Finding Love

Chapter 4

"Ellie Darling, Get up. You have school today." My dads voice called out to me.

Dads voice? And then yesterdays events flooded my mind bringing an instant smile in my face.

"Yes daddy, Im up. I'll be down in a few." I shouted from my room.

"Okay honey, Bacon or Pancakes?" He asked knocking on my door.

"Pancakes sound wonderful." I said and went to the bathroom for a quick shower.

Dressed in tights and a loose knit sweater, I headed downstairs following the smell of pancakes.

My father was clad in dress pants and a white shirt, with a "Kiss the cook" apron on top giving him a comical look.

"Morning,Dad." I kissed his cheeks and retrieved a few blue berries and Honey from the cabinet. Grabbing a plate and piling four pancakes on them and squeezing out all the syrup that I could, I munched on it sighing happily.

A feeling of Déjà vu crept into me. It felt so natural to do this. The familiar similarity was giving me memories. Memories of mother. As soon as I looked at dad, I knew he was thinking the same. He gave a sad smile and I smiled back.

After finishing I shouted out a goodbye, grabbed my backpack and cycled to school.

Since I reached school half an hour before classes started, I decided to head to the bleachers to watch the football practice. After all, the semi finales for the football championship was getting held this week.

"No." I heard an all too familiar voice shout over the bleachers.

"What do you mean,Hollister? Do you think this is funny, for goodness sakes, we need you in the finales. But the principal has said that if you don't up your academics you'll be thrown out of both basketball and football team." Said Coach James.

"What do you mean thrown out? You cant just throw me out now, I told I have to get that sports scholarship." Ace, The one and only grumbled back.

"I know son, I know. But this is beyond me. I cant so anything. Its either you pass your classes or get thrown out of football and basketball team." Coach said.

I knew I was eaves dropping. This was so unlike me. Stepping over the corner, I came behind Ace. And then I said something, totally stupid.

"I can help you if you want." I said before i could think what the hell I was saying.

"Huh?" Ace asked with confusion seeping into his voice.

"You know, Academics..." I shrugged and answered back in a bored tone even though I was freaking out inside.

"Why would I need your help, you worthless Bitch. Even if your the last person on earth I'd rather die than seek your help.And just in case its not clear yet, I don't need a low life like you near me. Brings down my reputation. Now move out of my way Ugly." He sneered and walked away pushing me to the side.

All I could do was stare at his back, open mouthed. I was hurt, really hurt. I walked back to school just in time for homeroom, took my attendance and headed out to the Science block for first period. Even though science was my favorite subject it was hard focusing in class. Somehow, all i could think was about what he said.

"you worthless Bitch"

"I'd rather die than seek your help"

"low life like you "

"Ugly"

It was all I could think about. Was I being a bitch? I don't remember ever being mean or moody to him before. Was I a low life? I was obviously not popular, but I had friends. Ugly? I definitely wasn't pretty but I never thought of myself as ugly. Was I that disgusting to look at? Shaking my head to clear all this crap I went back to focusing on the Bio teacher as she explained the chapter.

But however I tried, my thoughts went back to circulating about what he said and overanalyzing myself. When the double period ended, I decided to call it a day and just bunk the rest of the classes. Our school had a 7 day policy. Every 6 months you could bunk 7 days of school and not get into trouble. I had never actually bunked this semester so I thought Id do it today.

Heading to the park behind school, I sat sown below a huge Mahogany tree and took my Diary out. I started sketching the first thing that came to mind. I let the pencil take over my mind and sighed contentedly at the scratch of paper and pencil making contact.

"Noelle, Is that you? Oh, It is you. I saw your drawing. It was Ace right? The masquerade ball. Yeah, I remember." I jumped, startled at Dylan's voice and quickly shut the diary.

"Uhmmm.." I muttered, uncomfortable.

"Sorry I startled you, can I see the drawing?" He asked me with hopeful eyes.

As much as I trusted him, I didn't want show him the diary. It was my diary, my whole life, my scattered feelings, my innermost secrets, secrets which I never told anyone was inside. Some people wrote out their feelings, memories but I drew. And it scared me to think about anybody other than myself seeing my drawings which were from my point of view. The only person I trusted my dary was with Avery. But I didn't mind her seeing me in my worst. After all she was the one who gathered my broken pieces and pieced me after moms accident.

Sensing my hesitancy he said "Its cool if you dont want to though."

I gave him a grateful smile. After chatting a little bit, We went our separate ways. When it was time for school to be let out, I sneaked in and grabbed a few books from my locker and walked to the exit after collecting the homework from a few classmates.

Speed walking to the doors before the bell rang and students flooded the corridors, Mu shoulders brushed into someone, making me startled at the sudden contact and making me drop my books.

"Here." Said the voice of none other than Ace Hollister. Wasn't this guy pissed at me in the morning? Is he bipolar or what?

I stared at him with surprise evident on my face. I took the books from his hands and was about to walk away when he grabbed my wrist and pulled me back.

"I believe this is yours?" He said with a smirk on his face and grabbed the open book which just so happened to be my diary.

He stared at it for a second too long before giving it back to me with a worried expression that made his eyebrows scrunch together, creating cute creases in the middle.

I grabbed it and looked at the page which he had been looking at. My heart started beating furiously, when I saw the drawing. It was an old one. My father was holding a beer bottle and had a crazy glint in his eyes, The ground was littered with beer bottles and I was in the corner weeping. Not wanting him to misunderstand, I looked at him only to see the shape of his figure as he walked in the mass of students, His light brown hair turning into golden where the sun kissed it.

Shrugging my shoulders, I left school with a weird feeling bubbling inside my gut.