Love is Like a Drug

cheesy title for a short story i wrote like last week (: the plot is so hallmark-y that it hurts. well what can i say, it is coming from a hopeless romantic

Elle smiled to herself as she waited for Brad. He told her to wait by her locker, because he had to talk with someone at the end of the last class. She opened the locker gently, and took out all of the books she’ll need, while looking at the door of the locker, where a picture of her and Brad was taped on. His arms around Elle, her smile bigger and brighter than ever. It was taken just a week ago, at a fair. She was amazed that they were together for just a little over one week, but still it seemed like they knew each other much longer. She gave such a big part of herself to him; she told him her secrets, her wishes, her dreams. He always was understanding, caring, and comforting. Even when Elle told him the part about herself that no one knew, he still hugged her and wiped away all the tears, repeating that ‘Everything will be alright”. Reality came back to her, and she closed her locker. Leaning her back against the wall, she planned on waiting for Brad. But then, she remembered that she still had to talk with her Art teacher about the last project. Elle looked around checking if maybe Brad was in sight. He wasn’t. She decided to go quickly, and make it back by the time he came. Elle moved down the hallway, in the direction of the art room. The art room was the last classroom in that hallway, so basically it was on a corner of two hallways crossing. She stood in front of the door, and was about to pull the handle, but she heard Brad talking to someone else. Elle moved a little closer to the wall, but still tried not to be seen. She closed her eyes, and tried to hear better.

“I told you that two weeks was no biggie. I won the bet.” said Brad.

“The two weeks still didn’t pass, so don’t get ahead of yourself.” Answered someone.

“Aw, come on! I basically have her in the palm of my hand. I know everything, and I repeat EVERYTHING I should about her.” Said Brad, raising his voice a little.

“Ok, then tell me something I don’t know about her”, she heard a sly note in that voice.

“Umhm, she was abused in her childhood by her dad”.

As those words escaped from Brad’s mouth, Elle collapsed to the floor. She couldn’t believe that all that was just a stupid bet. She told him everything about herself, but he just used her. For what? To win few bucks? She buried her head in her arms and tried not to sob. Few quiet tears escaped, before she could gather herself up. She heard Brad still talking, but she just couldn’t make out the words. Elle hurried down the hallway to the bathroom. Past the stalls, to the sink, washing her tears away. She didn’t want him to see her this way. Even though he hurt her, and she didn’t want to see him again, she had to end this relationship, if it even can be called a relationship. Elle dried her face with those little paper towels that always tear. One last look in the mirror, and she was ready to head out into the ‘battlefield’. Calmly, she walked towards her locker, noticing that there was no one in front of it. She breathed few times, and before she knew it, Brad was walking towards. Elle felt horrible when even after everything that happened her heart still skipped few beats. Looking at him, she knew that he didn’t know that she knew. Elle calmed herself with one last breath and turned her head towards him. Brad held his arms out, as if trying to hug her, but she just made a step back. Confusion was painted on his face. She just wanted to get it over with fast and painlessly.

“I know.” Those two words, seemingly innocent, but in that case they were two bullets straight into Elle's heart.

Brad’s eyes widened a little, but he tried to keep it cool. “What?”

“Oh, please! Don’t be pathetic. How much was I worth? $20?” she yelled, with tears forming in her eyes.

“Please, Elle calm down, and don’t make a scene” he looked around, as if his reputation was more important.

“You want to see a scene?!” the rage was boiling under her skin, as she opened her locker with trembling hands, “THIS is a scene!” Elle yelled, and started throwing every single thing he ever gave her, straight at him. Without saying another word, she run past him. He didn’t yell, he didn’t chase after her. No surprise. Elle knew that she didn’t want to go home, at least not yet. So, she decided on a place close to home, a beach. She used to come there when she was younger, but until now, she didn’t have time to do so. Elle took off her shoes, and walked on the sand barefoot, wishing that the water could wash away all of the troubles. After a while, she sat down on the sand, and closed her eyes, letting the sounds of the water to take over her thoughts. She heard whistling, and she opened her eyes. Looking around, she saw some guy sitting not that far from her. He didn’t look at Elle, so she didn’t know if he even knew that she was there. She couldn’t see his face, so she didn’t know if he was from her school, Elle shrugged her head, and laid it on her knees. When she opened her eyes again, he was sitting next to her, with a joint in his hands. Before she could even think twice, words escaped from her mouth.

“I want it”, Elle barely whispered.

He looked at her with his chocolate eyes, as if she was crazy, “What?”

“The joint, I need it.” She answered.

His eyes widened a little. “Elle, you are so not that kind of person who gets high, what’s wrong?”

Elle didn’t know what was creepier, the fact that he knew her name, or the fact that he knew that something was wrong. She looked at him again, now really looking, and taking everything in. He looked like a typical junkie, only much cleaner, and he wasn’t high.

