Ty
The light flicks on and I whip around to see a figure standing in the hallway.
"Ty?"
It's Ella. She looks confused. I walk back up the steps and into the light.
"Ella."
I walk closer to her and she spots the bag slung over my shoulder. She looks at me confused, then sees the crusted blood on my lip. She gives a sad sigh and her eyes well up like she's about to cry. She extends her hand and wipes at my bloody lip. A small tear trickles down her cheek as she pulls me in for a hug.
I've known Ella since I was little. She took care of me for a good amount of my childhood until I went to school. She somehow never seems to age.
She starts stroking my back like she did when I was little. She stroked my back like this when I fell off my bike. I had scraped my knee and I thought it was the end of the world. She tilted my chin up and told me that I was like a superhero, and all the great superheros got injured sometimes.
She stroked my back like this when I broke an expensive vase. I think that was the first time my father ever hit me. He told me I was worthless. I cried and cried. Ella pulled me in tight and told me that I was worth more than any silly vase. I smiled and she wiped away my tears.
She even did it when no one came to my birthday party. I had no one to invite. I didn't have any friends. It was just me and her and an empty table full of plates and a cake too big for us to eat alone. I had even invited my mom and dad, but neither of them bothered to show up either. I cried and she hugged me, then challenged me to a cake eating contest which she let me win. She dabbed frosting on my nose, then hugged me and stroked my back like she did every time I needed her.
I pulled away from her hug and gave her a sad smile which she generously returned. She went on her toes and kissed my forehead. I internally laughed. I used to be so much shorter than her.
She looked at me, eyes muddled with tears.
"Go," she said.
I nodded, then didn't look back.
YOU ARE READING
Ty and Ash and Cosma
General Fiction/ I look to the side lines and see our school's cheerleaders standing in a huddled group. I catch the eye of one. She smiles and waves at me. I smile back, then continue to look up and through the stands. When I get to the top row, I see a boy, sitt...
