THIS BOOK CONTAINS: TALK ABOUT SUICIDE AND SUICIDE ATTEMPTING, SELF-HARM, RAPE, ABUSE, AND STRONG LANGUAGE. THIS IS THE ONLY WARNING, AS I WILL NOT BE WARNING IN THE STORY, MAYBE IN SOME. (mostly because I will forget)
Calista Perez is a sweet and...
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I got discharged by the doctors a few days ago, and let me tell you, I have never been happier to be at school.
My 1st-period teacher, Mrs. Bose, is reviewing her daily slides about all the diseases and conditions we will be working on in another project. When I was partnered up his Elijah, I ended up doing all the work and research. I really didn't mind as I liked doing stuff on my own, I just didn't like that he said he'll help and he didn't. We may have gotten closer, but he's still annoying.
"You will be working with the partner that you worked with on your last project." I close my eyes and throw my head down on my desk. Connor chuckles from beside me. I turn my head, keeping my head resting on my arms.
"Not a fan of Elijah, are you?" Connor asks me, and I answer with a groan. He chuckles and walks to his partner.
I sit up and look around, and notice Elijah isn't even here. Hm, that's strange. I was about to text him when he walked in. I notice his eyes are puffy and the tip of his nose is red. He's been crying, that's obvious. He walks to Mrs Bose, and they converse, probably about the project plans. Then he nods and walks to my table.
He sits down, and he deflates. His high shoulders had fallen. His head, which was held high as if he had conquered the world, fell as if his has been taken. He puts his head down on his arms and looks over to me.
"Hey." Even though it's clear he had been crying, he is in no mood to talk to anyone. He looks over to me and smiles weakly.
I smile back and let my eyes wander over his face. "What happened?" I ask softly and move my chair closer, sitting with my head down and on my arms.
His smile falters, and his eyes search my face. "It's nothing, Cal. I just, I'm just tired." I raise a brow. He sighs, knowing I've already figured him out. "Can we hang out after school? I don't want to be alone."
I nod. "Of course. We will be working on the project at least a little, though. I don't want to fail," He nods understandingly. "Okay, our topic is osteoporosis."
☆☆☆☆☆
The bell rings, signalling the end of the 3rd period and the beginning of lunch. I walk towards the lunch room and sit at my normal table. I sit beside Isa, who's all cuddled up with her boyfriend, Kai. Taylor and JJ are across from me.
I don't see Alex, actually. I haven't seen him all day. He was gone before I woke up. "JJ, have you seen Alex?" JJ looks at me and around the lunchroom.
"No, he said he wasn't feeling good." I nod.
Why didn't he tell me? Was he mad at me? Does he think he can't talk to me anymore? He used to talk to me all the time about everything. I just don't understand why he didn't tell me.
Elijah sits beside me, ripping me out of my thoughts. "Hey, Elijah, don't you have 2nd period with Alex?" He stills, and I narrow my eyes. "You know something, spill."
He looks around the table, and his eyes land on JJ. "He texted me this morning at my appointment that he was feeling good."
"Ehhh," I make a buzzer sound. His face squunches up in confusion. "JJ told you to say that. What is going on? Where is my brother?" Everyone at our table looks at me as my breathing quickens.
"I'm right here, Calista." I turn my head, and Alex is limping into the lunch room, holding his side. My eyes widen and my mouth opens, then closes.
"Alex, what- where- wait, when?" I open my mouth and close it again. I take a deep breath. "What happened?"
Isa and Kai moved down a seat so Alex could be beside me. "I got jumped by a homeless person." He chuckles and looks at Elijah, and they share a look.
"Let me see your side." He looks down at me, and I don't falter. "Let me see it."
Alex sighs, and I sense Elijah looking over my shoulder to see. Alex lifts his shirt, and my eyes widen. It looks like he was thrown down and kicked repeatedly in the same spot, over and over again.
"Alexander Perez.." I get cut off by the bell. Everyone makes their way out of the lunchroom and to their last period. "We're talking after school." He pulls his shirt down. He nods and limps away.
I stand there frozen until Elijah grabs my hand. "Wanna ditch?"
I turn and nod. "Yeah." He leads me outside to his car. He opens the door for me, then closes it when I'm inside. He walks to his side, and he starts to drive.
"Where are we going?" He chuckles.
"Well," He drawls out. "My Mom's working late, so we can go to mine?"
I nod and smile. "Yeah, that sounds good. What would we do?"
He chuckles. "Well, we can watch a movie, or we can work on the project, or we can blow people's phones up because they are in school right now."
I laugh. "As fun as the last one sounds, let's settle with a movie. Maybe work on the project a bit?"
He nods. "That sounds good."
I look out the window. I can't help but think about Elijah's face this morning. I find myself looking at his side profile.
His jaw is sharp, and the sun is making his steel blue eyes pop. His right hand is resting on the console, and his left is steering. His eyes are focused on the road ahead. I stare until we are stopped at a stop sign. He looks over and smiles.
"Are you done staring?"
I smile. "Give me a minute." I look at him some more. "Now I'm done,, I state.
He chuckles. "You're a weird one, Cal." He tells me as he unbuckles
"Only for you, Eli."
He smiles and shakes his head. He looks over and gets out. He walks over to my door and opens it for me.
He unlocks the front door. He walks into the living room. He freezes, making me run into his strong back.
"Gran?" His head turns to another person. I can't see over his shoulder who it is.
"Hey bunny, I have your surprise." He doesn't attempt to move. "Bunny, I brought you Jameson. He has really missed you."
He shakes his head. I peek around him to see a boy around our age standing at around six feet. I'd be lying if I said he wasn't attractive. Not as attractive as Elijah, though.
Who said that?
"Hey, man." The boy, Jameson, I think, breaks Eli out of his little daze. Elijah goes in for a big hug.
I stand there awkwardly. His Grandma, I've never met her before, I don't think so.
"Veronica?" His Grandma is looking at me. I smile sadly and shake my head.
"My name is Calista. Veronica was my mother."
"I'm so sorry, sweetheart."She engulfs me in a tight hug. I stand still for a minute and then hug her back tightly. I close my eyes. I think I've needed this hug.