He held out his hand, and she shook it. “Jonathan, we go to the same school, I’m a senior though”.

“Oh, I don’t really know you, sorry” she muttered.

“That’s ok; I don’t know much about you either. All I know is that you’re Brad’s girl, and his chicks normally don’t do pot.” He finished.

“I’m not Brad’s girl.” She stated.

“Huh? Weren’t you like always all over each other in the ha—“he must have noticed her expression, because he stopped in mid sentence. “Oh, that’s ok. You don’t have to say anything.” He said, his expression still blank.

“Well, why do you have that joint if you’re not going to smoke it?” she asked with curiosity.

“Umh, I quit few weeks ago, and I just want to see if I’m strong enough to resist.”

“Seems to me that you can.” Elle said.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right”, and before she knew it, he stood up and threw the joint as far as he could straight into the water. Then, he sit back down and for the first time smiled.

He had a nice smile.

“So, uhm what are we doing now?” she whispered.

“Well, I really wouldn’t mind hearing what happened to you, cause you really seem off balance...” he said quietly.

“Is it really that obvious?” she asked. He nodded his head.

“Ehh, you asked for it…” and she began telling him what happened today. He nodded in few places, laughed a little when she said that she started throwing things at Brad, and finally hugged her when she started crying.

“You know, I’m sorry for being such a mess…” Elle whispered.

“That’s ok, I asked for it” Jonathan chuckled a little.

“Now it’s your turn to tell me your story”, the crying stopped, but she still stayed in his arms.

And he told her. How his parents divorced, how he found the escape in drugs. Almost dropping out of school, never being ‘good enough’ for his family. Coming to this beach to relax and gather up his thoughts, and finally finding the courage to stop abusing.

“You know, I had a tough life, you should be happy that at least you have a family that loves you” he said quietly and grabbed her hand.

Elle looked into his eyes, and felt guilty for not telling him everything. She now knew every part of his life, and she was keeping such a huge part of hers hidden.

“I was abused by my father”, she let the words get carried by the wind. Her head dropped a little, trying not to meet his eyes. He put his hands on her cheeks, and lifted her head, so he could see Elle's eyes. His eyes seemed understanding; Elle knew that in hers there was pain.

“Elle, please tell me about it. You can’t keep it locked up inside of you forever.”

Hypnotized by his eyes, she told him everything. That her father would come home drunk, when mom was at work, and used to let out all of his rage on her. Then, how she would hide all of the bruises behind long sleeves, being too embarrassed to talk to her mom. But one day he went too far. He took the knife and stabbed her in the stomach before she could escape. Her mom found her in a puddle of blood in the kitchen, father long gone… New tears were falling down Elle's cheeks. She lifted up her shirt a little and showed him the white scar. Jonathan traced it with his finger, and she saw sorrow in his eyes.

“I’m, I’m… sorry. I can’t even imagine how hard it was for you” he whispered.

Elle just nodded, not being able to find any sufficient words.

As if knowing that she needed it more than ever, Jonathan hugged her tightly. Elle just hid her head in his arms. After a minute of being silent, she asked quietly,

“So, what are we going to do now?”

Jonathan thought about that for a while, and answered “I really don’t know”.

She felt his steady heartbeat and felt safer than ever before. Elle felt like she could stay like this forever, and not have a worry in the whole wide world. But she felt his body tense up, so she lifted her head off his shoulder. Elle looked up and saw that he was watching her with a smile on his face.

“What?” she asked confused.

“Well, this might seem weird after all we’ve been through” he stopped “but, can I kiss you?”

She looked at him for a while, and thought about it. It did seem weird, knowing all of his secrets, and him knowing all of her. Elle had a quick image of Brad in her head, feeling that she shouldn’t be so quick to trust another person, but then again, her heart was saying something else…

Jonathan sensed her hesitation; he shook his head a little and said “It’s ok, I understand if it’s too early.”

“No” she whispered very quietly.

“What?” he asked.

Elle cleared her throat, “No, it’s not too early.” She took a deep breath, “I want you to kiss me”. She finished off with a smile.

Jonathan seemed a little wary, but she nodded her head and moved her lips towards his.

The kiss was very gentle and unsure. When it broke off, he wrapped his arms around her, and twisted her so that her back was against his stomach. Elle smiled to herself, loving the beating of his heart against her back, and the way the wind felt when it blew into her hair. She leaned her head back a little, and kissed him on a cheek, his response was wrapping his arms around her even tighter, and whispering into Elle's ear, “I don’t know how much he thinks you’re worth, but to me you are priceless…”

Author's Note

there's nothing to say. other than the action is pretty fast, i guess. normally it would take maybe few weeks or something, but oh well it's the magic of Hollywood! xD

Reviews

[Darthalidae]

whoa, liked this one :) what a family she has... felt pity

[Tiffany]

Yes magic indeed! Love the ending,the pricless thing wonderful!