My mom and I pick up my little brother from school. He went to a Junior High school somewhere close to my school. He did get out of school the same time I did but he was at football.
My mom never liked any of us at home alone when my father would get home. She knew what he would do.
"I'll get him." I say unbuckling my self and exiting the car. I walk down to the football field and see the boys practicing. There he was number 5. The quarterback of the football team. My brother was an amazing football player. I watch the play that was going on. Jared has the ball and some kid sacks him as he was about to throw the ball. The ball releases from his hands and comes towards me. I catch it easily and walk the rest of the way down to them.
"Nice catch El!" Jared says as he runs over to me. "But um why are you here?" He asks.
"Mom is taking us to the mall. Nate sent something and we are going out for a while and we don't want you home alone with him." I say referring to my dad as him. Jared and my mom know I don't like to consider my dad, well my dad. He doesn't seem like my dad.
"Okay. Just let me tell coach and I'll go change." He says. I nod and follow him. He walks over to a guy who's taller with dark brown hair. He was very muscular from the way his grey t-shirt made him look. He had black basketball shorts on with it. His back was to us as he talks to one of the players. "Hey coach I have to leave early." He says to his coach. The coach nods and let's Jared go off to the locker room.
"Alright Leo you're in. Jared has to leave." A kid quickly puts on him helmet and runs out on to the field. I throw him the ball and he yells a play and they start.
I turn to talk to the coach.
"So how has Jared- aw fuck. Are kidding me?" I say as I see who Jared's coach is.
"Hey Ella." Jack Gilinsky says to me. I groan and Jared walks down soon.
"Ready." He says. I nod and walk over to him.
"See you tomorrow Jared." Jack says and Jared waves. "I'll see you tomorrow also?" Jack asks me.
"Maybe." I say and wrap my arm around Jared shoulder as we walk back to my mom.
"Those look cute." My mom says as I walk out with a pair of leggings on. On the side of the legs they have little holes that show my skin. I now had a pair of leggings. Two pairs of jeans, a nice jacket, three shirts and a few pair of shorts.
"Hey El I think you should get a dress." Jared says looking at me.
"Why?" I ask him.
"Well mom always has those fancy dinners and I'm just saying that wearing a nice shirt and jeans doesn't look very good when everyone else is wearing dresses and ties." He says. I sigh knowing that he's right.
"Okay. Then you have to tell me how I look. From a guy and and a girl perspective." I say looking at him. He nods first I try on a high low dress. The top was back, but the bottom half was an off white. My mom said I looked good and as did my brother. The next one I try on a shorter dress with a white bottom and a laced top. The back was open and showed a decent amount. My mom said that dress was okay too. Out of the dresses I tried on none of them made me feel pretty. But I still had one dress left. I quickly try it on and feel the smooth red fabric against my skin. The dress was tight up top and when it reached my waist it flowed out. It had thin straps which I liked better than no straps and it stopped at mid thigh. I felt amazing in the dress. I walk out and show my mom and her mouth curves into a smile. I haven't seen her smile in a while. My brother nods.
"You look great." He says smiling. I smile back at him.
"Your look beautiful." My mom says standing up to walk over to me. "I like this dress the best."
"I do too." I say and look in the mirror.
"That was a successful day shopping." My mom says smiling as we enter the house. My dad wasn't home but he would be any minute. My brother helps me carry my things to my room and put them away. Same with the things in the box Nate sent.
"Here are your things." I say handing him a pile of clothes, CD's and weird candy.
"Thanks." He says smiling.
"Hey it's 6:00 how about we shower and watch a movie?" I ask him. He nods and rushes off to his room. I close my door and walk to my personal bathroom. I take my time showering knowing that he will be home when I'm done. I wash my hair and clean off all of my make up. I also scrub myself with a coconut body scrub. I stand in the shower wondering how I ended up like this. How did I become the bad girl? How did hundreds of kids fear me? I didn't want to be like this yet I did. It scares me knowing that I could get my brother hurt because of my stupid mistakes. I sigh and turn off the water.
"Hey J what movie do you wanna watch?" I ask him as I finish up my braid.
"Um that magic movie you like." He says from his room. I nod. Now You See Me. That's one of my favorite movies. I was setting up the movie when Jared comes into the basement. We had a projector set up down there so it was like a home theater. I popped a kettle corn bag and brought that down stairs. For some reason my brother and I hate regular popcorn.
I was on the couch wearing the pants Sammy sent with the white shirt Nate sent. Jared came down wearing basketball shorts and a sweatshirt that said "ball is life" I smile at it and he sits down next to me. We start the movie and watch in silence.
The movie finished around 10 and Jared fell asleep in the middle of the movie. I turn everything off and pick Jared up and carry him to his room. "E-Ella?" He asks still half asleep.
"Yes?" I ask still walking up the stairs to his room.
"C-can I sleep with you tonight?" He asks quietly.
"Yea. I'll be right in I just got to pick up the dishes and clean them real quick." I say as I set him down on my bed. He gets under the covers and falls asleep again. I walk down to the theater and l grab the bowls and cups we used. When I bring them up the stairs to wash them I see my dad in the kitchen getting a beer. Great he didn't have to work tomorrow.
"What are you doing?" He slurs. He was already drunk.
"Washing dishes." I say quietly. He laughs. His laugh was disgusting.
"Did you eat something?" He asks.
"Yea I kinda have to in order to live." I say turning the water on.
"Hey I never said you could and don't give me any attitude!" He shouts. I shake my head.
"I don't have to ask for your permission to eat. And I don't care what you do anymore." I say and start to was the dishes. That made him mad. He pushes me away from the sink and punches me. He always hits me when he gets mad. This time he hit me in the eye. The punch makes me fall and hit my cheek on the counter and fall to the floor. I was use to this kind of treatment.
"Now clean this shit up." He says and walks back to him room with his best friend.
After I finish the dishes I slowly walk up the stairs and to my room where Jared was sleeping. Or at least that's what I thought.
"Are you okay? I heard shouting." Jared says as I lay down facing away from him.
"Yea I'm fine. Just get some sleep." I say closing my eyes waiting to go to school. It was better than being here all day.
