and soon Ellie was the only one in the house who was still awake. She practically frustrated herself to tears when she tried to sleep but it was no use. She had never been so tired in her entire life, but the guilt had kept her up at night. She was now sitting at the kitchen table, with a bottle of vodka at hand.

She was in a trance like state before she started drinking. She was tired and felt like she was going crazy with grief…guilt…and anger. All she could think about was how much she felt her mother inside her, finally reaching to the surface. All she could do was wonder why her mother drinks. She decided to test it out.

In all fairness, she knew she wasn't acting rationaly. She tried to clear her exhausted brain and cure her drained heart, but she wasn't in her right mind. So—she drank.

She was surprised by the effect it had on her. It wasn't as if she were happy exactly—more content. Like every time she started feeling something other then that contentment, her intellect couldn't hold onto it. A single thought kept rushing back to her mind over and over again. "She should know she can't affect me anymore."

Before Ellie realized what she was doing, she was heading out the door. She was mumbling to herself things of the same pretense, and was determined to tell her mother off. She jumbled with her keys again, this time dropping them on the ground. She grabbed at the ground for a long while before finally locating them again.

Once she was in her car, she turned on the stereo and was off. As she drove, she felt as though a street in which she remembered very clearly to be dead-straight was curved at every potential mark. She giggled a little about how bright everything was. Especially the stoplight. As she began to near it, all the colors seemed to blend together and before she could realize what she should do another car smashed into her from the right hand side. The last thing she remembered of that night was a big flash. A bright light.

DUN DUN DUN! (music for dramatic effect).

Now you simply must review if you wish to see what happens next. I'm cruel, aren't I? Now it's time for you to make a deal with the devil. I'm holding a secret ransom (this is an idea I have gained from another member), and I will post the next chapter when said ransom is met. Now, you see, I have you trapped.

A great big heap of thanks to Greg Styles, hudsygurl, S.L. Gunn, ScreamsInTheDark, Brooks's-Babey, Dahlia Faith Black,XALLOWspuffyBuFf, breathe-in3, rocklesson86, carrebear14, tribalranger, emo.kid1992, sparkle587, Chelsey and MAGRADY03! Your reviews are lovely!