Since Birth

Chapter Fifty Eight

"You can seriously stay as long as you want, of your dad talks to my mom I will tell her the truth." Trevor shrugged it off and always so willing to do anything for me.
"I just don't understand why my own family can't tell me true truth." We were sitting at the old bridge, deserted and above the Red Hue river. It was calming to be there right now and it prevented me from getting angry again about this. I just felt like I had been repeating myself for the past few days and Trevor was the only one listening to me. Everyone else just seemed to talk over me which made me talk about it even more.
"You know they used to call this make out point at one time." He laughed trying to change the subject for me. "I've actually gotten my first kiss here."
"With who?" I asked curious and looking over to him.
He chuckled shaking his head at me. "Some girl that I used to like, she kissed me in eighth grade. I was like two years younger than her." He laughed scratching the side of his face. "It was kinda weird because she lured me out here but I knew the history of the place."
"And how many other girls have you dragged here to make out with?" I chuckled being lighthearted about the conversation and also curious. I realized that I didn't know much about his past relationships.
"Um," he licked his bottom lip and smiled a bit, almost awkwardly. "Like four other girls?" He didn't sound sure. "Hopefully five soon." He looked over to me and I laughed lightly rolling my eyes.
"And," I paused looking down into my lap. "How many of them have you had a relationship with?"
"Two, your sister and before that, my ex." He shrugged looking away from me.
"She doesn't have a name?" I laughed wondering why he was being so shy about her.
"She doesn't matter because I'm with the girl I want to be with." He shrugged looking back to me. "I'm with who I've always wanted to be with." I rolled my eyes again and he moved quickly over to me cupping my face with his hands. "I told you that I've always wanted to be with you and I meant that. Your past is irrelevant and so is mine. I want to marry you Emelie Marie Meyer." He searched my eyes making me feel like the luckiest girl on the earth. He gave me goosebumps with every breath he took. He made me feel wanted and full of life with every smile and glance. "I'm looking towards our future together and I just really need you to know that you are the only one for me." He dropped his hands beside me with one resting on my thigh.
"Are you just saying that so I can kiss you?" I joked blushing as we gazed at one another.
"Yes," his eyes lit up as he smiled big, brightening his entire face because of my joke.
I leaned in and kissed him, both of us laughing against our lips. "We have to look forward." He kissed me again as I pulled him closer, pressing my lips harder against his. I just let my lips do all the work thinking about our future together. It was like if I just thought about the future, our future, everything happening now was minuscule. I couldn't keep my head wrapped around this tragedy, I had to look forward and I wanted to look forward with him.

