Opposites Always Attract.

Thick tears streaked down my face as I snuggled by mum, she wrapped her arms around me, and handed me a tissue. She hiccupped as her own tears slide down her face.

“ Near, far, wherever you are
I believe that the heart does do on-“

I shovelled another spoon of ice-cream into my mouth as the credits of Titanic began to role. It was a Friday night, and my dad had gone out with his friends, so I my mum and I were left with nothing to do, so we spent a classic night in. Movies, ice-cream and pizza...Perfect.

“So” my mum said, dabbing her eyes with a tissue “What’s going on with your life lately, any gossip I should know?”

“Well, Tara may have actually found someone she genuinely wants to go out with”
“Really?!” my mother’s watery eyes widened “Well, good for her! What about you, my Ellie-belly? Is there no man on the scene?” as soon as she said it, Gerard’s face flashed into my mind, for a quick second. I don’t know why, he just appeared, it was strange.

“No” I said, with a smile.
“What about a girl?” she asked seriously
“Mum!”
She shrugged “What? I was just asking.”
“No mum, I do not have a girlfriend” I chuckled, as did she.
“How long ago was Zayn?” she scooped a large portion of cookie-dough into her mouth, ending with most of it on her nose.
“A year ago, maybe? Yeah, must be a year”
“Mmm. I never liked him, he was a bastard” she wiped the ice cream off of her nose.
“Yeah, he was a bit of a dick-“
“Hey, watch your language!” she pointed her spoon at me threateningly.
“But you just sai-“
“I’m older than you!”
“That’s not an excuse!” I laughed

“Yes it is” my mother got up and walked towards the bookcase which held all of our DVD’s, while I shovelled even more large scoops of ice-cream into my mouth. She skimmed through the titles, before pulling two cases out.

“Now, The Notebook or A Nightmare on Elm Street?” we looked at each other, before both agreeing A Nightmare on Elm Street.

-

I got to Chloe’s house at 5 o’clock on Saturday, to get ready for her party. Knocking the door of her large house, I realised I was the first one there. Seeing as Chloe doesn’t live too far away, I walked, knowing that if I was drinking tonight, there would be no point in bringing my car. She opened the door a crack, checking who was at the door, she had no make-up on (and neither did I)

“Quick, get in” she bustled me into her house; she was obviously scared that someone would see her without make-up on, which was quite ridiculous.

“I have got the mother of all dresses to show you. I want you to wear it tonight” she told me as she lead me to her bedroom. I was scared. The idea of a dress to Chloe usually meant a short and tight slutty dress, which would leave nothing to the imagination.

She flung her wardrobe open, and whipped out a dress, I gazed at it for three seconds, before thinking ‘Oh, God’. The dress was horrendous. If I wore that, I would actually look like a hooker.

“Are you serious, Chloe?” she frowned
“Yes, don’t you like it?”
“It’s a bit...Revealing”
“It’s not, just try it on” she flung the black thing at me, which I struggled into, there were so many holes I couldn’t work out which part was meant for a limb, and which wasn’t.

I looked in the mirror, oh my Lord.

“What underwear are you wearing?” I showed her that I was wearing a pair of simple black French Knickers, she shook her head. “No, no. You can’t wear them, here, borrow something of mine”
She rummaged through her draw and pulled out a black thong. A thong! For fucks sake, now I really would look like a slut.

-

It was now 8 o’clock, and people were beginning to arrive. I checked myself in the mirror one last time; my green eyes were surrounded by black eyeliner, so thick I could be mistaken for a panda. I was thankful that I was not the only one dressed like this, Chloe was wearing a similar outfit, however bright pink. And between you and me, Chloe wasn’t wearing underwear.

I ruffled my backcombed hair as I walked downstairs, my leopard print high heels clicked nosily on each step, causing people to look at me. Girls smiled, with secret hatred in their eyes, and boys stared like animals. I put on a brave face as I looked around for Tara, I found her in the kitchen.

“Hi, Tara” I grinned as I walked up to her, she downed a shot of some alcoholic beverage and turned to look at who was calling. Her face broke into a wide smile when she saw it was me.

“Elliott!! Oh my God, you look amazing! Here, have some of this” she poured me a shot, as well as for herself and the two boys that were flocking around her.
“Okay, on three” one of the boys said. We counted, and I threw the shot to the back of my throat, burning it as I swallowed. It tasted like apples, and also from the burning sensation in my mouth, it must have been strong.

