The Loner and the Prep (bxb)

Chapter Thirty-Three

Watson P.O.V

The next few days went by in a blur.

Elijah didn't let me go home; I don't think his conscience would let him. I was more than happy to stay because I was away from my father. It was only a positive bonus that it happened to be Elijah's house. I had been worried about how his family would react, but after some begging on my part, Elijah agreed to hide the real reason I was staying there. The only one who seemed to question it was Evelyn, who didn't vocalize her doubt.

It turns out that his family was nice. They seemed like an average family, which admittedly made me feel bad for assuming that they'd be rude and stuck-up. Seeing them altogether did make me feel awkward and out of place. I couldn't help but feel like I shouldn't have been there like I was intruding. I didn't tell them that, though, since they were already doing so much by allowing me to stay. A guest bedroom was provided to me, which is more than I think I deserved. It was a big room with furniture that looked like it came straight out of a home decor magazine. To say the first night was rough for me would be an understatement. I was too afraid to sleep, not because of the house or the room, but because of everything else. The first night had been so uncertain for me. I didn't know if my father would be arrested or if I would have to go back home and face his wrath.

It turns out I wouldn't. In fact, there was a good chance that I'd never have to see my father ever again. After making the report, he was immediately sought out only to be found in our house wasted. From what the officer in-closed, my father had been slurring drunken words threatening abuse, which was more than enough to prove he was a violent drinker. The house being covered in bottles didn't help him either. Not that there was much to save.

The news ended up spreading like I thought it would but instead of picking on me about it like my bully would have, no one said anything about it. At least, not to me. I could tell they knew, though. It was the way that people would glance at me after someone whispered something in their ear or how the teachers were watching me more than they ever have before. It felt like everyone was walking on eggshells around me. It was weird to see them act like this since most of them had stood around and laughed when I got picked on. It was a weird change of pace.

When Evelyn found out, it was clear she wasn't happy with me. I think she was more upset that I didn't tell her than anything else, that I let her find out through gossip instead of directly telling her. She punched me in the arm before hugging me when she did confront me about it. I like to think that means we're cool now?

I didn't have to go back to school on the first day, though. Instead, I was excused because I had to go and give a formal report to the police that afternoon. It was different than when I talked about it with Elijah. The officer had asked all the standard questions, writing a few things down as we spoke. I admit that going to the station had stressed me out, not only because I would have to talk about the abuse to a complete stranger, but another part of me had been worrying about potentially encountering my father. Thankfully, it didn't happen, but I didn't know that before I arrived. They had allowed me to go back to the house and collect my things, which I had truly been grateful for. There wasn't much there that I wanted, but what I did was important to me. There was my cello, some of my clothes, and a few pictures. Maybe I shouldn't have kept them, but a part of me couldn't leave them behind. Photos from the past that show that my father wasn't always a horrible drunk and that I once had a loving family. That isn't the case now, but those photos give me the chance to reminisce those times.

Elijah's parents didn't treat me any differently once they learned why I was staying with them. All they had said was that I could stay as long as I wanted and that if I needed anything, all I would need to do was ask. Their kindness had truly touched my heart, but I knew better than to overstay my welcome, even if they said I could stay for as long as I needed. Evelyn seemed to like my presence since she popped into my room all the time, even if it was just to say hello. We talked about music a lot since we both played the same instruments.

That wasn't even the peak of it all. During the short time I stayed there, Elijah and I got to know each other better. Before, we had never talked to each other, never had reason to. Staying with his family allowed me to see a different side of Elijah; one could even say the better side. His school friends weren't here. He wasn't putting on what I now knew was a facade. He was being himself, which I was slowly discovering that I liked more than I had initially thought I did. To say that my feelings for him were growing would be right, even though I hid it.

Of course, I hid it. This was not the time to go admitting feelings. His family was giving me a place to stay. The last thing I needed to do was to go and make things awkward to the point that they would extract their hospitality offer. Maybe once things were settled down. Even then, I'm not Elijah's type. It was sad to admit considering my feelings for him were only just starting to develop further. It's okay, though. I never expected anything to come from having these unrequited feelings. I knew that back when I first realized that I liked him. I know that it's a waste of time to have these kinds of feelings towards someone who would never see me as anything more than a friend, and that's saying that he considers me a friend now, which I'm not sure he does, but it isn't easy ignoring how you feel.

Downstairs, I could hear Elijah and Evelyn bickering about something, their argument likely over something they wouldn't remember tomorrow. It was nice. This place, the people, all of it. It was strange how much things have changed. A week ago, I had a physical bully, an abusive father, and a school that didn't care in the slightest about any of it. It's almost scary how quickly things have changed, but it was a good scary. It almost felt like it was all a dream, that I would wake up and things would be back the way they were.

I never wanted to be back in that situation. I know now that I should never have been and that if I had just spoken up, maybe these past few years wouldn't have been as bad as they were. But I had been scared then, afraid to open my mouth and admit that my home life wasn't great. That I had a bully. Before, it had been too much for me to talk about, but things were different now. I had gotten the courage to admit those things; I had someone I could rely on. I . . . had friends. That was more than I ever thought I was going to get. I had always believed that the only way that I would get out of my abusive household was by waiting until I graduated. Turns out that I wouldn't have to wait until then.

Things were changing for the better, and I could only hope that things would continue to change. Who would have thought that they actually would? Turns out things were going to continue to look up for me. I just didn't know it yet.

Elijah's shout snapped me out of my thoughts as his words echoed through the house. Of course, he couldn't just walk up here to tell me himself.

"Dinner's ready!"

I smiled at that, sitting the photo that I had been holding down onto the bed. I stood, glancing around the room that I was now starting to consider my own before I walked to the door.

"Coming!"