The Skeletøn Bøy

THIRTY-THREE

++ C H A P T E R | T H I R T Y - T H R E E ++

Mat was all smiles when he got home. Elliott noticed that immediately as she got changed for work.

Yes, work. Elliott was finally going to suck it all up and return to work. She missed Wes, even though she wished she didn't. And even though she knew being with Wes, whatever that meant, wasn't supposed to happen.

Everyone around her always got hurt. Everyone around her always were in danger. The thought of Mother reaching Wes made her stomach churn.

Elliott didn't want to think about it.

"Why are you so happy?" Elliott teased Mat, ruffling the boy's hair. It was so unlike Elliott that for a moment, Mat just looked at Elliott as if she had five heads. To Mat, Elliott had always been brooding and moody, never smiling. Never playful. Never happy.

Mat liked this new Elliott.

"I got the big brother I've been waiting for!" Mat jumped up and down, waving the paper work in Elliott's face. "And it gets better! Brent is my big brother!"

Elliott's face paled for a moment. She liked Brent, and valued him as a friend, but she realized almost immediately that Brent was going to be around more often now. And Brent being involved in Elliott's home life meant Brent was going to be put in danger.

But, Mat was happy, and Elliott realized this. This meant that Elliott had to be happy also.

"That's so great, Mat. When do you guys meet?"

Mat looked at the ground suddenly, his mood changing. "That's the thing. I have to meet with my guidance counselor about everything on Friday. The day of your game."

Elliott had been pumped about the game on Friday, and Anna had promised that she'd try to take off work to watch Elliott. Mat and Adrian also promised that they would make it.

Elliott's chest felt tight, but she smiled through the tears of betrayal. Why would they do this to me? After all I've done, I ought to smack some sense into him!

But that thought wasn't her own, but mother's. And it frightened her to the point of silence. She had just thought about smacking Mat, and it paralyzed her with fear. There was nothing she could do but repeat to herself that she wasn't Mother, she wasn't Mother, she wasn't Mother.

But aren't I?

"Oh no, I knew you'd be upset!" Mat wailed, wrapping his arms tight around Elliott. "Please don't be mad, Ellie! I tried to schedule another time, but the guidance counselor said I didn't have a choice! But I promise I'll be at all your other games. I promise!"

Elliott couldn't be mad at Mat - it wasn't his fault. But, that didn't stop Elliott from feeling the sting of betrayal.

"It's fine, Mat. I have to get to work."

Mat knew it wasn't fine, but he didn't say anything else as he watched Elliott stalk out of the house. He had ruined Elliott's mood, and nothing felt worse than knowing he'd taken Elliott's smile away. Such a rare sight, and Mat knew he'd ruined it.

Elliott nearly ran to work. She didn't want to stay upset, and she most certainly didn't want to continue thinking about how similar her thoughts were to Mother's. She practically was Mother!

When she entered the shop, Wes wasn't there. Mark stood at the counter, which was rare, and he smiled upon Elliott's arrival.

He knows you're a girl, Elliott reminded herself as she took a deep breath. She walked up to the counter and tested out a smile that felt foriegn on her face. "Hey, Mark."