Stay || c.h. *completed & editing*

Chapter 8.

Dear Laurie,

I gave my virginity to Calum last night.

I know that you said that you didn't want me rushing it because you told me that you wished you hadn't lost yours in such an undignified way, but I really think I have a special connection with Calum.

Those guys that I dated in high school were nothing like Calum. I can tell by the way he does little things to make sure I'm okay that he really cares about me, and it's really nice to have that now that you're gone and mom and dad are hardly ever around.

I'm starting to think maybe you were taken from me so Calum could find me. I guess everything really does happen for a reason.

Everyday it seems like I miss you more and more.

Love,

Ellie.

~~~

"What did you do today, Eleanor?" My mom asked me at dinner.

I shrugged, picking at my food as usual.

She let out an exasperated sigh and set her fork down.

"Eleanor I am really getting sick and tired of you not answering me." She was staring at me, I knew, but I just stared down at my plate.

"You've been hanging around that boy haven't you?" She interrogated.

"Susan, she's practically mute. She's not going to answer you," my dad sighed. Finally someone besides Calum puts 2 and 2 together.

"She doesn't need to be mute," my mom snapped at my dad. "Laurel died, that's no excuse for her not to talk to anyone."

I shook my head, standing and walking from the table. If she really thought this was still all about the fact that Laurel was gone then she really was stupid.

"Eleanor, get your ass back in here!" She yelled at me, but I ignored her and walked into my room, closing and locking the door.

"Susan, just give her some space," I heard my dad say. "She's probably being so distant with you because you keep pushing at her."

"I'm her mother, Matthew." She snapped. "She has no right to be disrespecting me the way she is. And I know something's going on between her and Calum."

"What do you think is going to happen?" He said. "Calum wouldn't do anything to hurt her. Why are you still freaking out about this?"

"Maybe because she's not listening to me and she isn't being smart," she snapped again. "One of these days she's going to come home either drunk, high or pregnant and I don't want any of those in the only daughter we have left!"

"Just let her learn from her mistakes. She knows that if she chooses to have sex with Calum that she needs to use a condom. And didn't you put her on birth control anyways?"

"For her period, not for sex." My mom put emphasis on the word "period." "If she gets pregnant, she's not staying in my house!"

"I can't believe you're being so controlling like this. She's 18 years old, she can make decisions on her own."

"So you want her to get drunk? You want her to end up dead like Laurel?"

"That's not what I said--"

My mom and dad broke out into an argument, and I buried my face in my pillow, getting tired of them constantly fighting like this. It was getting tiring and it was all because my mom didn't want to let me go and be happy for once just because she thinks Calum is out to get me.