Paisley | ✔️

t h i r t e e n

 
    Dakota had been busier these past few weeks, so it became a routine for Paisley to mess with the school's ace—Aiden, he didn't mind at times, it was their distraction.

  Top of his class, part of the student body, in the school's football varsity, Paisley thought he already had it all, so why was he still lonely?

  "Yeah," but Paisley stops talking as soon as she sees Dakota hurriedly heading towards the table.

  "Paisley, Elliot's leaving for London in two weeks."

  Paisley abruptly stands up, leaving Aiden behind, and frantically trying to call Elliot on the phone as her feet move on its own.

  She found herself in the old swing set behind the school and ahead of her was the familiar physique of the boy she was just looking for.

  Paisley started walking towards him, no not her usual strut, but a walk that was cautious.

  "Why didn't you tell me?" She managed to say, barely a whisper.

  Elliot stayed silent.

  "I just had to find out from someone other than you, don't I?" This time she shouted at him. "You asshole!"

  She repeatedly hit Elliot with her fists as she held her tears back, and the cold didn't help to result in the tip of her nose turning pink.

  Elliot only stood there with a scrunched expression, not from her hits, but from his own ignorance.

  He let her do so until she grew tired and sat on the ground hugging her knees.

  "Why do people always have to leave me?"

  She thought if there was something wrong with her?

  Elliot does the same and holds her in both her arms.

  "Paisley, know that I never wanted this." He tells her.

  "As much as I want to stay," he hesitates. "I can't."

  "My dad's finally moving on, being offered big opportunities, and I don't want to be selfish to try and stop him."

  "You're the only one I know who cares," she cried. "You can't just leave too."

  "I'm sorry, Paisley." Was all he whispered.

  She was going to be left again.

Paisley roughly wiped the tears in her eyes with the palm of her hands before standing up and running away. Away from the last person she thought cared for her.