Haunt You x Conrad Fisher

Chapter Twelve

Conrad

I stood outside in the Medina's backyard looking up at Elena's bedroom window that was on the second floor. I used to climb up the side of the pergola that was underneath her bedroom window in the backyard patio when I was younger. She always left her window unlocked for me and I wonder now, if she still did.

I would climb up at night years ago when we were kids and we would spend hours playing Monopoly or this Mexican game she had called Loteria, just me and her. A simpler time before we began hating each other.

Daniel hated playing those games as a kid because he didn't like losing and Elena would always beat him. Elena would cry wanting to play and he always told her no. So as foolish as I was back then, I promised her we could play, just the two of us. But since I was always with Daniel or Jeremiah and Steven, I never got to hangout with Elena during the day. So the night time was just for us. That was when I would sneak in.

It's been years since I climbed up there. I could climb up there at this moment but we're older now. I didn't want to invade her privacy especially since we're not friends anymore like we were then.

She wasn't answering any of my calls. I know she was pissed at me. I saw the fire in her eyes before she broke down. I just don't know why. I've called her ten times now and all of them ring and then go to voicemail. She wasn't even declining them. They would just keep ringing. I was getting nervous, pacing back and forth on the patio underneath her window. I just needed to know if she was okay.

Conrad: Elena. I'm outside your window. I just need to know you're okay. Whether you're at home or with Max, I don't care- but that you're okay. I'm sorry for whatever I said. I can't even explain how sorry I am. And if you ever give me the privilege of knowing what I said that upset you, I will apologize all over again and every day after that.

I sent the text and put it in my back pant pocket. I was a little drunk earlier so I don't remember what I said exactly from the time when me and Jeremiah found her in the bed of Max's truck at the drive-in to when it was just me and her on the side of the road that caused her to break down like that. But that's also no excuse. I am so pissed at myself and all I can do is pace back and forth in her backyard hoping her parents or worse, Daniel, don't find me out here.

Even now I'm itching for a drink to calm down my anxiety and help comfort me. Because when I'm drunk, I'm numb and all my worries disappear. But this was far more important than some itch to drink.

"Fuck," I hissed as I checked my phone and no response. I was more tempted now to just climb up there but I can't, we were not kids anymore.

I ran my hand roughly through my hair. I didn't care if she was with Max as long as she told me she was fine because that girl I witnessed a couple hours ago was anything but fine.

My phone vibrated in my hand and I quickly checked to see if it was from Elena but it wasn't. It was from my brother.

Jeremiah: where are you at, dude? Mom is asking for you.

Conrad: fixing the mistake I made and I'm not leaving until I do.

Jeremiah: got it, I'll make sure to come up with something with mom.

Conrad: thanks Jere. I owe you one.

I sigh. I'll make sure to get some of those good muffins for Jeremiah tomorrow.

~~~

I've been out here for over an hour now or longer, I've lost track of time and I wasn't leaving anytime soon. I was sitting on one of the back patio chairs near their jacuzzi facing her window just waiting for any sign that she was up there. My eye lids were starting to get heavy but I'll stay here all night if I have to. My phone laid against my chest as I suddenly felt it vibrate. I picked it up, placing it against my ear. "Hello," I rasped.

"Are you still outside?" Elena's voice said, sounding fragile.

I quickly leaned up from the chair looking up at her window, "yeah." Suddenly, I felt wide awake again.

Silence. It must have only been seconds but it felt like hours until she finally answered. "Go ahead and climb up, my window is still unlocked," she said, hanging up after.

I let out a breath of relief. I put my phone in my back pocket and headed over towards the side of the pergola. I looked up and wondered if this thing can still hold my weight. I was a kid back then when I would climb it but I've obviously grown since I was twelve. I knew I shouldn't be nervous of falling through it, Sebastian himself made this years ago.

Or maybe my nervousness was from the idea of climbing into Elena's bedroom, just like old times.

I stretched out my arms a bit. I haven't worked out in months since I quit football so I'm a little out of shape. I take a deep breath in and grab on to the side of the pergola pulling myself up. The pergola shook a little and I gulped. "Please for the love of everything, don't break on me now," I whisper out loud.

I managed to climb over as I steadied myself on top of the pergola being careful not to step on the open squares of the ceiling of it. I took a couple steps forward towards the roof of the house leading to her bedroom window and the pergola shook underneath me once again.

"Fuck it," I said and quickly leaped forward landing against the roof. The pergola shook for a couple of seconds after but stayed in place and I mentally thanked everything I could because Sebastion would kill me if I caused it to collapse while using it to get into his daughter's bedroom.

I carefully got up and walked forward a bit. I place my hands on the edge sliding the window open so I can climb in. Her window was still unlocked, after all this time.

She had a bay window so it was easy getting in and then landing on the window seat attached to it. I exhaled trying to relax after having my heart rate run at a hundred miles per hour from that climb. I turned to find her sitting on the edge of her bed. She was nervous, I could tell. Elena was looking down at her hands that sat on her lap as she fidgeted with her fingers. Something very unlike her, she was always so confident and sure of herself. I frowned.

It almost looked like she wasn't wearing any shorts. My breathe hitched as I noticed she wasn't in Max's sweater anymore, no- she was in my black band T-shirt I let her borrow the other night that swallows her body whole because it's so big on her.

I leaned forward from where I sat on the window seat, "Elena-"

She held up her hand to stop me from talking and I immediately did. So I waited. I didn't care if it took minutes or hours. I was going to sit here in silence and wait till she was ready. I couldn't help but still be nervous. My hand itched to somehow find a drink to help escape from the anxiety that was building.

"Sorry, I kept you waiting," she choked up and I felt my chest ache. "I just couldn't- I didn't know if I could talk about this again."

I swallowed roughly wondering what it could possibly be. I wanted to say something, anything to reassure her that she could tell me anything but I know that's not what she needed. My word right now is worthless to her by how I've acted towards her the last couple of years. I'll take anything she gives me at this moment. For me to be able to get a glimpse of the Elena now that haunts the Elena from then.

"Max dropped me off at home right after we left the drive-in. I didn't go with Max anywhere. I sat here and I watched your calls go through and then to voicemail. I read your text then I sat where you are now and watched you pace back and forth. When you stopped, I finally thought you were giving up and going back home but then you went and laid down on the patio chair and just stared up at my window," she pauses.

A single tear runs down her cheek and I was so tempted to rush to her to wipe it away. I don't know what has gotten into me tonight making the hatred I had for this girl over the last couple of years vanish. "This kind of reminds me of old times, minus the crying," she choked.

I stood up saying, "Elena-"

"I was sexually assaulted two years ago, shortly after my fifteen birthday," Elena said.

Those words hit me harder than any sack I've ever taken on the field during a football game.

End of chapter notes:

Hello loves! Hopefully my boy Connie redeemed himself to you guys after acting like a jerk last chapter.

Hope you enjoyed.