•••

The next day at school I had noticed now that Aimee wasn't there. I was worried about her despite that fact that I had wanted to punch her repeatedly.
I heard rumors that they had suspended her a few days after the assembly about sexual assault and cyber bullying because she had taken the picture. Though I couldn't believe that they would suspend her because she didn't send it. I didn't understand it so I had sent her a text. Maybe that's why my father was actually at the school the day before... still, I sent a test to her asking where she was and she immediately texted back, "Why do you care?" All that meant was that she was alright. I had only sent back a rolling eye emoji. I assumed fully that she had been suspended like everyone had said.
"Emelie?" I closed my locker to see Riley standing in front of me picking at her fingers as she looked to me glumly. "Can we talk?" She brushed her hands roughly against her jeans as if her palms were full of sweat from being nervous. I understood why she'd be nervous. There was so much animosity between us.
"Sure." I nodded looking over her face to try and gage what this was about. I motioned for her to go forward first so I could walk beside her.
"I wanted to apologize personally." She began with a long sigh. "What happened with that photo shouldn't have escalated as far as it did. Wh-what happened with Jax-" I stopped walking to look at her confused.
"What happened with Jax?" I questioned cutting my eyes at her. No one should have known that I had been the girl.
"He told me and he wants to apologize."
I scoffed and rolled my eyes at her in disbelief. "He wants to apologize? What is even your connection with him?"
"He's my boyfriend." She shook her head holding her hands up to stop me before I judged her but I was far beyond that point. My mind was going one hundred miles per hour right now. "He meant it as a joke because I was so pissed off at Aimee but he didn't mean to hurt you." She admitted and I stepped away from her feeling as if I had been punched in the gut. "He was supposed to only scare her." She seemed genuinely upset over this but I couldn't just belief she had orchestrated this.
I just kept shaking my head at her trying to put it all together. "All of this is your fault?"
"He didn't mean to take it that far!" She shook her head walking towards me remorseful. "I'm so sorry Em." She reached out and touched my hands making me immediately jump away shaking my head at her. I couldn't believe it. And I didn't want to listen to her any further so I began to walk away. Flashes of him grinning overcame my thoughts, that sinister and mocking grin. He knew the difference between me and Aimee, he knew what he was doing and she set him up to do it. I just couldn't believe that someone once so involved with my life could do something this traumatizing.
My head was spinning and I couldn't even focus enough to keep myself upright. It felt like someone was sitting on my chest, suffocating me by crushing my lungs. I couldn't breath. So I stumbled to the nearest door grabbing anything I could get my hands on to.
"Emelie I'm so sorry." I heard her behind me and she had grabbed me, receiving an immediate reaction from me. I shoved her back and took two uneasy steps back shaking my head unclear.
"Stay away from me." I warned still feeling my body become overheated. I was sweating, my breathing had slowed drastically and I was slipping into a panic. The overwhelming feeling of dread overcome me and I felt faint.
"Is everything alright?" I heard another voice, a familiar one approach us.
"I-I..." Riley stuttered as I stumbled and backed myself into a wall. I'm sure it had looked like I was being over dramatic but my body was failing to work properly right now. My mind especially.
"Emelie?" A strong arm slipped around my waist holding me steady. "Let's get you some water and sit you down." He said supporting my body more than I could. I fell into his chest having him basically carry me because my eyes had even failed to stay open, they were fluttering.
"She was fine just a minute ago!" I heard Riley cry. My head fell closer into his chest remembering the scent of the man that had been carrying me. It was Mr. Holland. I pushed away from him weakly shaking my head.
"She needs water and space." He carried me to what I had hoped was the nurses office. Instead of the comfort of the nurse cot, my body had come in contact with the hard and cold plastic surface of a chair. He helped me sit upright and I groaned still feeling ill.
"I'm okay." I assured them both holding my head. "I'm fine."
"Here." Riley came over with a water bottle and I looked up to her still feeling angry about what she had done.
Mr.Holland took it from her and handed it to me in which I pointed to Riley and said sternly to her, "You stay from me. We are no longer friends or acquaintances. You leave me and Aimee alone forever." Tears formed in my eyes once again as I stared grimly into her eyes. "You hear me?" I spat and she nodded taking in a breath.
"I just thought you should know how sorry I am for this." She began to explain and I stood up still feeling nauseous and like I was going g to fall right down.
"You are dead to me!" I yelled now holding onto the chair for support.
"Thank you Riley, but you should go." Mr. Holland finally stepped in between us. She didn't protest and left quickly sniffing as she did.
I looked heavenward shaking my head and trying to hold myself together. I was angry but more than anything I felt betrayed. I would have much rather wished she would've kept her distance. What she did was foul and I would not have wished it upon my worst enemy. I felt dirtier than when it had actually occurred. It was as if the wound in my side had reopened and I was in pain all over again.
My grip tightened on the top of the chair taking in a very shaky breath.
"Is there anything I can do for you?" I looked back down and to Mr.Holland still standing beside me.
"I'm fine." I bit my lip as I lied to his face. I wanted Trevor right now, I wanted to be comforted by him. Yet still I felt weakened by his closeness, I wanted to cower and cry into his chest. I felt vulnerable and needed someone... I leaned more on the chair to distance myself from him. "I just need a moment." I sighed and his hand went to my shoulder causing goosebumps to raise down my arm.
"Take as long as you need." He said softly and stepped away from me. I sighed again relieved that he had left my side and I slipped back into the chair to take some more deep breaths. I was done for the day. I went home after, my dads home so I could talk to Aimee. I didn't feel like I should bother Trevor with some more of my problems. I needed to blow steam before he saw me so that he didn't dread seeing me everyday.
Aimee was at home and she wasn't alone. She was with Elliot who seemed pent up about something. The room was tense and he was shaking his head at her in disbelief. They both looked to me and Elliot had scoffed shaking his head at me.
"Your sister is a fucking lunatic." He said slowly and loudly so that Aimee could hear it as well. "I'm leaving." He walked quickly towards the door brushing into me as he did. Aimee only laughed and watched as he left without another word.
I laughed and shook my head at her confused and she waved it off. "He just can't keep up with my exquisite tastes." She shrugged and then became concerned once she looked over me. "You look like hell." She came around the chair to me sighing. "Do I want to know?"
"Riley confessed to posting that picture of you today." I sighed looking down at my fingers as I picked at my nails. "She also confessed to setting you up to be assaulted by her boyfriend." I looked back up to her tearful. My hands began to shake again and she grabbed them tightly.
"And he attacked you instead?" I nodded quickly and she pulled me in for a tight hug rubbing my back comfortingly. I had let out all of tears onto her shirt. I enjoyed the comfort of my sister yet still felt indifferent about everything that had happened so far. I wanted her to be my best friend like we had been all of our lives. I just couldn't deal with all of the surprises, lies and insouciance.
I loved my family.... I was just tired of being in the dark about everything. I wanted to trust her and all of them. Just some of the things that they had done, I didn't agree with.