Blessed Mess

*****

"Did you pick up your slip?" I shuffled through my bag for a few seconds before my eyes fell onto the folded white paper.

"Right here" I replied taking it out. Elliot nodded passing his slip over to me as we walked down the school hallway to meet the others. When we finally caught up with the girls and Jacob, I handed the slips to Sira who gathered them from the others and ran them down to the office.

"I'm quite excited for this" I smiled at Sira when she made her way back to us.

"It's a museum, Jess" Sira said laughing at my excitement. 

"It doesn't matter." I shrugged before giving both Sira and Alyssa a hug before running for my class.

"Where's mine?" Elliot yelled after me. I just laughed turning around to flip him the bird instead. Elliot was in the same class as me, but I left him behind so I could secure a good seat for myself. Elliot always happened to run late.

Sometimes you meet people, and it's so clear that on some level, you belong together. As lovers, as friends, as family, or as something entirely different. You just work, whether you understand one another or you're in love or you're partners in crime. You meet these people through-out your life, out of nowhere, under the strangest circumstance, and they help you feel alive. I don't know if that makes me believe in coincidence, fate or just blind luck but it definitely makes me believe in something. 

I must have done something right because I was blessed with such people all at once in the form of Sira, Alyssa, Jacob and most importantly Elliot.

"What about you Jessica?" Mr Turners sharp voice tore me out of my thoughts. I cleared my throat looking around the class. Elliot was sat next to him, hiding a smile behind the hand covering his mouth.

"Um I--I'm sorry what was the question?" I asked embarrassed trying to ignore the stares. I was currently sat in my English class with the book "The story of an hour" sat in front of me. 

Mr Turner sighed deeply, before repeating his question. "Explain the role of death in someone's everyday life and then then the explain it's role in literature." 

I looked down at my book skimming over the text. Louise had just found out her husband had passed in a car accident. That hit close to home.

"Death surrounds us and our everyday life, it's something that we eventually have to adapt to and accept." I started. I felt Elliot's hand reach into mind, giving me a reassuring squeeze. I looked up at him but he was staring ahead at Mr Turner.  

"Whether it's on the telly or newspaper, we've all heard about the death of someone or even a group of people. A lot of us have our own ideas, perspectives and attitude towards it but the main thing is that we consider it to be tragic for many reason" Elliot began rubbing circles against my palm, calming my nerves. "But for those who've suffered, living their life miserably, horribly and hopelessly, it could be seen as a relief. Death not only affects you directly, but everyone surrounding it too." 

"Very well done, Jessica. Now what about death in literature?" Mr Turner questioned. I sat up taller in my chair.

"Writers usually use situations and events from everyday life to base their writing off and since death is such an important part of life, it one of the most re-occurring themes in literature. Death branches off into many other things which is why it's so widely used. Themes like betrayal, vengeance, greed, honour, justice, courage and failure can all be seen as a response to death." 

"Excellent" Mr Turner smiled but he didn't stop at that. "Since you answered that so well. What do you think of Louise's reaction?" I thought over his question for a few seconds before replying.

"Louise's relationship with her husband was full of secrets. Once she caught onto the lies, it made her question everything that had been said and done" I felt Elliot's hand tighten against mine, but I ignored it under Mr Turners stares. "Regardless, her husbands death shook her, more so because she lost someone she thought she knew and didn't have the opportunity to rectify the situation."

"A small lie to make someone happy is much better than a bitter truth which hurts for no reason" Elliot spoke up staring at me.

"It can't be for no reason though. You would be lying for a specific reason, otherwise you wouldn't lie." I replied and felt Elliot's hand slip out of my own. My eyes furrowed at his reaction.

"There are lies people tell to save themselves but then there are lies people tell to rescue others. So what's counted more, the mistruth, or the greater good?" he challenged turning in his chair to face me.

"But that's the thing. Smaller lies have a larger capacity to destroy great things if they're ever exposed." Elliot didn't reply after that, but his breathing got heavier. I didn't like this conversation, at all.

"This. This right here, is the beauty of literature." Mr Turner clapped his hands together, a grin covering his face before he turned back around resuming the class. 

