downpour / mileven au.

one.

CHAPTER ONE;
WILDFIRES.

the whispers weren't just rumors. no, they were the unbearable truth. perhaps that's why she couldn't escape everyone's talks -- because you can't hide from the truth.

by the end of first period on this slow monday, over half of her school was well aware of the weekend's drama. similar to wildfire, news travels fast in high school.

and to make things worse, her peers were relishing in the juicy gossip, not bothering to put themselves in her shoes for even a second. but why would they? why would anyone care how she felt when adding fuel to the fire was just so simple?

sure, their stares were filled with pity for the brokenhearted sixteen-year-old, but that didn't stop them from cupping a hand and whispering it to their locker neighbor or passing a note to their lab partner.

she tried her hardest to ignore it all, but that didn't change the fact that it was all true.

troy harrington cheated on el hopper with shelly braswell.

the devastated teenager couldn't even differentiate her pain because it was just too great, too consuming. she didn't know which of them hurt her more. the boy she'd fallen so hopelessly for over the course of the past eight months, or her best friend since sixth grade.

she was just relieved the day was finally over, and she could return to her tissue-filled bedroom to add to the impressive collection.

she closed the front door, thankful that her dad and step-mom were both at work and her step-brother was most likely with his friends.

el's back rested against the wood paneling, and her frame shook with her first cry of the day. she was absolutely sick of crying, but it seemed crying wasn't sick of her.

she still couldn't believe the turn her simple life had taken in a matter of days. how she went from being so happy and content to so broken and uncertain. the two people she relied on most, aside from her step-brother (whom she considered to be her real brother), had betrayed her in the evilest way imaginable.

for all she knew, it could've been transpiring for weeks, months even. she didn't quite get a chance to catch all the gory details saturday night when she went to his house to surprise him and caught them between the thrones of passion.

inhaling deeply, she wiped her tear and headed up the stairs to her room. she knew will would be home pretty soon, and there's no way he didn't hear about the traumatic events during school. yesterday she had been able to just hide in her room, claiming to have a severe case of menstrual cramps and it worked at keeping her family far enough away from her soft whimpers, but now she was almost certain her brother would inform her parents.

and on cue, as she approached her bedroom, she heard the front door open. "el?" will's soft voice called throughout their home. she sighed and unwillingly turned around. her caramel colored locks appear back at the top of the stairs in moments. "why didn't you tell me?" his soft voice beckoned to his sister, seeing the pain in her puffy eyes.

she sniffled and shrugged before slowly descending down the stairs. "i guess i didn't want anyone to know," she weakly admits. her lip quivers, "but now everyone knows, will."

the slightly older (by three months) of the two wraps his arms around the fragile girl. ever since their parents got married when they were seven, he'd only ever known el to be happy and cheerful. the sight before him broke his own heart. no one wants to see their sister so upset.

"i really would've punched him, but he's kind of a lot bigger than me," he murmurs.

a small smile tugs at her pillowy lips. "you could've definitely taken him," she assures, knowing he knew she was lying.