Ellie

22

 the beeping noise in the darkness of your room scared me. i didn’t know what it was, but i was glad when you slowly rolled over in bed and pushed a button to stop it.

with a groan, you gradually sat up and pulled the sheets off of you. i tried not to study your nakedness as you made your way across the room to the closet beside me, where you began tossing clothes onto your bed.

“morning, ellie.” you mumbled from the closet, you voice slurred with sleep. it was low like a crackling fire, and it made my frame tingle, “i gotta go to school today...”

school?

i’ve heard of “school,” but i’ve never been there.  i desperately wanted to go with you. outside. to explore the world i keep hearing so much about.

“you’re so lucky, el.” i watched as you put on a robe, glowing at the way you stared into my glass. “you don’t have to worry about waking up so early, school, or homework. you just get to stay in here all day.”

i wasn’t so lucky, aiden, and i wish you could see that. i want to worry about school and whatever homework was. i wish i did sleep so i could wake up early, and—

you were closer to me now, your brown curls an adorable mess. you were grinning, your teeth gleaming in the dark and your warm eyes crinkling.

“i wish i could stay here with you.” your breath fogged up a space on my glass, warming me with your everlasting heat.

what. just. happened? i was in shock by your sudden action, and i didn’t know what to do...if i could do anything, that is. all i could do was watch you as you turned and walked out of the room, leaving me in coldness.  under your spell.

*****

you walked back into the room a little while later, looking more awake and your hair damp. “luckily i got to the shower before liz. i’d probably have to wait a week before i could get ready!” you chuckled to yourself as you took off the robe again, and i wanted to turn away again.

there was silence as you took the clothes off of your bed and began to put them on. then you grabbed a handful of papers from the piles on your desk, and stuffed them into a bag before putting the bag on your shoulders.

“alright. see you later, el.” you said with one last look over your shoulder at me before you disappeared from sight, closing the door behind you.

the closing of the door reminded me of how lonely i was, and i hated it.

“i’m getting ready to drive to school, liz!” i heard you call, “hurry up if you wanna come with...unless you wanna ride the bus!”

i heard a horrified gasp from lizzie. “you know i have to look perfect! perfection doesn’t ride the bus! you better wait for me, aiden!”

there was a slam that sounded like the front door closing, and then a pause.

“aiden?” lizzie yelled, “aiden!

lizzie’s hurried footsteps echoed through the house as she ran after you. the front door slammed once more, this time with a satisfying click as it was locked.

i didn’t hear anyone else in the house, and i figured that now i was truly...alone.

*****

the room, which was once shrouded in light in the afternoon, was nearly dark again when i heard a key in the lock of the front door.

it was you. it had to be. you were back from school with lizzie!

i heard two sets of feet on the stairs, and i braced myself to see your lovely face again.

suddenly your door swung open.

you stumbled through the doorway with a girl’s legs wrapped around your waist and her arms around your neck. you were gripping the girl’s sides while you kissed her with passion, her black, wavy hair everywhere.

i wanted to explode into a million pieces.

this couldn’t be happening. i loved you, aiden.

the girl giggled as you laid her on your bed, still kissing her.

that girl was supposed to be me.

i saw you get on top of her, and i wished for the ability to run.

run out of the room and go away far as i could. away from you.

i never want to see you again, aiden alexander barnes.

never.