Meeting Ellie

Ch. 1

Ellie's POV:

    I hate when my parents fight, it's always so horrible. The yelling and the sound of things breaking can go on for hours. You'd think I'd be used to it by now, but no. As soon as it starts I run out my back door and walk to the park. I always go to the park further away from my house; it's probably only eight miles. However, today it seems like eight hundred. I'd go to the park closer to my house, but last time I was there some guys tried to get me to go into the woods with them. Thankfully, Officer Jacob Hernandez drove up and they scattered. Having parents that are alcoholics, I'm on a first name basis with most of the cops in this town. I haven't gone back after the incident. Instead, I go to the safer part of our town which is literally, over the train tracks. The town is divided between those tracks. One side is middle to upper class and the other side, where I live, is the struggling lower class.

    I always walk to the same place, the swings and sit for hours. Just hoping when I go home both of my parents are passed out. Sitting at my usual swing with my head down, I try not to draw attention to myself. I make sure I don't look around, I don't want to see the happy families, laughing and enjoying the sunny day. If I watch them I know I'll cry. I'll cry because I'll never have what they have - loving, supportive parents who actually care where their kids are during the day.

    I see Lacey and Julie, two girls from high school running the path around the park. I look down hoping to God they don't see me. I check my watch it's only eleven in the morning. I have seven hours until I can walk home. I always make sure I'm back before dark, but not a minute sooner. I sway on the swing listening to the children laughing and dogs barking. When the swing next to me moves I keep my head lowered.

"I swear you're here every day." I can tell it's a boy by his voice. It's deep, husky almost.

I shrug hoping he'll take the hint that I don't want to talk and go away. He doesn't, he stays quiet and sits on his swing. "Can you talk?" he asks, seriously. I look over to him amused. I intimately recognize him; we went to the same high school. He was the quarterback on the football team until last year when he graduated. The Bulldogs won state all four years he played. He just finished his freshman year at Ole Miss and must be home for the summer.

"I'm Knox Hendrix." He introduces himself.

I nod. "I know who you are." I look back to the ground and I can feel his eyes follow my movements.

"And your name is?" he asks. I can hear the laughter in his voice.

"Ellie Coleman." I reply.

"Did we go to school together?"

I nod, "I was a year behind you." I answer, before he asks. "I just graduated."

"Why are you always here? At the park."

I respond before I think better of it. "I have nowhere else to go."

"You can't go home?" He questions, intrigued.

"I don't want to be there." I state, looking away from him again. I don't know what it is about his eyes but they are soft and kind. I feel like I can talk to him and he won't judge, he'll just listen. I'm not sure if I like it.

"Why?"

I shake my head not quite believing that I'm spilling my guts to one of the former high school jocks. "My parents fight a lot." I reply, not explaining any further.

I keep my eyes away from him; knowing that he'll look at me with pity like so many of the adults in this town do. Even if they pity me, they make sure their kids stay far away from the Coleman girl. Everyone in this town knows my father. He's been arrested multiple times for domestic abuse, drunk driving and public intoxication. I hate pity, it's worse than the teasing and bullying from the kids at school.