"You okay?" I whispered looking at Elliot. He looked at me for a few seconds, before his eyes turned away and he looked back ahead. He looked so sad. I shuffled my chair closer to his, taking his hand into my own.

"What's wrong?" he didn't answer yet but but gave me a slight shake of his head. My face fell at his reaction, I made a move to pull my hand away from his, but his fingers clasped against mine keeping it in place.

"I'm just thinking, sorry" he whispered. He looked at me with a small smile putting me at ease. I smiled back at him leaning my shoulder against his. The rest of the lesson Mr Turner didn't bother us but Elliot didn't make much conversation either. When the bell rang to exchange classes, Elliot left me with a peck on the forehead and we went our separate ways. The whole interaction with Elliot made my heart sink. I didn't like the feeling of making him upset. 

"Why are you so quiet?" Alyssa asked taking a bite of her salad.

"I'm not" I shook my head.

"Yeah, sure. And I'm not black" Sira snorted looking at me. I smiled at her, shaking my head.

"I'm not. Where are the boys?" I asked them noticing they haven't joined us yet. Elliot wasn't ignoring me, was he? 

"Right there" Alyssa lifted the fork in her finger, pointing at the duo walking towards us. Jacob was stood by Elliot whispering something at him. Elliot had his hands balled into fist, by his side, and he looked angry. Very angry. Jacob went to take a seat next to Alyssa, whilst Elliot took the one next to me. 

"Something is definitely up" Sira said looking between Elliot and I. I sighed resting my head into the palms of my head. 

"My head hurts" I said instead. Elliot quickly took my head out of my hands and began massaging the top of my head with his hand, making me smile.

"Don't worry, Sira. All is well" Alyssa grinned looking between us. 

"We still good to come down to yours?" Jacob asked Elliot. It was a Friday and we had established a tradition where we would all meet at Elliot's after school. When the school bell rung, we all once again dispersed once again with the promise to meet after school. I had a couple more classes with Sira and Alyssa so we ended up walking towards the car park together. 

"I'm going to grab some food to bring over. Sira come with?" Alyssa asked Sira who agreed. I waved them goodbye waiting on Elliot near his car. He showed up a couple minutes later unlocking the car for me. Alyssa, Sira and Jacob were going to come down in an hour or so, so instead Elliot and I headed home alone. 

"Are you sure you're okay?" I asked Elliot once again.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry" Elliot smiled at me, lifting my hand against his lips. 

"Okay" I whispered with a smile. Elliot opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by the shrill ring of my phone. 

"Sorry" I mumbled, fishing the phone out of my back pocket. "Hello", I answered once I saw the caller ID. 

"Jess, are you home?" Stacey asked. 

"I'm getting inside now." I answered stepping outside the car door, that Elliot held open for me.

"Right, well I just called to remind you to get back to me with the contract I sent you by Monday. Do. Not. Forget" Stacey hissed down the line. 

"I won't, Stacey. I'll get it to you before Monday. Happy?" I sighed taking off my shoes, climbing up the stairs to my bedroom. Stacey didn't say much after that and just hung up.

"All good?" Elliot asked standing by the door.

"Yeah, just need to get this to Stacey" I picked up the paper sitting on my desk, turning around to face Elliot.

"She's been at my neck since I've had it" I said opening up the paper. 

"Oh my God, please no" I gasped holding the paper in my hand.

"What?" Elliot rushed over to me, grabbing the paper out of my hand.

"Wait, this is the slip for the museum trip?" Elliot asked looking at me. My hands flew to my head, grabbing onto my hair.

"What on Earth did you leave in the office then?" Elliot continued to ask. I glared at him pulling the paper out of his hands.

"I mixed this with the contract that Stacey is after and gave the wrong one today at school" I groaned taking a seat on my bed.

"Stacey is going to kill me. What the hell am I meant to do now?" I asked Elliot. 

"I'm sure we can get it back" he offered taking a seat next to me.

"It's Friday, Elliot. Then the weekend. I can't wait until Monday." I laid myself back looking at the ceiling.

"Who said anything about waiting?" I looked at Elliot who stared down at me, a smirking resting on his lips.

Uh Oh.