-

Three hours later, I was spinning around the dance floor with Angelica, both of us completely wasted. Boys had continued to stare at me all night, but by now I was not conscious of their looks. One boy who seemed to always be hanging near, was Aaron, and halfway through Poker Face he called me over.

I stumbled over to him, in a very kind mood thanks to the alcohol. I grinned as I reached him.
“Hello Mr Goody, how are we this fine evening?” I said, he laughed at my faux-posh accent.
“I’m well, Miss Haile, how are you?”
“Splendid. What did you want, my friend?”
“I was wondering if I could get you a drink. I learnt to make this great cocktail, and wanted you to be the first to try it”

I said yes immediately, not thinking of the consequences of someone else making me a drink. I was drunk, and any form of alcohol sounded good right now. I followed him into the kitchen, where he proceeded to make me this cocktail.

However I didn’t see him slip a small pill into the concoction.

-

Half an hour late, I was dancing with Aaron, but I was beginning to feel dizzy. I tripped over my own feet as I was dancing, and feel into Aaron.
“Hey, whoa. Are you okay?” he asked, a slight smirk on his face. I looked at him, my head spinning as I did so.

“Yeah, I think so. I feel a bit – I feel funny”
“You wanna go upstairs and lie down?” he was already beginning to pull me upstairs, I managed to trip up every step, and stumbled along the corridor with Aaron as he lead me to a bedroom.

I feel onto Chloe’s bed, my dress riding up a little as I did so, but I didn’t notice Aaron stare hungrily at my body.

“You can leave now, I’ll be fine” I mumbled, as I closed my eyes. I expected him to leave, but instead I felt him sit on the bed next to me, his hand placed on my bare leg.
“Nahh, I think I’ll stay here” his hand slid up a little further. I was so tired and dizzy I didn’t make much effort to swat his hand away.

“But I want to sleep. Go away” I yawned. But he still didn’t leave; instead he got up and leaned over me, his face dangerously close to mine.

“I’m not going anywhere, baby” he growled. What was he doing? I’d asked him to leave, I let my limp arms push him away, but instead he grabbed them, pinning them behind my head.
“What are you-“ he cut me off with a harsh kiss, using his knee to separate my legs.

Was this really happening? Oh God, why did I let him make me a drink?! Why did I drink it!

I struggled under his grip, despite my dizziness; I knew exactly what was going on. My arms burned under his vice-like grip while one hand undid his jeans. I bit his tongue, which was snaking its way into my mouth.

“Argh, you little bitch” he yelled, gripping my wrists tighter. I growled in frustration, what many people didn’t realise is that I am much stronger than they think. I wasn’t going to let Aaron have his way with me, no matter how hard he gripped, or how rough he played, I would fight back. I kicked my legs, refusing to let the dizziness take over me. I managed to jab my high heel into his stomach, he coiled backwards, cursing as he held his stomach. I wouldn’t be surprised if my pointy heels had actually made him bleed, but in all fairness, he would deserve it.

Before he could make a next move I stumbled as fast as I could out of Chloe’s room, tripping on the last step of the stairs as I made my way to the door. People were looking worriedly at me, attempting to grab my arms as they screamed my name.

What I was unaware of is how rough I looked. My hair was a mess, several large bruises were beginning to appear on my thighs, and my wrists were bright red and incredibly sore from Aaron’s clutch. Black tears were spilling down my cheeks, not from sadness and from fright, but from utter anger. Growling in frustration, I pushed my way past the party goers, my lip bleeding a little from Aaron’s rough kisses.

Before I escaped the party, I managed to retrieve my bag, which only held my phone and house keys in it. I barged my way past people, and yelled at a distraught looking Tara as I made my way out of the house. People were staring back at me as I marched drunkenly down the path and onto the street, I could still hear my name being called, however they sounded distant, and not only because I was now half way up the street, but because my mind began to fog over once again. I scuffled along the sidewalk as my drugged up mind began getting hazier.

I was now in a street that I definitely didn’t know. As I wavered across the sidewalk, my mind became paranoid. My vision began to blur ever so slightly as I tried to make my way home. I couldn’t escape the feeling that someone was watching me, not that I could see anyone, but it made me frightened.

It was probably a policeman, I thought to myself. He was just following me because he thinks I’m a hooker, that’s it. He’ll stop me and ask if I’m okay, and I’ll laugh and tell him I’m fine, and we’ll laugh together about how my dress is far to revealing, and we’ll discuss the bleeding gash that is on my exposed hip, that I’d gained in my mad attempt to escape the party.

