Elenora's Flower

Chapter 2

I blink my eyes awake, the bright sun rays shining through my window and onto my sheets.  I stretch my arms and yawn wide, pulling my blanket off and swinging my legs over the soft mattress. I shiver and slip on a hoodie, opening my door.
    I hear sharp gasps coming from the kitchen. Crying? I rush in the kitchen and see Mom standing by the counter, her face puffy from tears, and her phone in her hand.
    "Mom? Are you ok?" I lay a hand on her shoulder, concerned.
    She looks at me, sorrow filling her eyes. "Elenora. I uh... Ha-have something t-uh t-tell you."
    Her sobs don't subside for several moments when she finally gets herself together enough to talk. "What is it, mom?"
    She grabs my hand. "Ellie... last night William-" she paused, her voice cracking, "died last night. He committed suicide."
    My eyes widen and it takes my brain a few moments to realize what she has said. Tears come to the corners of my eyes. "Suicide?" I ask, disbelieving. She nods sadly.
    Thoughts of our fight come rushing back and the way he had been acting. Was this my fault? Did he just need that rush of pleasure from me to be alright?
    I shake my head, disbelieving. This couldn't be true. "Did he leave a note?" I ask quietly, searching for some explanation.
    She nods her head sadly, "Yeah, he did. His parents want to wait until tomorrow to show you."
    I nod numbly, tears flowing down my pale face. I walk back to my room and sit on my bed, glancing at the flower. It has lost a pedal already? I sigh. Suicide? Why? Is that why he came to see me one last time? Why would he leave me on such a bad note?
    I scoff, more questions running through my brain. It just simply makes no sense. He was happy, or at least I thought...
    With that, I try to turn out all life and fall into a dark, disturbing sleep.

    I wake up, and I stretch my arms, shivering. It was still Saturday but much later. I look at my clock, 5:30 pm. I sigh, not wanting to do anything. I'm pretty sure that's valid when your boyfriend just committed suicide not even 24 hours ago.
    Again, I curl into the covers, hoping to sleep and never wake up again.

    A few days later...
    I sling my backpack over my shoulder, walking out the door without saying goodbye to my mother. All she had given me the last few days was pity, and I had finally convinced her to let me go to school today, Tuesday.
    I gasp as the cold hits me, and I walk quickly out of my small neighborhood and down to school. I turn my head away as I pass Will's house, and push him to the back of my mind. Don't think about it. Don't think about it.
    When I arrive at my school, the whole scene feels different to me. No Will to walk me to school each day, embrace me when I felt cold. But it also feels better in a way, freer.
    Even though he may have kept me warm, he was also commanding. He forced me to do things I didn't want to do. Popular kid things.
    Before I and he started dating, I used to sit in the Auditorium with my Best friend, Allie.
But soon after, he insisted I come and gossip. Talk with the majority. Suffocate in the endless crowds. There were good things about Will, but also many bad things.
The day starts out alright, only a few people giving me sympathetic or ugly glances. In 2nd period Algebra II, I feel a paper ball hit me. I turn and pick it up, taking a deep breath when I hear a few kids snickering behind me.
I uncrumple it. What'd you do this time to make him actually want to die?!
I crumple it slowly and stuff it in my backpack, but don't turn towards them. I stare straight at the board and will my self not to cry when I feel tears prickling at the corners of my eyes.
I shakily raise my hand. "Can I use the restroom, please?"
My voice shakes, betraying my true motive. She gives me a sympathetic smile, "Sure, honey."
the kids behind me snicker as I get up quickly and go to the door, opening it and hurrying out.
I see a flash of dark blond hair and turn but he's already turned away and walking the opposite direction of me. Rude.

I walk down the long, empty halls of her high school.

"Hey, Ellie." I hear a raspy voice call out my name.

I turn towards the voice, "What?"

A few of the boys from my class are standing near my locker, and they are holding a bracelet with an engraving.

For my flower, I'm sorry. -Will

I narrow my eyes, "Where did you get that?"

The one holding the bracelet snickers, clenching his hand around it. "It seems your boyfriend left it for you in your locker. Should I say, ex-boyfriend? Such a shame you didn't find it first."

I reach out and try to grab it, but he holds it above my reach, so I can't take it.

"Give it to me," I say, my voice strained from stress and anxiety.

He cackles and throws it onto the tall locker, walking away with his gang of boys and smirks.

I stand on my tippy-toes and try to reach it, but fail because of my shortness.

I cringe as a memory of Will comes flooding to me.

He holds the book above his head, and I laugh when he tries to balance it on his head, dropping it. I reach up on my tippy-toes, trying to grab the book from him.

"I am never going to get work done with you!" I laugh.

He smiles, shrugging, "We can do work later." I jump up, unsuccessful. "Ha-ha, you are short, aren't you?" he says matter of factly.

I pout, sitting on my bed. "I'm not short, I'm just fun-sized."

He rolls his eyes, "Whatever you say, dear."

"Are you trying to reach something?"

I turn wildly at the sound of a familiar voice, snapping the memory. My heart sinks at the sight of a random kid I've never met. "Um, yeah. My bracelet." I point above the locker.

He is fairly tall, though not as tall as the Bullies. He goes slightly on his tippy-toes and I hear a clunking sound. He turns towards me and holds out his hand.

"One bracelet." He smiles, and I take it gingerly, examining it.

"Thank you," I say, and he flashes me one more smile, walking away.

I sigh, slipping it onto my wrist.