Opposites Always Attract.

“Rosie, you are not a teenager anymore! You are an adult – A mother! Do you really want Elliott to get stupid idea’s like this into her head?”
“Well what do you suggest, Louis? To leave it and let that little bitch think she can get away with treating my – our daughter like that? No, I don’t think so.”
“Why do I have to keep repeating myself? This is not your situation – This is not your decision. This is Elliott’s decision! And you know what? I think she’s actually being more mature than you are!”

“Elliott’s only seventeen, she doesn’t know what she wants! Sure, she’s smart and clever and what have you, but she doesn’t understand! Life is hard! You can’t just let people treat you like shit or else everyone will end up walking all over you!”
“Yeah, life is hard. Life is fucking hard, but you’re not gunna prove anything with these bloody pranks! Think about this, Rosie. Do you really think throwing balloon’s full of paint and leaving dead mice in the back of Chloe’s car is really going to prove anything? No. It’s just going to make the situation worse!”
“Stop telling me what to do, Louis!”

“I’m not! But you will make the situation worse – put the paintbrush down – You’re just gunna make things worse if you interfere! What do you think this is telling Elliott? That getting your own back is the right thing to do? It’s not! You’re not teaching her the right thing!”
“Oh, honey, I’m not sure if you’ve noticed but our daughter isn’t perfect!”
“I never said she was!”
“The way you’re talking about her makes it sound like the sun shines out of her fucking ass! Elliott is still my baby, but she’s not a fucking child anymore! She’s not your little princess. She’s grown up, she sneaks out. She does all kinds of shit. She’s not a fucking angel!”

“What has that got to do with anything?”
“I mean Elliott doesn’t give a shit whether she gets in trouble, okay? She wants to get her own back on this bitch as much as I do!”
I used a pillow to cover my ears so I couldn’t continue hearing the screaming downstairs.

My parents had been arguing for the last half an hour – well actually, the last three days. The louder they got the angrier I became. They both spoke about me like they knew me. Sure, they were my parents, sure, they were my best friends, but nobody knows everything about you. Only you know yourself, so it frustrated me to hear them talking about me in such ways. My mum saying I was still her ‘baby’ but that I wasn’t a ‘child’ anymore. That I had grown up and I wasn’t how my dad thinks I am.

Shit like this was happening more and more and it was getting on my nerves. I thrusted the pillow in my face and used it to scream, letting out all of my emotions I’d been feeling for the last half an hour. My throat was tight and my eyes were stinging. I just wanted the arguments to stop. They probably weren’t as serious as I thought they would be, after all they were only about some stupid pranks. But nobody likes hearing their parents argue.

Once I had quit screaming I realised the voices had only grown louder.

“Louis, give me back that paintbrush!”
“Grow up, Rosie! You’re not a teenager anymore! Why are you trying to get involved in all of this? You just want to feel young again!”
“You’re just a fucking coward, Louis! What kind of father are you? Too scared to stick up for your own daughter? Don’t you want to protect her?”
“Yes! Of course I do you fucking idiot. But I just realise that Elliott’s growing up! You’re smothering her!”
“No I’m not!”

“Yes you are! You’re scared of letting her go so you’re trying to act so ‘hip’ and ‘cool’. It’s not gunna work, Rosie! She’s gunna have to grow up sometime!”
“I know that! I know that better than anybody! I moved to the other side of the fuckin’ world so I could be with you, Louis. So don’t you dare talk to me about growing up and letting go! I know Elliott’s growing up! But she’s still my kid! She still needs guidance!”
“But the right way to guide her is not by teaching her to hurt everyone who has made fun of her. Just because it worked for you back in the day does not mean it will now! We’re dealing with a completely different situat – Elliott?”

But I didn’t get to answer because I had already slammed the door shut. It was eight o’clock, I’d had no dinner, I hadn’t done my homework and I was still wearing my slippers and my dad’s old jumper, but I didn’t care. I was speeding down the road in my car before my parents could even processed what had happened. I didn’t know where to go. Usually I would have gone to Gerard but I forced myself not to go towards his direction. No, I needed to see someone else. Sure, Gerard was my boyfriend, sure, I loved him. But in times like this I wanted my best friend. I wanted Tara. Hearing my parents argue reminded me of a few years ago when Tara had called me up at one in the morning sobbing because her parents were shouting at one another.

