Chapter 4

"You little slut!" I hear someone shout from inside Elly's house. What's going on? I came over because it's Friday and that is when Elly likes to hang out the most, she isn't as stressed about school.

"You getting some from all of the boys? That kid Declan is over all of the time and now you're sneaking around with some twenty-four-year-old?" Wow, why is Elly's mom being so harsh? Tara is usually cool when I'm around, that's what she told me to call her. Wait, twenty-four, is that how old Darren is? I'm so confused right now. I sit down on the steps and wait for the fight to be over before I knock.

"Declan and I are just friends! He's like my only friend mom, and Darren and I have been together for a while. I would've told you, but I knew you would get angry!" Elly yells back at Tara. It's weird hearing Elly yell, she is usually calm around me.

"You bet I'm angry! How dare you sneak out and sleep over with a grown man?" Tara slurs her words a bit.

Elly doesn't answer or at least I don't hear her answer. Something smashes and I jump up, the front door flies open and Elly runs out. She has a cut on her face, she looks at me but continues to her car. I follow her and get in, I look back and see her mother on the porch. Tara has blood dripping off of her hand and a bottle of whiskey in the other. She's yelling, but I can't make it out. Elly jerks the car out of the driveway and speeds down the road.

"Elly?" What the hell is going on?

"Congratulations! You now know my mother is a drunk psychopath, cool right? Also Darren wants me to come see him right now or he is gonna dump me? That doesn't even make sense, he says I don't come see him enough!" Elly whips the car around the corner, I have no idea where she's going but I'm not going to ask either.

"The only reason I have this car is because my grandma bought it for me before she passed away. The only reason I have gas money is by taking money from my mother's drug dealer boyfriends! Darren knows all of this and just expects me to jump when he says jump." Elly runs a stop sign, luckily there are no cops around.

"Why are you with him then?" If the guy is a jerk, just leave him. Elly shoots me a dirty look.

"Well, I love him, it isn't as easy as you make it sound." Elly slows down. I wish she didn't love him. I think I could make her happier than he could. The car stops, we are in an overgrown parking lot surrounded by woods.

"There's a trail in these woods. I like to walk it to calm myself. Do you want to come with me?" Elly is already halfway in the woods.

"Yeah. Sure, let's go." I follow Elly into the woods. It is pretty dark since it is cloudy today. Elly goes through the path like it is easy as pie. Like there isn't roots sticking up everywhere, branches, sticks and pants in the way. I'm still trying to figure out what path she was talking about.

"Come on slow poke! There's a little waterfall up ahead," Elly says, still smoothly moving ahead. I trip on a root, but catch myself before I fall all the way.

We arrive at the waterfall and it's cool, the water is clear and I see a couple of frogs hopping along. I take my shoes off and dip my feet in and immediately take them back out. I may have just lost my feet due to frostbite. I look over at Elly and she is in the water! She's also in her underwear which makes me blush and turn away.

"Oh my gosh, turn back around! How is this any different from me wearing a bikini?" Elly does have a point so I turn back around.

"Come in! The water is great!" She must be out of her mind; no way am I getting in there.

"I think I'll pass, thanks." I make my way to a ledge close to her and sit down. Elly swims over, she gets out and sits next to me. She puts her hand on my arm and looks into my eyes. Then she yanks me off the ledge and we both fall into the water.

I reach the surfacing sputtering and gasping for air, now a human icicle. Elly surfaces and laughs at me. At first I was going to swim to the edge and get the hell out but, now it isn't so bad. I take my shirt and pants off in the water and toss them out, hoping the heat will dry them. Elly starts splashing me from behind so I grab her and restrain her arms.

"Not so tough now, huh?" I smile as she tries to break my hold.

"No, I'm not." I realize I'm still holding her, but I don't let go. This feels right, she's so gorgeous. Her wet hair is falling into her eyes, eyes that are looking up at me. Elly raises her hand and runs it through my hair then down my back and to my chest. My body is on fire from her touch. I pull her closer to me and our bodies are touching. I want her so much it's excruciating.

"This is wrong," Elly says, but no one pulls away. Her hands go around my neck and she rests her head on my chest. I notice blood still running from her cut and I wipe it off.

