Us against the world

Reveal :Elliot

Lydia laid in the brown grass, eating a granola bar while Ross slept on top of me. We got four miles away before I pulled over and held Ross. Her body shook so hard I didn't know what to do except hold her. But now she slept on my chest, her gray hair falling over her face, her red roots where beginning to show. It's weird I've never seen her with all red hair. I gingerly fingered her hair, running my thumb over a strand.
I think back to the first time I met her. It was middle of sophomore year, in history class.
Mr. Daniel adjusted his glasses on his stubby nose, "Guys, we have gotten a new student joining us. Ms. Miles, come on in." He said.
A tall girl with long silvery hair walked in, dressed in a black running jacket, zipped up to the middle of her throat.
Black jeans with holes in the knees, and black leather boots. A puke green back pack with gold lettering printed USMC on it.
She nodded at the class, "Hello."
"Ms. Miles, tell us about yourself."
Next to me, Mindy Yo wrinkles her nose, "Emo." She giggles to her friend Sara.
Ross straightens up, "I'm Ross. I used to be homeschooled, but because of my parents deployment for the United States Marines, was getting to be too much."
Mr. Daniel smiles, "Great. Thank you-Ross. Please take a seat."
Ross takes the empty seat in the front row, four chairs away from me.
I zoned out for the whole class, to busy staring at her. The bell shakes me out of my daze and I quickly gather my books. Ross waits till everyone is out before she stands, I follow her, but stupid me wasn't watching. I hit my hip on my desk, sending me to the ground and my books all over the floor.
I silently curse myself and shove my books into my backpack.
"Need help?" Ross asked, squatting in front of me.
"Yes! I mean..um..sure." I stammer. Smooth Elliot.
Ross helps me pick up my books, "Do you usually do this?" She asked smiling at me.
"No. not usually." I laugh. Only when pretty girls like you are around.
She hands me the rest of my notebooks, and she stands.
"Hey!" I call after her, running up to her.
"Yeah?" She said looking straight a head.
"Wanna have lunch with me?" I asked.
Ross stops in the hallway, "I guess. But I'd like to know your name first."
I smiled, "I'm Elliot. Elliot Larsen."
"Nice to meet you." She replied.
"You too." I said back
We began to walk down the hall to the cafeteria. We are lunch everyday, it wasn't till a week later I met Lydia.
They had the same blue eyes, dark eye lashes and full lips. But their style, thinking and emotions where totally different. Ross was louder, more of a rebel spirit, whereas Lydia was quiet and followed the rules. I considered myself to be friends with Lydia, we didn't talk as much, but still friends.
I told Ross everything. About my family, my sister Emma.
My dad was verbally and emotional abusive. Nothing was good enough, not my grades, not mom's cooking, and most certainly not Emma's art.
Emma and I were destined to be doctors or lawyers, have high paying jobs and no real social life.
Emma, being the oldest, felt more pressured than I did. Everything had to be perfect, always in order.
Her freshman year was everything but perfect. Her boyfriend/friend, decided to molest her. She tried to speak out, but my dad convinced we not to. That people would see her as a slut, like he did. Soon depression and anger set in.
Her grades dropped dramatically, she stopped eating, I even noticed blood on her jeans, behind the knees.
I didn't know what to do, Emma was slipping away, and no one cared.
Mom was just starting her alcoholism, and dad was getting ready to abandon us. One night, mom and dad had a fight over mom's job. It ended up with mom having a concussion and a broken lamp, dad flipped and left.
Emma also slit her wrists that night.
I called 911 for my mom and when the EMTs arrived they asked if anyone else was home, I said my older sister. I led them to her room and one of them grabbed me and forced my head away from her room.
"Call the morgue." Another one said.
There where many pictures, police, newspapers, so eventually I got to see her. I actually stole a camera from the coroner and printed out the pictures.
Emma laid on her bed, her arms neatly folded across her chest. Her black hair cascaded around her shoulders, her thin body was dressed in a white dress from my aunts wedding. A simple bouquet of flowers from the garden him her hands. She was beautiful, if not from the blood causing red stains on her stomach, hands, and bed. Her face was deepest, black circles lined her eyes, her cheek bones were too defined. Her arms were thin and fragile, like the rest of her.
My sister looked like a corpse even before she was one.
I had to repeat 4th grade, I have seen many therapists and had to take medication for a while. But I'm fine now. It's gotten better.
"Is she up yet?" Lydia asks, leaning on the jeep door.
"I am now." Ross mutters. She stretches against me. "what time is it?"
I look at my watch, "Five ten."
Ross sighs heavily, "Lets go." She sits up and groggily walks to the front seat.
I get in to the drivers seat, "One hour and forth seven minutes to go." I announce.