Spotting an alleyway to my right, I thought it may be a good shortcut to my walk home. As I walked down the dark alley, I tripped to one side, slamming into the brick work. I used my left hand to support me as I continued to limp my way through the alley, but once I was halfway through, my legs buckled. I feel to the floor, my back propped again the brickwork uncomfortably as my head lolled to one side.

My vision was now seriously fuzzy, and my head was hot. Blood was now running from a cut in my leg, which I’d just gained from my unstable fall. I shivered on the ground of the alley, I had no jacket to keep me warm, and my dress wasn’t exactly helping either. My eyelids started to grow heavy, until I heard movement.

Someone was walking down the alley. I wanted to move, but I knew I couldn’t.
I’m going to be attacked, an old man is going to rape me and leave me in this alley, and then I’m going to die. Oh no, I don’t want to die that way!

But as black skinny jeans became visible in my blurry sight, I knew it wasn’t an old man at all.

“Elliott? Fuck I thought that was you. What’s happened to you?” someone’s strong hands brushed my messy hair out of my face.
“I left the party. I don’t like Aaron” I mumbled, my words were so slurred it was hard to hear what I was saying.
“What? What was th- Oh my God, Elliott, you’re bleeding. What’s happened, can you see? Have you taken something?” I frowned, shaking my head. I knew I knew this person, but right now all I could do was stare at his grubby converse shoes, afraid that if I lifted my head I would just vomit everywhere.

“What do you mean you don’t like Aaron, what did he do – Whoa!” I lost my balance and feel to one side, my vision becoming seriously limited. I groaned, and coughed.
“Leave me” I whispered as I closed my eyes “I want to sleep”
“No fucking way. I’m not leaving you here”

“Then take me home” I pressed my forehead to the ground, fully prepared to go to sleep.
“I can’t, it’s too far, and you wouldn’t make it that far. Elliott, let me see your eyes” he pulled me back into a sitting position, and lifted my chin with his fingers. Serious hazel eyes examined my own. I knew I had a vacant expression, as I couldn’t focus on one thing, so instead I let my mind take over, blurring the eyes in front of me into two hazel blobs.

“You’ve definitely taken something. I’m not sure what yet”
“I want to go home” I said quietly, wanting nothing more than my bed and my Pikachu.
“You could come to my house?” his hands moved from my face, to brush my hair out of my face again. His skin was almost glowing in the moonlight.
“Have I been there before? I don’t like strangers” my head tried to drop to one side, but he grabbed it, holding it in place.

“Of course you have, a few times. Come on, you can sleep in my bed” he tried to help me up; I used the wall as support. Luckily my bag was still on my shoulder. He linked his arms tightly with mine as we walked, leaning on his body for support.

He felt I was shivering and let go of me to shake his leather jacket off of his shoulders. Once he let go, I began to waver, but before I could fall again, he grabbed me, and slipped the jacket through my arms. I snuggled into it, breathing in the smell of coffee and cigarette's, a scent which I immediately identified as his own.

We walked for not even a minute, before I tripped and almost fell. I groaned in frustration, angry that I now couldn’t even so much as walk without seeing double.

“Well, no wonder you can’t walk, have you seen those heels you’re wearing?” he attempted to pull me along again, but I stood still. Well, as still as I could anyway. He sighed.
“Fine” he said, before hooking my arm around his neck, and his own around my back and legs. He picked me up bridal style with surprise ease.

“God, do you eat anything? You weight like, nothing” he continued to walk to his own home, without showing any sign of struggling, despite the fact he was carrying a drugged up teenage girl in his arms. I just nestled into his chest, closing my eyes as he took me home.

-

Ten minutes later, I was put down again, this time lent upright against a wall as he unlocked his door.

“Now, you have to be quiet” he whispered, as he guided me into the silent and dark house. He removed my shoes, as well as his own, and slide the jacket carefully from my shoulder, before carrying me up the stairs.

He placed me onto his familiar black bed, my head rested comfortably on his pillow. I watched as he made his way towards the door.

“Where are you going?” I slurred
“To sleep on the couch”
“But, what-I mean, Why?”
“Because you have to sleep in my bed”
“Sleep with me”
“I can’t do t-“
“Please? I’m cold”
“No wonder, you’re wearing like, nothing” regardless, he closed his bedroom door and slide awkwardly into the bed with me.
“Do you want a hoodie?” I shook my head as I snuggled into his chest. I felt him go ridged, but relaxed as I whispered “No, you’re warm”

“...”
“...”
“...Gerard?”
“Hmmm?”
“...I still hate you” I smiled against his chest, and without even looking, I knew he returned it.

And then we fell asleep.