Out of nowhere, a high-pitched ring tone breaks our embrace. Elly slowly lets me go and gets out and answers her phone. I stare at her; I just want her back in my arms.

"Yes, I'm on my way right now. I'm sorry, just wait please? Okay, I love you too." Elly hangs up and quickly starts to get dressed. I do the same and after we follow the treacherous trail to her car.

In the car a question pops into my head. "Why is Darren being such a jerk to you?" Elly doesn't reply. "I'm sorry, you don't have to tell me if you aren't comfortable."

"No, it's ok. Darren and I haven't had sex yet and when I told him what happened with Rob he freaked out. I didn't cheat on him, but he is acting as if I did. He wasn't always so mean." That still doesn't give him a reason to be so controlling, I feel like this type of behavior didn't come out of nowhere and Elly is withholding information.

"I know you don't want to hear this, but now he is trying to guilt me into having sex with him and I'm not ready. It never feels right when he tries to."

"Then don't, if he actually loves you, he will wait. I don't like that he's pressuring you either, if you need help or anything please tell me," I try to sound tough, but I've never been in an actual fight in my life.

"Thank you. I'll be fine though, he would never force me to do anything. He's not a bad guy, he just loves me." Elly starts the car and pulls out. I'm worried about her, what she's describing doesn't seem like love. I guess I'll just have to support her, even though what just happened at the creek just heightened my protectiveness towards her.

Elly is driving, like a sane person now, hair staring to frizz but she still looks great. Recent events make her seem like some weak girl. With all that I've learned so far, I think she's breaking from being strong for too long. I also think she knows that what Darren is doing is wrong, she is just too scared to accept it. She seems so goddamn lonely too, I guess she would have to be to seek out the company of my group.

"Declan, we're here. At Jonah's." Elly puts the car in park.

"Are you going to see Darren now?" She nods. "You should stay here. Have fun with us." I gesture to Jonah's house. Elly looks like she's considering but shakes her head.

"I can't Declan, I have to see him. I want to make things better and...and I miss him. I'm sorry." Elly looks at me with sad eyes.

"Don't be." I open the car door. "See you later," I say with a smile on my face, only I'm not happy. Elly smiles back and drives away. I need to get high, wasted or both. As if on cue, Rob texts me.

Wanna smoke? My Uncle is letting me use his car for the day. I haven't hung out with him in a while because of Elly, but I'm not gonna pass this up.

Fuck yeah! I'm at Jonah's.

Walk to the corner store and I'll pick you up. I put my phone away and start to walk.

Messing around in my pockets I find an old cigarette, slightly crushed. I light it up as I walk and feel the beauty of a nicotine buzz fill my senses. My anxiety is pushed to the side for the moment and I am no longer worrying about Elly. She can handle herself, she is fine.

I get to the store and Ben is there too, sitting on a rusty ass bench the store will never replace.

"Rob picking you up too?" Ben scoots over and I sit.

"What have you been up to lately?" I ask to make conversation, not because I'm actually interested.

"Same old. My dad has been letting me do whatever since he gave me that black eye. You should see him." Ben laughs. "He thinks he's the worst father and apologizes all of the time." At least your dad apologizes, I think to myself.

"Nice." Rob pulls up to the curb in the lamest car ever, a green punch bug. Ben and I just sit there laughing our asses off.

"Stop being bitches and get in! There's weed to smoke and girls to conquer!" A twinge of disgust comes and goes at Rob's last words, but I get in anyway and so does Ben.

When we arrive at Rob's house we go straight to his room and pack a bowl. Rob has a new one, Its glass with blue and red swirls inside. At the bowl head there's an eye that turns red when you light up. It's pretty awesome, I've been wanting one like this. I bet my ass he stole it, or at least stole the funds to get it. Rob doesn't bat an eye when it comes to stealing. I've stolen a lot, but I like to be able to buy things with my own money more.

After we are done smoking my head starts to feel funny and my body feels extremely light. This is good bud. Ben starts giggling so I turn my attention to him.

