Desperate

14

Arabella

After we got out of the school we headed to where all the police were, Cole informed them of what happened, the shooter tried to shoot Cole but he missed, that was the last bullet in his gun, so Coke punched him and knocked him out and came outside.

The police shot into the school to get everyone out and get the shooter.

Ethan went home to his mom, he drove me to school this morning so Coke offered to take me home.

Now I'm sat in his car, he has a bandage we're the bullet scraped him, there's blood seeping through, the dressing needs changing.

After he walks me to the door I invite hime in, walking up the stairs which leads to my apartment above the old convenience store, we see tiger lying on the old arm chair waiting for me.

"Your dressing needs changing" i point out.

"It's fine."

"No it's not, wait here." I command.

Going into the bathroom I find the first aid box and bring it out, telling him to take his top off, I get the sanitising wipes to clean the blood off of it.

He sits on the couch whilst I'm knelt on the floor next to him cleaning his arm, he looks at me appreciatively but also guiltily.

" I'm sorry"

I knew what he meant, he was talking about the things he said the last time he was here and the last time we spoke at school.

"Thank you." I take a brief pause whilst I get the bandage from the box. " not for your apology, for saving me earlier and keeping me calm, really, Thank you".

He just shrugged his shoulders.

"I know your not a slut" he finally says as I wrap the bandage around his upper arm.

"And how do u know that" I say enthusiastically, trying to brighten the mood.

I swear I see him smile, a slight twitch of his lips, for a split second I saw it.

After I finish with his wound I take a moment to admire the tattoos he has he has tattoos down his right arm and a few across his chest. He only has two on his left arm, one on his bicep just below the scar it's a sentence written in another language, the other one is on the front of his wrist, it's small, meaningful, it's the number 81 in Roman numerals. 

I realise I'm staring and offer him a drink whilst we watch the news, hoping for news on the Result of the shooting.

I come back in the room with two cups of coffee. I also get two throw blankets because it's still really cold in my apartment because it's February.

"While we wait do you wanna do these questions we got given, I took a photo of the sheet in case we lost it." I ask, breaking the silence.

"Sure"

"So what's your favourite flower? You know mine but I don't know yours."

"I don't know, blue bells? My mom like those so they must be nice." 

He's only mentioned his mom once, and that's when I basically forced him too.

"What happened to her?" I ask wanting to know more.

"Cancer" his voice when saying that one word tells me he doesn't want to talk about it. I get it.

" tv shows or movies?" I ask.

"Movies" he replies.

"Really? Mines tv shows."

"Why"

"Because you can binge watch them on reading days it's just fun and relaxing."

He just looks at me, not in a judgmental way like I'm used to, but in a happy way, he just looks into my eyes. I move around a bit trying to look anywhere else when he finally asks what the next question is. I completely forgot about those, he just distracts me.

"Ermm, favourite dessert"

"Chocolate cake"

My voice becomes happier as I say, "finally something we can agree on" with a smile.

He just laughs at me and takes my phone to look at the next questions.

"Parents professions" he reads.

"Well mine are dead so" I say trying to joke about the situation, "but my dad was a teacher at the community college and my mom was an artist."

"My mom was the CEO of a massive advertisement company, and I have no idea what my dad does, he lives is Italy, or England, or Australia, I don't know".

I want to ask how does he not know where his dad lives, how does his dad not want to be with him, but I know better.

"Next question?" I ask instead.

"We know this one, who's our best friends. Mines Jamal, but you know that as you so eloquently pointed out in biology when you said, what was it? You can't think of anyone else who'd go near my shrivelled cocktails sausage."

I laughter breaks out from me, only for a few seconds before he gives me a glare and I quickly shut up, stifling a laugh.

"And yours is Paige or that Ethan guy" he says and I nod my head.

"What do you want to study in college he asks?"

"Biology and applied mathematics." He gives me a surprised look at my answer.

"What?"

"Didn't expect it"

"Coz I'm a girl and girls must be stupid?"

"Oh I know your not stupid, I just think those subjects will bore you, I've watched you in biology, it bored you, you know all the answers but you look like you'd rather be anywhere else"

He watches me?

"If I get a job in making medicine I get money, if I get money I don't have to worry. If you could make good money off of writing and art then I'd go to NYC studying English literature and art but that's unrealistic."

"Art and literature? Why?"

"I used to draw with my mom, it relaxes me, allows me to get whatever I'm feeling out, and I just love literature, books can take you everywhere and I haven't been anywhere so I can experience it through books and writing."

"What do you want to do?"

"I haven't really thought about it, I know I don't want it to have anything to do with my father."

Neither of us know what to say, so instead I change the subject to food.

"Let's order take out, is Chinese good?"

He seems relieved, "yeah sounds good.