I’d woken my dad up and we were at her house in the blink of an eye. She spent the night at mine, not that we did much sleeping. We’d spent the night cuddled in bed while I promised her everything would be okay. By the next week her parents were fine. In fact, according to Tara they were better than ever!

I parked up outside her wonderfully familiar house, craving for her bone crushing hugs and dumb comments. I hadn’t spoken to her properly in a few days and I was dying to see her again. Knocking on the door I waited impatiently for someone to answer.

“Oh, Elliott how nice to see you.” Her dad replied, folding the newspaper he was reading so he could talk to me properly.

“Hello Mr Day, I was wondering if Tara was-“
“Oh, I’m sorry. Tara’s not here. She’s at Angelica’s talking about cheerleading or something. D-did she not tell you?”

I tried not to look upset “No. Must have slipped her mind,” I laughed “She’s forgetful, huh?”
“Yeah,” Mr Day looked concerned “Can I pass on a message? Do you want to come in?”
“Oh no!” I waved him off “I-it was nothing important, I’ll catch up with her tomorrow.” I lied.

I said goodbye and walked back to my car, a little disappointed to say the least. Letting out a sigh as I entered my car I turned the ignition. However I didn’t move off, instead I thought for a while. Tara was at Angelica’s? Why hadn’t she told me? Did she think it would really hurt my feelings? Maybe...

But in all honesty it did hurt my feelings a little. It was selfish to assume that as soon as I was kicked off the squad Tara would follow suit. But of course she stayed; I guess she was less keen on giving up her popularity than I was. Not that I was too keen either.

Eventually I moved, driving subconsciously towards a house I hadn’t been to in quite a while.

Outside Angelica’s house it was clear that it wasn’t a sleepover. At least I assumed from the freshman who was vomiting on her front lawn and the two girls making out on her front steps much to the football team’s amusement.

Without thinking I exited my car, forgetting to lock it and also forgetting about the dreadful state I was in. Slippers, baggy grey sweater, leggings, my hair pulled up into a bun and no make-up. Meaning the bags under my eyes were entirely visible and the blemishes on my skin were more clear.

“Ohhh, look who it is!” Blake yelled in drunken amusement. A few heads turned towards my direction but I chose to ignore it. I entered the house, stepping over the girls, and began looking for Tara.

I found her in a matter of seconds, because she was where she always was. On the dance floor. I avoided the odd looks and snide remarks and pulled her away.

“What the fu – Elli – Elliott?” she slurred, a beer bottle clammed firmly in her hand. I dragged her all the way outside until we were behind some bushes were people couldn’t see us.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I whispered, trying not to show my hurt.
“I thought you would be mad” she slurred honestly
“I’m more mad now! Tara, listen, I understand it’s hard for you, okay? You’re caught – like I was – between people. The cheer squad and me. I understand. But please just – Don’t lie to me. I need you right now. I know I have the boys but they don’t compare to you Tara. You’re my best friend. My bestfriend.”

Oh, God. Elliott, don’t you dare start fucking crying!

“I-it’s been hard for me. I’ve had to change my whole life. I wasn’t expecting it to be this hard. P-please, Tara. Just don’t leave me behind.” I bite my lip and tried to stop my voice from cracking.

It sounded selfish, but it was true. I was scared Tara was going to drift away from me. She already had begun to. But I needed her.

“I think Frank and I broke up.” She muttered. Had she listened to what I had said?
“W-what?”
“He yelled at me the other day,” she paused to take her sip of her beer “told me I had to get my fucking priorities straight. Am I a bad friend, Elliott?” she looked at me with her wasted eyes.

“N-no! No, Tara. You’re the best fucking friend I could ask for. I just – Everything’s changed and I can’t help but feel I’m losing you.”
“I don’t wanna lose you,” Tara replied confused “I don’t wanna lose Frank. You guys are – you’re the best fucking thing that’s ever happened to me, y’know? Elliott, you’re like – You’re the fucking best. My best fucking friend.”

