Upside Down ✔️

Chapter 14

Someone squeezed my hand, waking me from my dreamless sleep. When I looked up, I found Kenneth sitting in a chair beside me.

"Hey." Was all I got.

"Hi..." I awkwardly replied, turning to lay more comfortably.

"I got you flowers." He said, pulling out a bouquet of white daisies.

"Thank you..."

He sighed and slammed the flowers on my nightstand, making me jump and flinch, half expecting to be beaten or screamed at.

When Kenneth saw this, a horrified expression took over his face, and again... He was gone...

He was horrified by me...

*********

I woke up the rest of the time to my family. Not even Aiden came by, saddening me more.

A few more months passed and I was released and put in an online schooling program to catch up for loss time.

I didn't hear anything from Able, Aiden, or even Kenneth. I cried myself to sleep at night, telling myself he hated me.

My parents played it off that he was just busy. But I'd heard their conversations. I'd heard them mention him calling off the wedding. I'd heard them when he starting dating this other girl. I heard it all.

And it devastated me...

********

It's been a whole year since I last saw Kenneth. But I never stopped hearing about him.

He's getting married in exactly three weeks. My parents have been pissed and avoid the topic of him cometely. I've noticeably become more gloomy and depressed.

I hardly eat and can never get myself to fall asleep.

Carly encourages me to go see him, tell him how I feel.

But I know he won't listen... I know he won't believe me...

****

Since my parents still didn't want me going anywhere alone, me and Carly were at the mall. She wanted clothes but insisted I go along -no matter how much I argued. So now we were sitting in the food court, her pigging out on her Chinese food and me sipping on my tea when it happened.

First I saw him. He was just as handsome as he was a year ago. Then I noticed her. She was tall, and beautiful and thin.

Then I noticed the ring. It was giant and expensive looking. 

Carly followed my gaze and turned back to me just as I was rising and dialing Dad's number. "Ellie, wait!" Carly called as I pressed my phone to my ear and ran to the exit

Tears were spilling from my eyes when he picked up. "Ellie? Are you-"

"The mall, now please?" I cried as I pushed open the Macy's store doors leading to the outside.

"I'm on my way, be there in five." He responded then hung up. 

Carly pushed the door open and found me sitting with my knees to my chest and crying. I thought he told me he loved me. If he loved me the way he said he did, how could he easily walk out of my life and be so happy with someone else?

"El-" she began but was cut off by the door opening.

"Ellie?!" Kenneth called but stopped short when he saw me. He had this heartbroken look on his face. "El-"

Carly stepped up of stand in front of me. "I'm sorry but you need to leave." Then she helped me up just as Dad arrived.

They both gave him the death glare, but I didn't dare look at his face. I wouldn't be able to handle it.