Sink or Swim✓ (Teen Romance)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Dedicated to: pata10..Thanks for your comments; they mean a lot! :)

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            It took every inch of will to go to school and eat lunch with Elliot.  The entire time, I act as though nothing is wrong; as though nothing is plaguing my thoughts.  But that night, when he calls, I don't answer.  Instead, I stare at my phone as it buzzes, wondering what the hell he is keeping from me.  An uneasy panic lingers in my gut for the remainder of the night.  I toss and turn in bed, trying to decide whether I should confront him about it.  Of course, my inner curiosity claws at me, begging me to find the truth; but I can't simply demand the truth after Elliot so readily trusted me.  It just doesn't seem fair.

            In the morning, after several hours of suffering through a sleepless night, I sit on the edge of my bed and review my options for the millionth time.  I can only ponder for a moment, however, because I have to get ready for school.  Yesterday wasn't as horrible as I imagined.  Elliot walked with me to every class and the majority of my peers had already slinked on to the next stitch of gossip.  If I'm lucky, my scandal will be all but forgotten today.

            By the time I am ready and out of my room, Cassi is gone.  Jenna probably picked her up to go to school.  They are most likely laughing about my terrifying attack, mocking my weakness.  I ground my teeth together and march to my car.  It is in that moment that I decide not to confront Elliot, simply because it is what Cassi expects me to do.  She wants to mess up my trust with Elliot, but I won't do it.  He blindly trusted me, so I will do the same for him.

            I am shaking by the time I get to school, though I am not sure why.  My cheeks are flushed, my stomach knotted, and my knuckles white against the steering wheel.  I can't tell if I am furious or nervous or scared; but regardless of what my emotion is, it's not a good one.  I want to puke and scream and punch Jenna Toberly in her stupid face.

            I pull into a compact spot, one of the farthest from the entrance.  There are plenty of closer spots to choose from, but I can't force myself to park closer.  If I do, I'll have less area to walk, meaning I'll reach my dreaded peers even sooner.  At least this way I can buy myself a few spare minutes of peace.

            After shoving my books into my backpack with purposeful slowness, a soft knocking rattles my window.  I glance over to see Elliot standing at my car door with a light smile upon his face. 

            "Hey," he says as I hesitantly open my door.

            "Hi."  I shimmy from the car, awkwardly dragging my bag with me.

            "You ready for round two?"

            "Not really," I say, trying to keep my voice light.  It doesn't work, and I'm sure he can tell.

            "You alright?" he asks, just as I expect.

            However, the words out of my mouth are far from expected.  Any previous plan I had flies out the window, shocking both Elliot and myself.

            "I want to know," I say.  I don't specify my demand, but I don't have to.  Elliot's bright eyes flicker toward the ground before they return to me.

            "Right now?" he asks.  This time, he glances to the surrounding parking lot of arriving students.  Whatever he is going to say is bad; bad enough that he knows it will cause a scene.

            "I don't know," I say, chewing down on my lip.  I can already feel tears coming, but I manage to say, "Why haven't you told me already?"