Addicted To You (TO BE PUBLISHED)

75

The scar on my forehead isn't anywhere near fading away. I place my scarf on and grab my school bag. A new week means a fresh start. Classes started last week. I wasn't in the right head space to attend the classes yet. My classes this time around are all over the place because of work. I have to take statistics this semester, and I'm not too happy about that. I have a lot of writing to do this semester as well.

I don't know how I'll have time for anything. Maybe some online courses will help spare me time. I grab my schedule out of my bag and walk toward my morning class. I look left and see Ellie walking over in the same direction.

We glanced at each other before she stepped in.

Of course, she would have this class. I thought to myself.

I step in, and it's not the same room as all the others. Instead of an auditorium classroom, it has seats, and the only available seat was the one next to Ellie. Is this God trying to make me be around her again? The way Jackson described her getting into trouble, doesn't seem to show. She seems happy and content to me. I mean her skin is a bit pale but she seems fine.

"Welcome to Elementary Statistic. For those who don't know what it is, it's the basics of the actual statistics class, which I'm sure I have with most of you in my other lectures. I'm Professor Langston. Let's get started." Spoke the professor.

The whole class, we did nothing but take notes. Ellie looked over at me a few times, and I did the same. It was weird having her so close to me and not saying a thing. Most of the time, I was thinking about how we used to be best friends. I wanted to talk to her about what Jackson did to me, and the nightmares I've been having, but I can't find the strength to talk.

I'm walking out of class when she stops me. "Hey, I know it's two weeks late, but happy new year." She tells me.

I tuck my hair behind my ear and smile. "Yeah. Happy New Year."

I thought maybe it would stop there, but she continued to follow me. "I'm sorry I didn't go home with you for the holidays. I started working."

"Good for you." I try to cut the conversation short.

"How's everything going for you?" She asks. As much as I want to ignore her and walk away, I remembered what Claudia told me.

I stop walking and face her. "As much as I want to talk to you Ellie, I have to hurry and get to my next class. Maybe we can talk later."  I pass by her and continue to walk. I know what Claudia said, and I did forgive her, but I can't see myself talking to her.

Like, ever.

After class, I went to work.

I talked to Chase for a while. I couldn't fully think to forgive him yet for what he told me. When I asked him to open up to me in the past I needed him to be brutally honest. Maybe if he did back then I wouldn't have reacted the way I did when he told me about Hannah. But him telling me after the whole accident occurred, hits a nerve in me.

The whole day my mind keeps trailing to that poor girl. It's like the old him had no idea what he did would screw her up forever. The thought of it makes me sick, and now I have to sit and think, do I want justice for what Jackson did to me, or can we all move on from this? It's not like the assault occurred. His effort to harm me was thwarted.

As I'm scrolling the theatre tablet going through Archer's work Emails, Cocoa sneaks up behind me. "I saw the script to your play, really deep. It's certain I'm playing Claudet. I know I'm going to fight for it. Khloe didn't want the part of Eliana. She said the bitch is stupid."

I ignore Khloe's harsh comment. It's not like she knows it's based on a true story.

"Thanks. I was kind of hesitant to write it." I smile.