A New Beginning

Chapter 40

Chapter 40

I woke up in the morning to my alarm clock. It was 6:30.

“Fuck my life.” I groaned. I carefully got out of bed, so I wouldn’t wake Elliot.

I hopped in the shower. I grabbed my basketball uniform and got dressed. I pulled my hair back and threw on my jacket and sweats.

I looked over at Elliot. I didn’t want to wake him, but I didn’t want him to think I left him. I walked over to him.

“Elliot.” I whispered into his ear.

“What?” He whined, still half asleep.

“I have to go. I’ll be back later. You can stay here if you want.” I whispered. He grabbed my waist and pulled me towards him.

“I don’t want you to leave.” He mumbled.

“I have to, or I’ll miss the bus to the game. Go back to sleep.” I told him and kissed him on the forehead.

“Fine, good luck.” He said as I walked away.

I ran to the school because I didn’t want to miss the bus. We were playing a school out of the city, and there was no way that I was walking.

I climbed on the bus out of breath. It was about to leave. I walked to the back of the bus and took my seat next to Nicole. She was the other sophomore, and she was a post.

“Why are you so late?” she asked through a yawn.

“Something kept me busy.” I smiled.

“Something or someone?” Anna, a junior, asked.

“Someone.” I blushed.

“Who?” Everyone screamed, besides Ashley.

“Do we seriously have to ask? It’s Elliot, and I know it. You two are so cute together, and now you are going out.” Ashley smiled at me. Everyone looked for confirmation, and I nodded.

“Aw, PJ and Elliot, how cute.” Jessica, a senior beamed. Coach May came to the back of the bus.

“Oh gossip, tell me.” She winked at us, and we all started laughing. Coach was young; she couldn’t be older than twenty-five.

“Nothing much, just that PJ and Elliot got together.” Sarah, a junior, said.

“Ooo, you mean the tall, muscular boy with the black hair? I knew he liked you.” Coach beamed, and I blushed.

“Can we please stop talking about my love life?” I asked.

“No.” the bus chorused. I laughed.

“You all suck, you know that?” I joked.

“Yup, now tell us everything.” Nicole cooed.

I told them everything that had happened yesterday, including the baseball bat. I did leave out the part where I asked if Joe would be angry. I changed it to “would your parents notice if you didn’t come home,” instead.

“Aw, that’s so cute.” Anna said.

“Yeah, but that never leaves this bus, got it? Or I will never tell you anything about him again.” I warned.

“We promise.” They all said except Coach. I looked at her.

“Fine, I won’t tell anyone either.” We all laughed until we reach Jefferson High School.

We ended up creaming Jefferson 50 to 1. It was so close to being a shutout.

We went on the bus home, and I was excited to go back to my house and see Elliot. We were dropped off at the school, and I ran home. I was already sweaty from the game, so I didn’t care if there was some more.

I walked upstairs to my room to see that he was watching TV.

“How’d you do?” he asked as he came to hug me.

“First of all, I’m all sweaty, and two, we creamed them. I’m going to take a shower now.” I said as I avoided his hug.

I took a quick shower, and then I dressed in black sweats and a green tank top. I brushed my hair and walked back into my room.

“Uh, my mom noticed I didn’t come home last night, and she figured out what had happened.” He said sheepishly. I laughed. He looked at me like I was crazy.

“She’s a mother, and she knows everything. She already knew that I liked you. It isn’t that hard to put two and two together.” I said as I hugged him. “Oh, and the girls on my team kinda figured it out too.”

“Ok, they would’ve found out eventually.” He smiled at me. I was about to kiss him, when my phone started ringing. I walked over to it.

“Hey Paige, do you know where Elliot is? He stormed off last night, and I haven’t heard from him.” Alex said frantically. I laughed. “Why are you laughing? This isn’t funny.”

“Chill Alex, he’s here at my place. He ended up staying the night.” I laughed.

“Oh, well, well, well, what happened?” I could practically hear him smirking.

“You perv.” I said as I hung up the phone. “Your boyfriend was worried about you.” I teased Elliot.

“He’s too clingy.” He said casually, and I started laughing.

I sat on my bed, and he wrapped his arms around me. I set my head on his chest, and we laid down.

“Hey Elliot, can I ask you something, but you have to promise you won’t get mad at me?” I asked him.

“I promise. I could never get mad at you.” He said.

“Why doesn’t she just leave him?” I asked. I knew he would get what I was saying. He sighed.

“He provides for us.” he said. “And she’s pregnant.” I bolted up.

“Pregnant?” I asked shocked. “When did he start doing this?”

“About a year after they got married, so two years ago.” He answered. I calculated the years. They got married the same year as my dad’s death.

I looked at Elliot. I mean, I really looked at him. I looked at how his nose was crooked from so many beatings, and I looked at the lingering bruises. This has been happening since he was fourteen. No wonder he was so hostile. He had to grow up fast in a cruel world.

“After all the time’s he’s done that, I wouldn’t even let him touch me like that.” I said. “How far along is she?”

“About a month.” Elliot answered.

“Does he know?” I asked curiously.

“Yeah, that’s why I’ve been getting it worse. He’s starting to take his anger out on me, not her. I like it this way better though.” He gave me a sad smile.

I stroked the bruise along his jaw with my thumb.

“I don’t like it either way.” I said.

His warm lips touched mine. It was a short kiss that left me wanting more.

“I have to go. I can’t leave her alone with him.” he said as he pushed the hair out of my eyes.

“Both of you be careful.” I told him.

“I promise.” He said as he gave me one last peck on the lips.

He left, and I was finally happy, but I was also afraid at the same time. I was happy that I was with him, but I was afraid for him. I looked at my alarm clock and saw that it was six o’clock.

I started to picture what was happening. Bad idea. It only made things worse. I cried thinking about Elliot getting beaten over and over again. I pushed the thoughts out of my head, and I tried to fall asleep, but it never came.