All The Little Things

f i v e

Eloise

Oh my god, did I really just call him that. I don't even know where it came from. He said he liked it but maybe he was just trying to be nice. Ugh I feel so stupid now.

I guess I'll just try and forget about it.

I walk in to algebra, being quickly greeted by the students already in their seats. I send a smile in return and go sit next to Brooke in my unassigned, assign seat. "Hey Brooke!"

"Hey Elle! You okay, your face looks a little red?" Yeah from embarrassment due to what happened a few moments ago.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine." I grab the yellow binder from my backpack and start to work on the warmup.

Following my movements, Brooke does the same. "Did you do the homework last night?"

"Yeah, I did it with Noah after my tutoring sessions."

"Perfect, can I get the answers?" She always does this. Do get me wrong, I love Brooke but I can't stand when she asks for my work, all the time. Literally all the time. I don't know how she would pass this class without me. But of course I'm a good friend, so I give her a tight-lipped smile and slide the sheet of paper her direction.

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After the last student from my tutoring session leaves, I make my way to my room. After spending a couple minutes trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my day, I decide on watching a movie. One of my favorite romance movies, Endless Love.

I wish I could have a love like that. Someone who cared and would do anything for you. Someone who would love you until the end of time. I must have done something really terrible in my past life because I'm stuck with the exact opposite. Stuck.

I wish I could leave him but my parents say "he's the only good thing you have going for you." I hate them so much. So now I'm stuck with an abusive asshole instead of what I actually want. Well I guess who I actually want.

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Not but a couple minutes later, I hear a knock on the door. I know exactly who it is just based on how hard his knuckles hit the glass. I can also tell he's mad. Why? Beats me.

I put on a smile to hopefully calm his fury and head towards the door. "Hey Noah, what's u-" before I could even finish he interrupts me.

"Don't 'hey' me, you know what you did." He walks further in the house without even getting an invite inside. His eyes glance towards the movie playing on the screen and I already know what's coming next. "Are you watching that Endless Love bullshit again? Turn it off now because we have to talk."

Talk about what? What did I even do? I don't voice my curiosity though and scurry to quickly stop the film. Once it's paused, his ranting starts.

"I can't believe you would cheat on me with that weird ass prick Eloise. What am I not good enough for you? Do you find the bruises on his face attractive, huh? You know he gets those from his old man." He gives a little crazy laugh and continues on. But with each sentence he spits out, he steps closer and closer to me until I'm stuck between him and the living room wall. "Imagine being so pathetic, your own father beats you up?" I was mad before, but that just set me off.

"Are you serious right now? You know nothing about him and his home life so quit talking about it. And, by the way, I've never cheated on you, ever!" Before I was always scared to even put in my two cent while he's on a rampage, but I didn't care this time. I probably should have though. "Why would you even think that, Noah?"

Before I can even say another thing, I see his hand raise. I felt a harsh slap across my face and could feel the pain instantly. "Don't you ever talk back to me like that. I saw you and him in the hallway, don't act like I'm stupid." He takes my chin in his hard grasp so he can look me dead in the eye before he continues, "I don't want to ever see him near you again. If you sit together in class, find a new seat. If you see him walking down the hall, turn the other way. And if I ever see him even glance towards you again, there will be hell to pay. Do you understand me?"

At this point I can feel light tears rolling down my face as he holds my chin in place. My heart breaks a little more every time Noah mentions "him". Caspen. Cass. I love being around him. He's the reason for my smile. The reason from my happiness. The reason I get up and go to school every morning, no matter how much I want to just stop existing. And that was all just taken away with 3 quick statements.

I nod my head quickly because I know that's the only response he would accept and try to hold myself together until he leaves. After seeing me agree, he lets me go and walks straight out the door without another word.

With no energy left in me, I slump to the ground and let all my emotions pour out, knowing no one would be home for hours. I hate him. I hate being with him. Why can't I bring myself to leave him? To try and distract myself, I start thinking about Caspen. I'm sure Cass would never hit me. Or yell at me. Or tell me to stay away from someone in my life. He would never do that. But Noah would.

And he just did, without even a second thought.