The Bad Boy Loves Me?

Chapter Twenty Two - Ellie

Tyler's POV

I didn't tell the others I was coming back to my old school. Marist College, still as shitty as it was when I left. I wander across the lot attracting all kinds of stares and odd looks. I try to recall the last time I was here. That would be right around the time things went bad for me.

*FLASHBACK*

Dane must have told everyone that I stole his girl. Every corridor I take, every corner I turn people are glaring at me. Dane won't forgive me for this one, it has ruined our friendship.

A small, slender dark haired girl walks up to me. She's the only person in the school who will talk to me.

"Hey don't worry about them, their all just sheep. Their only treating you this way because everyone else is." She gestures to all the glaring people around us.

"I have to go Ellie, I would change it if I could. You know I would." I say to her.

Her eyes fall from mine, hurt laces them I can see it. "It's not you." My voice cracks and it surprises me, I want to take her with me.

"Where will you go?" She says finally looking up at me.

"There's another high school across town, Huntings High. You should come with me."

"I can't. They don't have the courses I need." She shakes her head sadly.

"Well we'll ask maybe they can sort something out for you."

"I don't want you to leave me here, especially with them."

Them. She's talking about all the people we used to hang out with, Dane and Ashley and a few other people, who had all since turned on us.

"I'm sorry I can't do this anymore Ellie." I say, "But I will come back for you."

*FLASHBACK END*

Remembering Ellie gives me a glimmer of hope. It had been a long time since I last saw her but a friendship like ours didn't just dissipate. I have to find her, Huntings has a distance education system with all the courses she does. I can still save her.

I walk past where my old locker had been, so many memories here they just aren't all good ones.

"And I bet you still have a crush on him don't you Ellie?" I look up, a few girls are huddled up ahead.

"Just leave me alone." A voice familiar this time comes from somewhere in the group.

"Hey!" I say before I really thought about this decision. "Leave her alone!"

All the girls run off at the sight of me probably to go tell everyone I'm back. Ellie's eyes meet mine and a look of pure shock laces them.

"Does this happen a lot?" I say as I get closer to her.

"All the time." She smiles at me.

"You should come back with me, to Huntings." I say to her hoping she'll say yes.

"We've been over this, I can't."

"Yes you can I found a way."

"Dane's causing trouble isn't he."

"How did you know?"

"He comes to school everyday bragging about how he got to you and your new friend. He says your girlfriend is actually quite pretty well he said stupid but pretty to be exact."

"Ellie I was going to tell you..."

"You don't need my permission Tyler, you and I have always just been friends and we always will be. But if she hurts you, I'll hurt her."

"She won't she's so amazing I have to introduce you to her."

"Your face lights up when you talk about her." She punches me lightly in the arm "You're in love with her."

"What? No stop that you're  going to make me look soft." I say laughing, it's like old times again.

"But you aren't here to laugh and have fun are you?" She says looking serious again.

"Dane's causing trouble and I feel like Ashley owes me so I'm here to tell her so. And save your ass as well." I smirk at her.

"Haha well my ass is just fine thank you. What happened with Dane?"

I tell her a shortened version of the story and she nods and looks thoughtful.

"Creepy much." She says when I'm finished, "Ashley hangs over near old broken up bleachers, you know the far desolate corner of the school."

"I'll come get you later."

"No way I'm coming with you."

I stare at her but don't argue even though I feel like I should. We walk to the oval and I see where Ellie is talking about. There's a tall bunch of half dead poplar trees and at their base there's the broken up bleachers. They didn't used to be there when I was here. I can see a bunch of figures leaning against what's left of the bleachers.

"Here we go." I say.

I walk up to the girl I recognise all too well. She turns around to face me and I get a face full of cigarette smoke. When did she start smoking?

"I need to talk to you." I say bitterly I still hate her for what she did.

She takes another puff from the cigarette and walks away from the others and I follow with Ellie behind me.

"You only." Ashley says to me.

"She stays, you don't get to make demands."

Ashley glares at Ellie, "What do you want Hanson?"

"You are going to take care of Dane for me."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because you still love him and because you owe me for screwing up my friendship with him."

"What are you asking me to do?" She takes another puff of the cigarette.

"I don't care what you do just get rid of him. Don't even think about screwing me over because I will end you." I grab Ellie's arm and walk away from Ashley without another word.

"Do you think we can trust her."

"There's no 'we', I won't drag you into this mess."

"No one is dragging me anywhere, you don't have a choice I'm helping." Ellie says matter of factly.