I smiled, but frowned when I noticed she was beginning to get agitated. Of course, Nicki Minaj was playing. She had to get up and dance.

“Go.” I simply said. And with a lazy smile she ran off to dance, leaving me on my own.

At least I got to talk to her I guess. Whether she remembered the conversation in the morning though was a different matter.

Entering my car again for the third time that night I was about to drive home, before remembering the exact reason why I’d left in the first place. I took one last look at the party, which I realised I probably would have been invited too, before driving off. Heading towards the Way household. My second best option.

But I had little luck. Donna told me that neither Mikey nor Gerard were in. They were at Bob’s, helping Frankie with something called ‘Pencey Prep’. I shrugged and told her okay.

I sighed. The one night I needed someone and there was nobody to go to. I guess it just proves that people aren’t going to be around forever. I can’t expect people to come running towards me when I need them. They have their own lives. Their own friends. Not everything is about me. I’m one person in the world.

I groaned to myself and decided to just drive and let my mind wander. But not really came much to mind. Just repetitive thoughts about the future. What would I do? Where would I go? School was nearly over and I had barely a clue about what I wanted to do with my life. I’d spent High School messing around. Going to parties and laughing with friends. My grades were okay. Just normal, nothing special. I wasn’t really talented in any area. How could I expect to get anywhere in life when I never tried. I didn’t want to be working at the comic store for the rest of my life.

Hold up, Elliott. You’re getting yourself worked up. I’m sure there are many people who don’t know what they want to do at this age. Sure, everyone else you personally knows knows what they want to do. But not all kids all around the world surely know? Yeah you’re one person in the world, but there are thousands of others like you.

I didn’t have a clue were Bob lived, so I couldn’t go and see Gerard anyway. So I just drove, past parks, past shops, past rude graffiti, until I stopped at a halt somewhere I remembered clearly.

I walked through the park and perched myself onto the hard plastic seat, clasping the ropes of the swing gently. Scuffing my slippers on the floor I remembered my parents and I going here when I’d first moved to Belleville. I was fifteen but I still squealed when I saw the swing and ran towards it. And my dad laughed and pushed me a little while my mum took a picture with her impressive camera. I still have that picture, taped to my wall amongst all the other’s I hadn’t had a chance to remove yet. My eyes were starting to burn every time I walked in my room and saw Chloe’s smug face staring back at mine with her arm slung around me. Those pictures needed to die, quickly.

“Alright, baby?” a gravelly voice said from behind me. Spinning around I nearly fell from my seat. A man with a horrendous moustache was standing behind me, holding onto the swing. His hands only a few centimetres above my own.

Rather than scream and run away from the stranger I only sighed with annoyance “Look, please just fuck off, I’m really not in the mood right now.”

“Oh, you’re a British girl are you? I heard they’re the dirtiest” he let go of the swing and moved in front of me, this time staring me deep in the eyes as he held onto the swing again. This time blocking an escape route.

“Like I said, fuck off.” I said, my tone becoming angrier.
“Hey, darling. Don’t talk to me like that. You can use that pretty little mouth for such better things.”

Before he had a chance to even touch me I kicked my leg up, hitting him squarely in the balls. He crumpled instantly.

“Idiot” I muttered, looking at his pathetic self as I moved away.

This park wasn’t as innocent as I once remembered it. I got into my car for the last time that night and debated where else I could go, but I had no other choice. Home it was.

-

I entered the doorway sheepishly as my parents came running in from the kitchen.

“Where the fuck have you been?” my mother demanded.
“We’ve been fucking sick with worry” my dad joined in.

“Nice to see you care about me now.” I muttered rudely, walking up the stairs with tired steps.

My parents looked embarrassed for a moment “H-honey I saved you some dinner” my mum said noticing how upset I looked.

“I’m not hungry.” I replied, reaching the top of the stairs.
“Get down here now and eat something!” my mother suddenly yelled.

But the only sound they were both met with was my bedroom door slamming.

Jesus, I’m a fucking bitch. I’m fucking selfish and I’m fucking ungrateful. But, hey, I’ll have a chance to apologise tomorrow. Right now I need sleep. Even if my stomach is growling with hunger and my head banging from paranoia.