Changes (An Elijah Johnson Story) Rewriting

Chapter 5

As Elijah's eyes met mine, I felt a spark of curiosity ignite within me. "Do you mind staying?" he asked, his voice low and husky.

I shook my head, my heart pounding in my chest. "No, not at all."

Elijah's gaze drifted away, and I sensed a deep sadness emanating from him. We sat in silence for a moment, the only sound being the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze.

I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to Michelle, the girl who had left an indelible mark on Elijah's heart. My curiosity got the better of me, and I asked, "Elijah, what happened to her?"

He turned to me, his eyes flashing with a mixture of pain and warning. "You don't want to know."

But I did. I wanted to understand the depth of his sorrow, to grasp the complexity of his emotions. "It helps if you talk about it," I said gently. "It will make you feel better."

Elijah's expression turned guarded, and he shook his head. "No."

I sensed a deep-seated pain within him, a pain that he was desperate to keep hidden. But I wasn't giving up. "Come on, just tell me," I coaxed.

Elijah's eyes dropped, and his voice was barely above a whisper. "I killed her."

My heart sank, the words hitting me like a ton of bricks. "What do you mean you killed her?" I asked, my voice shaking.

Elijah's eyes welled up with tears as he recounted the tragic events of that fateful day. "She wanted to learn how to drive... I was teaching her... someone bumped into the back of the car... I lost control..."

As Elijah's words trailed off, I felt a wave of compassion wash over me. I reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It's going to be okay, don't worry about it."

Elijah's eyes locked onto mine, filled with a deep sadness. "It's been two years, and nothing's changed. I still blame myself, I still miss her."

My heart ached for him, and I knew I had to be there for him. "Okay, I know it's hard, but you have to let go of the past and move on."

Elijah's voice was barely above a whisper. "I'm trying so hard... my mom's worried about me... she wants me to go to therapy, but I'm scared."

I squeezed his shoulder gently. "I'll go with you, if that's okay with you."

Elijah's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

I nodded. "I mean, that's only if you want me to."

A small smile played on Elijah's lips. "Thanks."

Friday morning arrived, and I was up early, feeling a sense of determination. I headed to school, my mind focused on the day ahead.

As I walked into history class, I spotted Elijah sitting in the back, looking rather disinterested. I took a seat beside him, trying to break the ice.

"Hey," I said softly.

Elijah turned to me, his eyes still haunted by the ghosts of his past. "Hi."

As we presented our project, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. We'd done it, despite our differences.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of class, Elijah turned to me and said, "I'll see you around, I guess."

"Yeah," I replied, smiling slightly.

As I walked to my next class, I ran into Kara, who was bubbling with excitement.

"Hey girl! Did you hear the announcement about the St. Patrick Ball Night?" she asked, her eyes sparkling.

I raised an eyebrow. "What about it?"

Kara squealed. "It's next week! We have to find dates and get dresses and –"

I laughed, feeling a sense of trepidation. "Whoa, slow down. I'm not even going to the ball."

Kara's face fell, but only for a moment. "Don't be ridiculous, Elise! You have to go! You're going to find a gorgeous dress and dance the night away with some handsome guy."

I raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Yeah, right. And who's going to ask me to be their date?"

Kara grinned mischievously. "Oh, don't worry about that. I have a few ideas."