Clouds || E & C

one // 12.22.14

"I'm telling you, I wouldn't have failed that test if it weren't on a Monday. Those are the worst kinds." I rant to my best friend Ellie Harmon. She laughs, the sound like ringing bells. Her smile pretty much keeps me sane.

"Carson, you can do way better." Ellie says, keeping pace with me as we walk home. High school had unfortunately brought neither of us a car upon our 16th birthdays, so it's our only option, but we're fine with it.

I'm totally fine with it.

Ellie holds her books close to her chest with small tight fingers next to me, her little backpack swinging a little through every stride. Her long dark brown hair is pulled up in a loose bun atop her head; by now about a million strands of it hang down by her ears. She subconsciously pushes some behind her ears, her brown eyes sparkling in the dwindling sun.

"Why won't you let me tutor you?" she pleads for about the hundredth time this week. We had another test on Friday in Calculus that could make or break our grades...and I had been leaning more towards the 'breaking' point. I made the mistake of telling Ellie all about it (she herself is in advanced Trigonometry already) and now, she wants to tutor me.

No matter how much I tell her, I'll make it through school, barely.

"The day you tutor me is a day I don't want to see, El. I don't need any help."

"But you just failed a test-"

"It's fine." I snap forcefully, and she backs off, pressing her lips together and avoiding my eyes. It's a reaction I hate to love from her; she'll leave me alone, but she won't open up again. It isn't her fault that her parents are never around to teach her, but social things never really come easy for Ellie, meaning she's super sensitive.

"Look, I'm sorry. Thanks for the offer, but I'll be fine." I rephrase, and she turns back, smiling a little. "Promise me we'll graduate together, Carson." she says. "Oh, trust me, we'll be the best ones walking across that stage, El." I promise, bumping her shoulder. She just smiles back, her shyness all the more attractive at the same time.

After about a ten minute walk, we're nearing my house, which is usually where we go everyday after school. Ellie's parents live just across the street, but her house is huge, and she doesn't really feel like it's home there. I wouldn't either, when it's empty most of the time.

"Wanna do our homework in the treehouse?" As kids, Ellie and I would spend most of our lives up there, and it's only natural to spend time in it now. "Of course, is there anywhere else we ever go?" Ellie says with a laugh, and I smile back, leading the way through my backyard fence and towards the 'ancient' wooden structure that still stands on the sturdiest tree in the whole neighborhood.

"Old habits never die." I comment as we enter. Many of our old toys, games, and trinkets are still here, where we left them so many years ago, including the first thing we made, the little square block we'd drawn all over and made a promise to always be friends. I'm just glad that we still even have the chance to come up here.

"I guess the old 'tea' table isn't much good for us anymore!" Ellie says suddenly, pointing at the red plastic table and chairs in one corner that back then, used to hold us and many more stuffed animals.

"Let's sit by the window." I tell her, and we sit right up under the sill that overlooks my house, setting down our things.

"And you're sure...about the tutor thing? Because it wouldn't be any trouble, Carson, really." Ellie tries again timidly, and it startles me how far she's willing to go about my grades. Usually, Ellie is not the type to pry, yet now, she'd definitely poked and pulled a little more than her limit. Maybe she did care about me as much as I cared about her.