So, it's been a really long time since I did anything with Breaking Pieces, so don't complain if it's super duper bad. It's been a while.
"So," my mother said as we cruised down the interstate, "You start school on Monday."
"Mhmm." I said, staring out the window at vast expanses of farmland.
"What, Eliya? What do you want from me? Tell me!"
The thing was, if she even had to ask, I could'nt tell her. She was way past me telling her that I didn't want to move again because she obviously didn't care what it did to me.
"Kevins, Eliya?" My Chemistry teach said with a bored tone that implied she couldn't care less.
"It's Ellie. Not Eliya."
"Fine." She said, marking it down, "Welcome."
Yeah, okay, I thought, taking my seat without saying anything.
In my observations of the classroom, I assumed my favorite type of seat. Back corner, out of the way. It was perfect. I could pull all the straight-A's I wanted, but I would never actually have to participate.
The bell rang just as a tall, dark boy walked through the door with a sour expression.
"I was in the doorway." He said in a deep voice.
"Just take a seat, Ezra." The teacher, I hadn't quite learned her name yet, said with an exasperated tone.
He looked at me. Correction, glared at me, then made his way back to the empty seat in front of me. I wanted so badly to scream, "WHAT?!?!?!?!", as if his entitlement issues gave him the right to be so rude. However, I didn't, mostly because as he sat down, his hair was eye level with me and I saw how silky and fine his medium-length black locks were.
This was my problem. In every place, every city, there was a particular boy who I was...smitten with. I would flirt around, but nothing more, and by the time he wanted more than batting eyelashes, it was time to move on. This boy, Ezra, was different though. He had a past, not necessarily a good one either. Imagine the headline--"Prosecutor's Daughter Hooks Up with Previously Prosecuted". My mother would have an aneurysm...how splendid. Then again, I was convinced my mother already hated me, why not push it?
"So, what? Is your name on this seat or something?" The words were out, I was leaning forward, whispering in his ear before my responsible superego could even control it.
"Whatever. Screw off, kay?"
"You know, you can have it back tomorrow if you want."
"Didn't mommy ever tell you not to talk to strangers? What's your problem?"
This was dangerous territory. What my mother did and didn't tell me was none of anybody's business. I'm not even sure if it's mine. Needless to say, I was shut and locked when it came to this boy, from now on. He probably thought he won, too. Essentially, he did. He found my deepest, darkest insecurities within two minutes.
I sat through the rest of Chemistry trying to pay attention to the notes, slowly appearing on the whiteboard. As the bell rang obnoxiously overhead, I was the first up and out, getting as far away from the situation as possible.
I looked blindly at the room number on my schedule next to AP English Lit. Suddenly, I was pushed and pulled and shoved against the wall as the majority of kids emptied out into the hallway. Coming unstuk from the hallway was an adventure. I was shoved back numerous times before I tripped, falling backwards, only to be caught and quickly righted. In the flurry of motion, I saw tanned, toned arm muscles underneath a plain white t-shirt. I looked up to thank whoever caught me when I realized it was him. he was looking down on me with a clinical amusement.
"Welcome to the shark tank."
"Yeah. By the way, you're bipolar behavior is not making me any warmer towards you."
"Oh come on...you're kind of...you look lost. Where are you going?"
"AP English Lit. Not that...you've...ever been there."
"Ouch." He said slapping a hand to his chest, "That cuts deep. It happens to be my next class."
"You're kidding." I say somewhat incredulously, really hoping he was.
"Nope. Follow me. Oh yeah, ad I'm sorry. I saw your reflection after I said that stuff."
"Yeah, well. Whatever." I said, only half meaning it.
We made our way to the English classroom silently and when we got there, I made it abundantly clear I didn't want anything to do with his sweet-'n'-sour attitude. I made with the new girl introductions as he took his seat. When I was done, I purposely turned my back to him, marching swiftly across the room. As the class wore on, I stole glances at Ezra across the room. Occasionally, I could feel him looking at me, but I never satisfied his searching glance. There was obviously something so, so different about him it was intriguing. I almost kissed him when he caught me in the hallway. It's definitely way too dangerous for me, and for him, for us to fall in love or even attempt to. I was sorry I even tried.
As sooon as the parting bell rang I bolted, fast enough that by the time anyone else was even close to the parking lot, I was hitting the gas on my '98 Chevy truck. Suddinly, I thought about my situation for a minute. Home, or my new house rather, was the last place I wanted to be. It was empty, quiet, and disturbingly suburban. Why shouldn't I go explore?
My columbus-esque ways led eventually to main street, where touristy vintage boutiques and expensive coffee shops stood side by side, dominating the local economic scene. For the hell of it, I parked and picked a random coffee shop and walked in, suddenly craving a warm jolt of my normal, hot chocolate, 1/2 coffee. As I grabbed it from the counter, snapping the lid securely in place, I could feel someone watching me. I was fully expecting it to be Ezra, but instead found a girl watching me. She was heavier set, dressed in a plain sweater and dark jeans, complete with face-flattering square-framed eyeglasses. She seemed familiar enough, so I nodded in her direction. hoping she would take it at face value. However, because I was having a shitty day already, she casually strolled to my side while businessmen stepped hungrily forward to take her abandoned place at the register.
"Hi! I'm Layton. You're Eliya, right?"
"It's Ellie." I mumbled back. She had succeeded getting on my nerves already.
"You're in my AP English class. You walked in with Ezra Kayne."
"Yeah, we weren't together."
"Okay, well, it was nice meeting you. I'm on the Student Aid Team, if you need anything, just let me know." She slipped a card across the counter to right next to my coffee.
"Thanks, I'll ummm.....be sure to do that."
By then, her coffee cup had arrived on the counter, so when she reached for mine, before it registered, she had already taken a sip.
"Yumm. they make it the best of anywhere."
"Did you...? That was mine."
"Oh! I'm so sorry! I have a cold, I'm sorry!"
"Well, umm..." I was overwhelmed, I mean, it's just a cup of coffee.
"Here, take mine," she said, "we ordered the same thing."
"Oh, okay, well, I have to go. Nice to meet you."
And as I took a sip and looked behind the counter, I knew the drink in my hand wasn't nearly as good as the drink next to Layton's textbook on the single table in the, mostly because smiling back at me from beside the espresso machine, was Ezra.
I hope you guys liked this one!!!! More reviews and excerpts to come this summer!!!!!!!!
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