Edge of Seventeen

I gaped at Zack, ignoring the bickering behind me. My brain just couldn’t process the fact that he would just ask like that. Zack just smirked at me, his eyebrows raised expectantly. I sighed. Matt and his parents hadn’t noticed our exchange, which I was grateful for. My thoughts were all over the place. Should I tell him? If I do, how should I go about it? I liked Zack and I didn’t want to put him off this early in our friendship… but I didn’t want to lie either.

“I’m waiting,” he said quietly, biting into a fry indifferently.

I glared at him, highly aggravated, but I figured he would find out eventually, so I may as well just get the shock out now.

“Fine,” I growled. Instead of speaking like I’m sure he expected, I pulled the oversized shirt over my head quickly and tossed it to the side. I immediately looked at the table, annoyed when my new family stopped bickering, not wanting to see the pity in their eyes. I knew they were all staring at me, and it wasn’t because of my ‘nice body’ as Zacky so poetically put it.

My fists clenched and it took all of my might not to lash out. I knew I had to look up eventually, but I actually liked these people and I wanted to go back five minutes when I felt like I may just be able to be normal.

“May I be excused?” I asked trough clenched teeth. Kim made a noise of approval and I bolted from the table, taking Matt’s shirt with me. I ran back through the house, intending on locking myself in my room, but I remembered the fresh paint. I pulled Matt’s shirt over my head, grabbed my messenger from where I left it near the stairs and ran out the front door. I quickly pulled on a pair of shorts before I began running down the street, the feeling of the hot pavement slapping against my feet soothing me.

I made it about a mile before I even paused, and that was only to try and figure out my position. I knew I was heading north, but where I wanted to go was four hours by car and there was no way I was crossing through Los Angeles after dark. I walked a few more feet to a bus stop and sat there. I curled up, my knees to my chest and my face buried in them. I knew I would eventually have to find a phone and call Caitlyn or the Weston’s, most likely the Weston’s. I knew the Weston twins would take me in, but I would only use that as a last resort. I didn’t want them to get arrested for taking me in. It’s bad enough their father had almost had that happen, I wasn’t going to let that happen to them.

“Ella?” a familiar voice came from somewhere in front of me. I looked up, my eyes clouded with unshed tears to see Zack and Matt panting in front of me. I honestly didn’t expect them to follow me.

“What?” I snapped, wiping my eyes. Matt instantly moved to sit next to me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. I tensed, but didn’t move away and made sure to keep my gaze straight forward, watching the house across the street intently.

“Zack didn’t mean to upset you,” Matt said in a low, soothing voice, using on hand to stroke my hair away from my face, “I apologize for his stupidity,” I chuckled and I’m pretty sure Zack was glaring at Matt, but I didn’t care, “Please just come home. You can beat him with a baseball bat if you want. I already punched him… but I just want you home.”

“I swear Ells, I didn’t know or I never would have asked,” Zacky cut in, gently placing a hand on my shoulder, “I just thought you were one of those weird girls who thinks she’s fat even though she’s not. I’m really, really sorry.”

I sniffled a few times and looked at both guys. They both seemed legitimately concerned, which I could not understand.

“Why do you even care so much?” I huffed.

“Because we do. Believe it or not we are nice guys who don’t like to see girl’s cry,” Zack stated, like it were the most obvious thing ever. I glared at him.

“Because you’re my sister and that means something to me,” Matt said, his voice cracking, “Amy hates my guts right now because I wasn’t there for her when I was needed… and I think you need someone even more than she did. I don’t care about your past, but we’re family now and I’m going to be there for you.”

I watched Matt’s expressions and it was easy to tell he was speaking the truth.

I nodded and snuggled into his side, “Caitlyn told you didn’t she?” I sniffled, wrapping an arm around his torso while he held me tight and protectively, like an older brother should.

“Mom and Dad know everything. They just gave me a basic idea and Zack was clueless like always,” Matt stated, “I guess that’s why I didn’t ask a dumb question like he did, but we assumed if you wanted him to know you would tell him yourself.”

I nodded and looked over at Zack, “It’s okay. You didn’t know and I shouldn’t be so sensitive… I just can’t stand it when people pity me and treat me like a porcelain doll. It’s like, if I could survive the rest of the shit that’s gone down in my life; I can survive being treated like a normal person. I’ve just had so much fun and I didn’t want you guys to treat me any differently.”

“We promise we won’t,” Zack smiled, grabbing my free hand in his and squeezing it, “Right Matt?”

Matt nodded, “I can’t promise I won’t be protective or try and tell you what to do sometimes, but I don’t see you any differently. I mean come on; you’re the only person we’ve ever known to beat Jimmy in an eating contest. That makes you a fucking goddess in my book.”

I giggled and hugged him, glad they came after me and that I had finally found a family so caring, and hoping things would stay like this forever.

“The last family that adopted me, “I said quietly, hoping they were listening to me so I wouldn’t have to repeat myself, “That’s where I got the scars. The man liked to adopt girls for him and his friends to play with, but I actually fought back. I was his favorite to beat and fuck because I was the least complacent. Eventually I ran, hiding out at a friend’s parents’ while I got my shit together and got his ass incarcerated. That was about a year and a half ago.”

“Shit,” Matt growled, “He’s lucky he’s in jail, ‘cause otherwise, he’s have to answer to me.”
“Me too,” Zack chimed in, “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

I rolled my eyes at them, “It’s okay, like I said, I’m tough and it's all in the past. Plus, if I hadn’t gone through that shit, we probably never would have met.”

The boys chuckled.

“I can agree with that,” Matt grinned, “But for right now, why don’t we get you home?”

I nodded and reveled in the idea.

I had a home.