𝐇𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐌𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 ; 𝘉𝘺𝘭𝘦𝘳

𝟗.

⚠️TW: Emotional Abuse⚠️

Three days ago...

Numbness. El was washed over with numbness in her shell. Any reminisce of the girl she used to be was gone now. But the lost feeling didn't start in the stall, she fucked things up for herself a long time ago. When she decided that she wasn't ashamed of who she was. When she intentionally put herself in danger and asked to be hurt like this.

This was her fault.

All she could see in her reflection was an ugly bruised up body that belonged to someone else. And how sore she was; something she was keeping for a special person being taken forcefully from her in minutes. Her whole world crumbling down on top of her and she wasn't asking for help. Who'd believe her anyways? That a girl could do something so vile to her. So cruel.

So she stopped watching the mirror for a change. They only show things how they are, not how you want to see them. El's eyes wouldn't make the bruises disappear. Only time would. And she was convinced that in time she would forget about all of this.

Tap! Tap! Tap! Knocks sound from the window.

She charged to the window, ready to tell one of her hookups that they were through but that's not who was there. It was Mike. In a skirt that brought the memories back. Jenifers finger, shoving, rough. Easy access because of the damn skirt she wore. But she tried to shake it away. Put on her best pokerface for him.

"Mike?" She said, opening the window.

"Can I stay here tonight? I got kicked out..."

He seemed really upset too. The way his voice cracked in his last sentence. How he couldn't look her directly in the eye. How when he did, it was glossy. Welled with the hurt tears that El has cried so many of.

Once he was inside, she got him everything he'd need. An extra toothbrush, towels, blankets, pillows. What ever she could do to help. Make him feel better.

"El?" Mike said from his makeshift bed on the floor. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Are you?"

He was silently for a beat before sighing and saying, "I never thought they would actually kick me out. I was already in conversion therapy and now I'm homeless..."

She got on the floor next to him and brought her knees to her chest, resting her head on them. "Why...why'd you come here? Wouldn't you wanna go to Will's?"

His lip quivered before he let the dam loose, hunching over and crying into his hands. El was there to rub his back, an attempt at comforting her friend when really she needed to be comforted too. But she could understand how painful it must be to not be able to go to the person you love for help.

But at least he had somebody.

Hawkins High | Tue 12:34 PM
El Hopper

Comfortable. How was she supposed to go to school and feel safe again? Comfortable to walk around without someone taking advantage of her? Everyone already knew what she is, and it wasn't like there was anything stopping Jenifer from walking down this hallway now, towards her. And she wouldn't know what to do.