𝐴𝑙𝑙 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑢𝑠

Ch.4

📍Elliot's house
Elaina (1st person pov)
Thursday, 12:00pm

I wake up to the sun slightly peeking through Elliot's blackout curtains. I roll over to my phone, that I forgot to charge, to see how many notifications I have.

I have 14 missed calls and 36 missed texts from mom. Fuck.

'Lainey where are you.'
'Come home'
'It's late.'
'Come home!'
'Elaina answer this phone I'm not playing'
'Elaina!'
'You have school!'
'I'm worried. Come home.'
'Answer the phone'
'Answer the goddamn phone Elaina'
'I'll call the cops'
'Elaina come home! You have school! Answer me!'...
————-
I text her back immediately, as I have no doubt that she will actually call the cops.

Mom
Me: I'm fine. Fell asleep at a friend's house. Going to school from here. Sorry.

Me: oh and don't call the cops. Pls tell me you didn't call the cops.

Mom: I was this close Elaina. Get to school and come the hell home. I was worried.
______

I shut my phone off and trudge into Elliot's bathroom to freshen my face up with whatever makeup I have in my bookbag before fixing my hair. I now smell like weed and drugs, so I switch out of my shirt with one of Elliot's. You won't be surprised to know that it smelt no different.

When I leave the bathroom, I kick Rue and shake Elliot awake

"Guys, we got school. Get up." I tell them.

"Not going." Rue mutters, half asleep.

"Rue come on." I urge, not wanting to go alone.

"We'll get up...later." Elliot groans, also half asleep.

"And do what? Since you aren't going to school."

"...buy drugs?" Elliot asks, squinting down to Rue."

"Buy drugs." Rue agrees.

"Jesus." I say under my breath. "Well, tell Fez I said hi."

I shove my phone in my locked before jogging down the hallway and shutting the front door.

༄ ༄ ༄

By the time I walk from Elliot's house to school, it's already 12:30pm; 2 more hours of school. It's lunchtime when I get into the building, so I make my way to the cafeteria.

Since Rue and Elliot aren't here, I choose to sit with Maddy, Cassie, Bb, and Kat. They greet me as I take my seat, asking where I was.

"I overslept at Elliot's." I say.

"Is that like, your boyfriend? I mean you're constantly with that new kid." Cassie asks.

"Nah, we're just friends. Met him through Rue."

"That's not what Nate was saying." Bb intervenes.

"Huh?"

"Nate was talking mad shit about you two days ago. He said you're a cheater or something. You just reminded me." She nonchalantly says as she takes a bite of her sandwich.

"Nate? Wait, what do you mean?" I question.

"Oh yea. He was calling you all these names and some shit about you and Fezco being dirty." Maddy adds, "He was talking about it all night. What did you to to him?"

She says it as if she genuinely wants to know, not like she was accusing me.

"Nothing I- I didn't do anything." I shake my head, slowly remembering what happened.

"Bitch, he doesn't seem to think so." Maddy says. "Cassie those nails are cute as fuck. Should I get some? The pink might look tacky on me." She says as she holds out her hand, totally forgetting about our conversation.

The bell rings and we head to our classes.

R.E.L GC
Me: apparently Nate was talking shit about me the night he choked me

Rue: he was talking shit about you?

Me: that's what Maddy told me

Elliot: I'm starting to really dislike this Nate guy

Rue: welcome to the club.

Me: where are you guys right now? Being bums still?

Rue: Bums who are buying drugs

Me: you definitely shouldn't put that in writing. Is Fez there?

Rue: talking to him now. He says hi

Me: Tell him I said hey, I gtg. Yk cus I actually go to school

Elliot: lyt
——-

The rest of the day flies by. I go straight home, where I receive a long and detailed lecture about why I should always tell where I am and not go missing like that.

I text Rue and Elliot, scroll on Instagram, get self conscious, cry, and go to sleep. You know, the usual.