Locked in.

Ellie's POV

As we're walking to the safe room, i run into a shelf and my forehead starts dripping blood all over my shirt.

"Shit!" Michael says. He's never liked blood or been able to deal with it.

He was afraid i'd do it again so he grabbed. My. Hand.

I instantly got butterflies. I didnt know if it was on purpose or an accident so i just went with it and locked fingers with him. He didnt even seem to mind.

Finally we arrived to the safe room which was the ladies bathroom. I was silently thankful it was the ladies room and not the boys restroom.. Ew.

Michael and i hide out in the handicapped stall and everything was cool until Michael decides to pee. Right in front of me!

For the next couple of hours we passed time by throwing wet wads of toilet paper at the ceiling and counting how long it took before they fell off.

"Can i ask you something?" I ask.

"Sure." He seems much more ok with me talking to him than he usually does.

"Why are we so mean to each other?"

He looks at me like im crazy and then looks at his feet. After a long period of time, he looks at me and says

"I don't know."

"I dont either." I say. " and i don't like it. I mean, we're forced to be friends so i think we should get along and make the best of it ya know?"

He nods. "You've always been the complete opposite of me though. Like yeah, we were both troublemakers our whole life, but now all you do is read and you don't talk to me anymore."

I stop and think for a second. For some reason, what he just said made me really mad.

"Maybe it's because i'm afraid of you making fun of me like everyone else does Michael. Everyone thinks im weird and awkward and a dweeb. I'm sick of always being the smart weirdo. I just want some real friends. I want to be normal." I start to sob.

Michael looks at me for a while before he scoots closer to me and awkward slides his arm around my shoulder.

"It.. It's ok El... Don't cry please." He rubs my arm and tries to sooth me. I actually find it kind of funny because this isnt him at all.

But his hug feels amazing and makes me forget everything bad in my life , momentarily.

As i start to settle down, i realize that Michael is my only friend. And he doesn't even like me at all. He hates me. That makes me start crying all over again.

"Awh El, common. You know im not good with this..." Michael says with a disappointed tone to his voice.

I place my face in the crook of shoulder and continue crying, my tears soaking his shirt. I take note that he smells amazing.

He starts rubbing my back gently.

"It's ok El. Just stop crying ok? It's gonna be ok." He coos.

Except, now he knows how i really feel. Nothing will be the same anymore.