Chapter 5: Thrill

Chapter five: Thrill (Ellie's POV)

I walked back inside, rolling my eyes to myself.

Why the hell was he just staring at me? Weirdo.

"Night!" I called out to my parents while jogging up the stairs and up to my room. I walked in, my blinds were still open but he wasn't in his room yet. I grabbed my phone and rang Ashley.

"Hey," she sang.

"Hey," I sighed while lying on the bed.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Nothing, you?" I asked.

"Nathan came over earlier, he left after dinner," she said. I've always had my suspicions about them but I didn't want to say anything. "Have you spoken to Zach yet?" she questioned.

"Kind of but not really, it was like ten seconds worth, if you can call that a conversation then..." I trailed off.

"Hmm," she hummed in response, "Do you think you two will start talking again?" she asked.

"Honestly, yeah, but not any time soon," I answered.

"Do you think he knows about James?" she questioned.

"Why would he know about James? The guys aren't gonna tell him," I replied.

"Yeah but they might have," she retorted.

"You think Brett would do that?" I said in doubt.

"No, but the other two might blurt it out," she cleared her throat.

"I don't think it matters," I shrugged it off, lying blatantly through the skin of my teeth.

"Ellie," she said knowingly, "You can't lie to me."

I huffed, "I know but I just- I've tried so hard to just forget about everything that happened, but I just can't move past it." I ran a frustrated hand through my hair.

"It's understandable, you were incredibly hurt, it was like your first heartbreak, romantically at least, but don't you think it's time to move on?" she said.

"What do you mean?" I thought out loud.

"I mean, it's been a while since it happened and I just think that you have to move on. You know what they say, the best way to get over someone is to get under someone, now, I'm not telling you to get under someone, but just keep your options open and put yourself out there. You never know who you'll find," she explained.

Hearing it at first, it didn't sound like a bad idea at all, but knowing what I went through the first time and just the thought of going through anything remotely similar all over again is just so dreadful.

Maybe I'm just sensitive and I took the cheating harder than someone else would, but just imagine, your first boyfriend, the first guy who you trust enough to open up to, even though he wasn't that person for me, I wanted it to be someone else. But you open up to them, they lie straight to your face and then go behind your back and cheat on you.

It's disrespectful, it's rude, it's hurtful, and it's very heartbreaking. It makes you doubt yourself, your actions and it makes you feel worthless. I don't want to feel like that ever again, especially if I'm not over it in the first place.

"I don't think that's a good idea," I sighed.

"Why not? Elle, you might even find someone who can treat you better than James ever could have. I mean come on, your life has been the same throughout, I've known you forever. You can't lock yourself away because of one stupid boy. Don't you want something exciting? Don't you want to find a thrill in something?" she rambled.

"And dating someone gives you a thrill?" I questioned.

"Falling in love does. You tell me, what's more exciting than falling in love?"

I stayed quiet. It's no secret that nothing compares to falling in love with someone. But we're seventeen, love isn't part of most of our dictionaries.

"Ash, we're seventeen, we don't know shit about love," I said blankly.

"Yeah, but don't you wanna find out? Imagine meeting someone, falling in love with them, and then getting married," she gushed. This is just the hopeless romantic in her talking, but for some reason, it's a lot more convincing than it should be.

"Ashley..." I trailed off hesitantly, beginning to contemplate.

"Just think about it. Think about how amazing it is to have someone there. You don't have to jump on the next guy you see, please don't do that, but you know what you want and you're the only one that can get it. That's all I'll tell you, hun."

My alarm rang as I expected it to the next morning. Unlike yesterday, I got up before I got late and then began getting ready. I went downstairs while stuffing my phone in my pocket before I grabbed a bowl and some cereal.

I ate in silence until my parents came out, both of them ready for work. My mom made herself and my dad breakfast while I finished up, kissed their cheeks goodbye, and then headed out. I drove myself to school, I found a parking spot because I wasn't late. I turned the car off and stepped out, I was shuffling through the papers in my hand while walking.

I looked up and jumped back as a car came to a screeching halt in front of me. I stared as the window rolled down and revealed Zach. "Hi," he smirked.

"Bye," I said before walking around his car, jogging up the entrance steps and into the building. I scanned my homework from yesterday while walking to my locker, I glanced at my timetable, grabbed the books I needed and closed the doors, getting the life scared out of me when I saw Zach leaning on the locker next to mine.

"How did you-" I huffed, "Forget it," I mumbled before beginning to walk to the class which wasn't starting for a while.

"I want to talk to you," he said while walking beside me.

"I don't," I replied.

"Ellie," he huffed in agitation while running up the stairs with me.

"Zach," I said mockingly.

"Listen to me," he stood in front of the door to my class, blocking me from entering.

"I have class," I arched an eyebrow at him.

"You still have fifteen minutes." He gave me a pointed look.

"What do you want?" I sighed in defeat.

"I want you to listen, just give me ten minutes, that's all I want," he shrugged.

"At lunch," I stated.

"No, right now," he argued.

"Zach, at lunch or never," I said warningly.

"Jesus Christ, fine. Meet me by the field," he said before walking away.

I huffed in frustration before walking into class and settling down.

"Hey," Spencer sighed while sitting beside me.

"Hey."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The bell rang and I gathered my things, heading for the cafeteria, halting when I realized what I had promised Zach.

Do I have to go?

I was standing in the middle of the hallway which caused someone to crash into me, knocking me to the side. It was a group of freshman boys running around. Someone caught me and I looked up to find Brett.

"Just a tip, maybe don't stand in the middle of the hallway idly," he smirked at me.

"Maybe," I mumbled absentmindedly.

"What's going on?" he questioned.

"I'm supposed to meet Zach by the field. He wants to talk to me and I'm getting annoyed by his persistence. Can I just not go?" I whined.

"Absolutely not. I need both of you to be talking as soon as possible. Go!" He began pushing me towards the field.

I groaned while hugging my books to my chest, stepping out. I scoffed and rolled my eyes while I noticed a cigarette hanging loosely from his lips. He was leaning his shoulder against a tree while gazing at his phone, taking drags from the cigarette frequently.

He smokes now? God, he really has changed, and it really is for the worse.

I walked up to him while holding my hand up in front of my face to block the blinding sunlight. I made it over to him and he immediately killed the cigarette, stepping on it to put it out after tossing it on the ground.

"I didn't think you'd show up," he said while pushing himself off the tree.

"I didn't either," I retorted.

"I've got some explaining to do." He scratched the back of his head out of nervousness. It's surprising to see him nervous, he rarely got nervous.

"You think?" I lifted a brow at him.

He rolled his eyes at me before sitting down on the grass, patting the spot beside him. I huffed and sat down, not as close as he wanted. "Where do you want me to start?" he asked.

"I don't know, maybe when you disappeared and left the freaking country," I turned to him.

He chuckled while shaking his head, glancing down at the ground. "Well, that is right. I did. But I didn't have a choice, Ellie. You know that. My parents sent me off, there was nothing I could have done."

"What would you do differently if it was in your control?" I asked.

"I would never have left."

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Chapter five

That's a lot of chapter in one day huh?

Make sure to leave your comments, they always keep me motivitated to keep writing and keep my work going... I appreciate all the comments and the love <3

Next Chapter: Persistence is key