"I feel like I could fly right now, this is some dank weed." Ben laughs some more. "I can see how red my eyes are without even looking in the mirror." Rob turns to me an d we both laugh.

"Shut up Ben, you're high," Rob says still laughing then he falls out of the chair he is in. He hits hard.

"Guess what? I didn't even feel that!" We keep laughing like crazy people.

"We are so done right now." I try to stand and I can't because my legs are too wobbly. So I fall back on the couch.

"Hey, Rob? Where are the girls you were talking about?" Ben asks. Rob shoots up.

"Shit, I forgot. They're a couple houses down let's go." Robs leaves and we follow, like always.

We pull up to a very big purple and black house, a Victorian house I think. There are balloons lining the driveway and pink streamers on the door. Rob knocks and a short blonde girl answers. She looks fierce with her piercing green eyes.

"Hello Rob," she smiles. "The birthday girl has been waiting for you." The blonde girl winks. "Did you bring a present?" A second girl asks, coming out of nowhere.

"Yeah. Myself." Rob laughs and we all go in. Typical Rob. The house is covered in frilly pink and purple decorations. A banner says 'Sweet 16' but the sixteen is crossed out and 18 is written in marker next to it. There's a big cake surrounded by booze, surprising the cake calls to my attention instead of the booze. I depart from the group to grab a piece, it's double chocolate cake and it tastes amazing. I go for a second piece while the first one is still in my mouth.

"Slow down there, that's not a regular cake." A short Hispanic girl is leaning against the table smirking.

"I know, it's double chocolate birthday cake." I shove the second piece in my mouth. The girl gives me a funny look. "Right?"

She laughs. "It's a Cannicake!" A what? Canni? Uh oh, I swallow the cake in my mouth.

"Like Edibles?" She nods. "Oh shit!" I haven't done edibles, but I have heard of them. Apparently the main ingredient is the THC from weed, but the concentration is higher in edibles. That being said, I'm about to be really fucked.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure you don't die. I'm Myra by the way."

"I'm Declan. So Myra, how do you plan on doing that?" She giggles, takes my hand and begins to walk to the back of the house.

"You don't seem like you would be horrible to spend the evening with." Myra's long black hair tickles my hand as she leads me to the back yard. She looks back at me with big, dark brown eyes and pulls me out of the back door. There are people covered in glow-sticks, necklaces, bracelets and hats. They look like they are in another world as their bodies move to the music.

"Let's dance, Declan." I don't know how to dance, but she pulls me in the crowd of people. I stand there watching her hips move like a hula-dancer, somehow my body starts to move to the beat too. My vision pulsates and my face feels like static, which doesn't make sense, but is the best way to describe what I'm feeling.

Bodies around me start to melt into each other, faces blur, twist and the music gets louder. In the sky I see shooting stars everywhere, so bright and colorful. Myra is dancing on me now, slowly and methodically. She wants something from me and I know what it is. I don't feel anything for her, but every time she moves her body on mine my nerves explode with pleasure.

I want her, so I lift her in my arms and she smiles. I'm not a strong guy by any means, but Myra is very small and my body feels invincible. I walk in the house with her and see that Rob is with the birthday girl, on the couch and they're both very exposed. Nobody seems to mind and neither do I. Myra points to a closed door to the left and we go in there.

The room is quiet yet I can still hear the music as if a speaker were right in my ear. I throw Myra on the bed. I watch as she undresses herself, making no move to take my own clothes off. Myra is fully naked when she stands up and walks over to me.

She runs her hands down my chest. "What do you want?" An image of Elly flashes through my mind. I want her, I want Elly. Elly is with her boyfriend though, doing who knows what. Myra starts to take my clothes off and jealousy rages throughout my body. I can almost feel it coming out of me. I rip off the rest of my clothes and take Myra to the bed.

I look at her laying there, she is beautiful, glowing almost, but not who I wish were here. "Are you sure you want this?" I'm not Rob, I want actual permission. "You don't have to." She bats her eyes and pulls my lips to hers. The kiss feels amazing, smooth and cool.

"Yes, I want this." Our lips merge once more and time no longer exists as we meld into one another. We sink into this stranger's feather bed and disappear.