Chapter 4

Nathaniel Zachary Shores

          Driving to school I felt carefree and relaxed. I was about to find out if Elly had really gotten hurt yesterday at practice, and I was almost positive I would see her perfectly fine today. I also felt as if I didn’t care as much; this was a strange feeling but I welcomed it completely.  I rolled into the parking lot just as the late bell rang, but this didn’t bother me either. I took my time getting out of my truck and walking into the school. Damion was working in the office and joked around as he gave me my late pass. Suddenly his attention averted out the doors and I turned around to see Elly coming through the door. Something just wasn’t right about the way she was walking and I started to question my earlier confidence that she was fine.

          Damion ran up to her much to my annoyance, and started to hug her.

“Stop!” Somebody yelled, freezing Damion in his tracks. It was Lexi, Elly’s twin sister. “Tell her to go back home right now, or to the hospital. Either works for me.” Damion looked down at Elly with a confused look on his face and she looked back at him like a child caught doing something bad.

          “Elly… Lift up your shirt.”

          “Whoa, what is going on here? You can’t ask her to do that?” I exclaimed, disturbed by Damion’s request. All faces turned to where I stood, previously unnoticed. At the sight of me Elly gasped and jumped back. Her eyes grew wide like a deer face to face with a hunter.

          “Ells it’s fine it’s just Nathaniel, what’s gotten into you?” Damion stepped closer to her. “Will you please let me see if you are okay?” Looking down all she said was “No. I’m fine.” Leaning down he whispered something into her ear. Shying away she said responded more quietly this time. They went back and forth in low tones and I was about to speak up when Damion grabbed her arm. Closing her eyes and biting her lip winced in pain as she lifted her arm and Damion slowly lifted up the right side of her shirt. He pursed his lips and I could tell he was holding back a gasp. Her entire right side was an ugly mix of black, green, and blue. Gently pushing on each rib he received the same response every time.

          “Okay Elly, you had one bruised rib yesterday after you got hit, can I ask how you managed to bruise and possibly fracture the other nine in less than twenty-four hours?” She didn’t say a word but once Damion turned around she looked straight at me. A shudder went through my body, no way was that dream true. It was too outrageous and I wouldn’t have just woken up in bed. I was in shock when Elly walked over.

          “How are you Nathaniel?” She asked. It was the first time she had said anything to me since the break up. “What did you dream about last night?” Her voice was soft and seemed to be shaking. Was she afraid right now? I lifted my hand up to touch her arm and she involuntarily jerked away.

          “I didn’t do this…” I said only loud enough for her to hear. Then without another word I turned and walked to class. What was going on?

 

Elly Elizabeth Bell

          “I AM FINE! LET ME GO TO CLASS!” I yelled at Lexi, shaking her arm off of me.

          “No you’re not! You are not okay at all! Please go home Elly, please...” Damion begged trying to grab me. “You don’t even know how this happened; you could have a concussion or something.”

          “Elly, will you go to the doctors after school if we let you go to class?” Lexi asked using her last straw.

          “Yes, I will just please let me go to class, I really can’t miss. I have already missed half of first period.” I waved goodbye walking backward down the hallway. I kept smiling even though the pain in my side was growing every second.

          Sitting in Math Class I started to regret my decision. Bed sounded pretty good right now. The problems on the paper looked like a foreign language and I realized I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. The teacher was doing examples on the board and all I could hear was “blah blah blah” as if I was in a Charlie Brown Cartoon. He released us to finish the assignments on our own and I stared down at the numbers hoping they would magically solve themselves.

          “Hey do you need some help?” I looked up and saw one of Nathaniel’s friends standing there. Everyone in the school at least knew of him, but I had never actually talked to him. Nathaniel had been pretty against me talking to any other guys and at the time I hadn’t understood why, I never thought of anyone but him. However, looking up at this guy now I saw the problem. First of all he was a genius, and second he was completely breathtaking. His dark hair made his gorgeous blue eyes stand out and his tall lanky stature was crazy appealing. I felt this buzzing rush run threw me.  

          “Uh… Is it that obvious?” I winced, realizing how dumb I probably looked.

          “A little bit” he laughed. “My name is Eliah; didn’t you use to be with Nathaniel? I’m sorry I’m not very good with names, can you remind me of yours?”

          “Elly” I mumbled, this was so not happening. He sat down next to me and glanced over my shoulder at my papers current state of dismay. I could feel his breath on the back of my neck and where this would normally bother me, this time it drove me insane in a completely different way.

          “Well Elly, let me help you here it’s not that complicated really…” After some time my paper was covered in numbers and all the problems were finished. I let out a deep breath of relief and started to stretch my arms up, but stopped when I felt a burst of pain. Looking at him I realized how perfect and sexy his jaw line was, and immediately regretted it. I wasn’t even over Nathaniel yet, what was I doing looking at other guys? A few awkward moments passed between us as I scolded myself inside. Just in time he broke the silence.

          “So do you sleep walk a lot?” My head snapped back in his direction.

          “What?”

          “Last night I ran into you, and I’m pretty sure you were sleeping” he chuckled to make it less awkward. “Is that how you hurt your ribs?”

          “How could you tell my ribs are bruised?” I said this in more of an accusing tone than I meant to.

          “Umm well, you can hardly lift the pencil, and every time you even slightly turn your body you wince.”

          “Oh, is that how I got back in bed…?” I asked quietly. He nodded and I felt my cheeks start to burn up. Lexi hadn’t mentioned it which means he had put me in my room, which also means he changed my clothes. “Um… uh…. I…”

          “Sorry this is probably awkward. I didn’t know what to do so I just took you home. Do you know what you were doing out there? I found you on the edge of the woods.” He remained cool even after my nervous stuttering.

          “I don’t know… but thank you.” I looked up and my eyes met his. My heart jumped a beat for the first time since Nate. The bell rang and I jumped up quickly to leave. The room started to turn and I reached out for support. Eliah grabbed me and I heard his voice off in the distance. Then it was all black.