Patrick's POV
I drive Ellen home and then pull into my driveway. I watch her car pull out of the driveway and drive down the street. I assume she is going to her eye appointment.
I walk inside my house and up to my room to grab clothes. Taking them in into the bathroom, I start the shower.
Once I clean the makeup off of my body and get the twigs out of my hair, I step out into the chilly air.
Walking out of the bathroom fully clothed, I hear my mom call me down for dinner. I run down the stairs and sit at the table with my family.
I eat the pasta in silence. My father hasn't returned from work yet and my sisters are quietly talking to each other about some hot celebrity.
I finish my meal and walk to the kitchen to wash off my plate. I return to the dining room and sit down.
"Mother, may I be excused?" I ask quietly.
"Why? Are you alright dear?" she asks concerned. I nod.
"Just tired." She nods her head.
"I suppose so." I quickly rise, walk up to her and give her a kiss on the cheek. I walk to my sisters and do the same.
"Goodnight." I say.
"Goodnight." they say in unison.
I walk up the stairs and look through my bedroom window. I see Ellen talking with the new British boy. I roll my eyes and pick up the telephone. I dial her number and wait for her to answer.
"Hello?"
"Hey El."
"Oh hey Pat. Listen, I don't think I can talk tonight. I'm really busy. Ill see you in the morning though."
"Oh. Okay. Goodnight." I say sadly. She hung up the phone without saying anything else. I watch her through the window as she chats and laughs with the boy.
I sigh and close the shades on my window. I lay back in my bed and watch the ceiling fan spin. Why does this upset me so much? Why should I care if Ellen is with another boy? I don't.
An hour later, my phone begins to ring.
"Hello?" I answer tiredly.
"Patrick."
"Ellen?"
"Guess what just happened! Go to the window."
I do as she says and open my curtains. I see her sitting at the window with a green mask on her face, her hair in a bun, and glasses on her face.
I chuckle and open the window.
"I like the look, Ellie." She giggles.
"Shut up! Guess what just happened!"
"Hm. What happened?"
"He kissed me Patrick! Riley kissed me." I look at her smiling face and feel jealous.
"Ellen. Isn't he a senior?"
"Yeah so?"
"We're sophomores. He is too old."
"Patrick! Stop being so up tight. I just had my first kiss. Be happy for me!" I sigh.
"I'm happy for you." I tell her. She smiles widely again and giggles.
"Just...I just don't want him to hurt you." I tell her.
"He won't. Riley is a nice guy! Really." I nod.
"Okay. It's getting late, El."
"I know. Oh! Before you go. I can't ride with you tomorrow. I have something to do after school."
"Okay. I'll see you at lunch then." I tell her.
"Okay. Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
I hang up the phone and go to shut my window.
"El!" I shout quietly before she closes her window. She looks up at me and leans out the window.
"I like the glasses. I really do." She smiles and even in the dark, I can see her blush.
"Thanks Patty."
She closes her window and I close mine.
***
A month later.
I walk into the courtyard with my books in hand. I see Ellen talking with Riley and I hide behind a tree and listen.
"So, I'll see you tonight then?" Ellen asks. Riley nods and they kiss.
"Oh. My dad and sister won't be home. So we have the house to ourselves." I hear her whisper. I cringe and walk away before I hear anything else.
I walk into chemistry and sit at the lab table. Ellen walks in and sits next to me.
"Hey El. So I was thinking. The musical is coming up soon and we should be practicing more. Do you want to come over tonight?" I ask. She blushes.
"Actually Riley is coming over tonight. It's sort of our one month anniversary."
"Oh. But wait. I thought you were going to be home alone tonight." I say nonchalantly.
"Well, yeah. But Riley is going to come over. So..."
The bell rings before I can say anything else.
Once school ends, I go straight home and throw my stuff in my room. I walk to the backyard and climb up into the tree house. The house is covered in spider webs.
I hadn't been up here in years. I see Ellen's box of barbies in the corner. Man I can't even remember the last time we were up here.
What made us stop hanging out up here? When did we grow up?
I sigh and look at the picture frames that we hung. I grab the picture of the two of us hugging each other. It was my tenth birthday and I had just gotten my juggling pins.
I sit on the sofa that we somehow crammed into the house. I look around, remembering when Ellen and I were each other's entire world. Now she is kissing other boys.
I find the picture of us on our pretend wedding day. I had dressed myself in the nicest suit I found and she had on a white princess dress. I remember that day like it was yesterday.
I sigh and climb down out of the house. I walk out of the yard through the gate and go to grab my bicycle. I hear muffled sounds coming from Ellen's house. Curiously, I walk a little closer. I hear moaning.
Blushing, I run into my dad's shed in the back yard and close the door. I sit in the corner of the dark room and pull my knees close to my chest.
My breathing comes rapidly as I try to get the sound out of my head. She can't be. No she wouldn't. Ellen isn't that type of girl. But Riley is that type of boy.
An hour later, I rise from my spot in the shed. I walk through my house and up to my room without really seeing anything. Almost like I were a zombie.
I hear my phone ringing before I even get to my room. I pick up the phone and answer.
"Hello."
"Patrick?" I hear Ellen's voice.
"Yes." I say coldly.
"Will you go to the window?"
Without answering, I walk to the window.
I open it and see her tear stained face. This sight snaps me out of my daze.
"El? What's wrong?" She starts crying again.
"I'm coming over. Stay there." I hang up the phone and grab my coat. I run down the stairs and my mother stops me.
"Where do you think you're going? Do you know what time it is?" she asks.
"Ellen needs me." I say seriously. She nods and let's me go. I sprint across the lawn and into her house.
I run up the stairs, skipping every other step. I tear open her door and find her figure, curled up by the window.
I walk to her and scoop her into my arms. She snuggles closer to my chest, her tears staining my grey shirt.
"What happened?" I ask gently. She sniffles and lifts her head.
"You're going to be disappointed." she says. I wipe her tears away with my thumbs and brush her hair away from her face. I shake my head.
"I won't. I could never be disappointed in you."
"I had sex with Riley." she blurts out.
"Oh."
"I mean it was good. I...it's supposed to leave you feeling happy. But I feel so empty." I nod sympathetically.
"And then..." she starts before crying again.
"What? What happened Ellie?"
"Well, I was talking about going to prom with him and he...he broke up with me. He said he didn't want to be seen with me because I'm a sophomore."
I hug her tightly and my entire being is filled with rage. How could someone do that to Ellie?
"When will your sister be home, El?"
"They won't be home until tomorrow afternoon. They went to visit a college in Boston."
"I'll stay then. Until you fall asleep." She nods and gets up to lay on her bed. I sit on the floor beside her bed and hold her hand.
I wait until her breathing evens out and I get up and turn off the lamp. I walk down the stairs and open the door, lock it, and close it behind me.
