Changes (An Elijah Johnson Story) Rewriting

Chapter 4

Elsie's POV

Life had a way of spiraling out of control, and mine was no exception. My parents' marriage had imploded, I'd been forced to start over at a new school, and to top it all off, some guy I barely knew - Elijah - had kissed me out of the blue and then had the audacity to regret it. Yeah, my life was a real fairy tale.

As I trudged through my morning routine on Monday, memories of the previous day's disaster flashed through my mind like a bad omen. I was tempted to skip school, but my mom was having none of it. I grabbed my stuff and made a hasty exit, without even bothering to say goodbye.

The school day dragged on, and I found myself at my locker, exchanging small talk with my friend Kara. We headed to history class, but Elijah was nowhere to be found. His absence only added to my growing unease.

"Seems like Elijah isn't at school today," Kara said, as we grabbed lunch in the cafeteria.

I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Oh."

Kara raised an eyebrow. "Is everything okay? You seem a little distant."

I forced a smile. "I'm fine. Just stressed about school, that's all."

Kara looked skeptical, but let it drop. "You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

I nodded, feeling a pang of gratitude. "Yeah, I know. You're such a good friend, Kara. I don't know what I would do without you."

As the days turned into weeks, Elijah's continued absence started to worry me. We had a project to finish, and his disappearance was putting my grade at risk. I knew we weren't exactly on good terms, but school came first. And, if I was being honest, I was a little worried about him.

So, I did the unthinkable - I called Kara and asked for Elijah's address. "Hey Kara, can you give me Elijah's address?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Uh, sure. Can I ask why?"

I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "We have to get this project done, and I haven't seen him at school. I'm getting a little worried."

Kara's tone softened. "Oh, okay. I'll text you his address."

A few minutes later, my phone buzzed with an incoming text. I glanced at the screen, my heart skipping a beat as I saw Elijah's address staring back at me.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was to come. I was about to show up at Elijah's doorstep, uninvited. This was either going to be a huge mistake or a turning point. Only time would tell.

As I stood outside Elijah's house, I couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. The house was perfect - a cream-colored facade, neatly trimmed grass, and a beautiful garden out front. It was the kind of house that seemed to whisper "everything is okay" - but I knew better.

I took a deep breath, walked up to the door, and knocked three times. The door creaked open, revealing a woman in her late 30s who looked like she'd been through the wringer.

"Hi, may I help you?" she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took in my appearance.

I swallowed hard, trying to sound confident. "Yes, I'm Elise... one of Elijah's friends. We're supposed to be working on a project together, but I haven't seen him at school."

As I stepped into Elijah's house, I couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. Mrs. Johnson, Elijah's mom, welcomed me with a warm smile, but I could sense a hint of sadness behind her eyes.

"Elijah isn't here, Elise, but would you like to come in?" she asked, opening the door wider.

I nodded, and as I entered, I couldn't help but ask, "Mrs. Johnson, if you don't mind me asking, where is Elijah, and why is he always so...grumpy?"

Mrs. Johnson's expression turned somber, and she hesitated before responding, "He hasn't told you about Michelle, has he?"

I shook my head, curiosity piqued. "Who's Michelle?"

Mrs. Johnson's voice barely above a whisper, she said, "Michelle was his girlfriend."

I felt a pang of surprise. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did she break his heart?"

Mrs. Johnson's eyes clouded over, and she said, "Something like that. She passed away."

I felt a lump form in my throat. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry."

Mrs. Johnson's expression turned worried. "It's okay, but it's Elijah I'm worried about. He still blames himself for her death."

My heart went out to Elijah, and I felt a sudden urge to understand him better. "What happened to her?" I asked, but Mrs. Johnson hesitated.

"It's not my place to tell you. Elijah should be the one to share that with you."

I nodded, respecting her boundaries. "I understand."

Mrs. Johnson's expression turned determined. "He's at the cemetery now. You should go see him."

I nodded, feeling a sense of trepidation. "Should I?"

Mrs. Johnson's eyes locked onto mine. "Yes, you should."

I left the house, my heart racing with anticipation. As I arrived at the cemetery, I felt a sense of unease. The silence was oppressive, and the gravestones seemed to loom over me like sentinels.

I wandered through the rows, searching for Elijah. The rustling of leaves and the snapping of twigs beneath my feet seemed amplified in the stillness. Suddenly, I heard a sniffle and a low chuckle coming from a nearby grave. My heart skipped a beat as I saw Elijah sitting by a gravestone, his eyes red-rimmed and his face etched with sadness.

For a moment, I forgot to breathe. This was a side of Elijah I had never seen before – vulnerable, broken, and human. I felt a pang of compassion, and my initial instinct was to reach out to him. But something held me back.

As I turned to leave, a twig snapped beneath my foot, and Elijah's head jerked up. "Elsie?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

I froze, feeling like an intruder. "I'm sorry, I –"

Elijah's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here?"

I took a deep breath, trying to explain. "You hadn't been at school, so I went to your house, but you weren't there. Your mom told me you were here, so...here I am."

Elijah's expression softened, and he looked away, his eyes welling up with tears. "Oh."

I felt a pang of regret for intruding on his private moment. "I'm going to leave. I'm sorry for intruding."

But just as I was about to turn away, Elijah's voice stopped me. "Elsie?"

I turned back to him, my heart racing. "Yeah?"

"Do you mind staying?" he asked, his eyes locking onto mine with a hint of vulnerability.

My heart skipped a beat. "No, not at all."