Chance Encounters

I woke up to the sound of rain pounding on the roof. I could smell the freshness of the puddles as it wafted through my open window. I sighed and groaned as my bed creaked when I sat up. I was usually someone that loved rain. But when I had to walk in it, I wasn’t very happy.

I knew I still had a couple of hours before I had to get up for school, but I also knew sleeping was not an option. I threw on a black sweatshirt and a pair of old skinny jeans. I combed my hair back and lay on my bed.

The bed moaned in protest as I turned to my side. I pictured my mom walking into my room and wondering what I was doing awake. I could hear her laugh vibrate through my ears, the smooth velvety sound of her voice echoing through me like a lost soul. Even though she was gone on earth, she was still with me somewhere.

~~~*~~~

“Everyone, although we are only a couple of weeks into the school year, I want to give you your first actual project,” Mrs. Shey began. It was only first period and I knew this day was going to be terrible.

“This will be a partner project, meaning you two will have to work together,” she exclaimed, rising her eyebrows at me to make sure I understood. “This will be sort of a writing scavenger hunt. Each partner will think of six items or people that symbolize who they are. Your partner will then write a paper on why they think you chose those things and who they think you are. I created this project so that everyone would be a little more comfortable with who they’ll be working with for the rest of the semester. It’ll give you a chance to get to know each other. It’s due in two weeks. That’ll give you more than enough time to finish,” Mrs. Shey stated.

I groaned. I wasn’t close to anybody. Why was I about to give someone the chance to break me again?

Ellie nudged my side with her elbow softly. “What?” I asked. She looked taken aback, but composed herself and glanced at me, her eyes sparkling softly.

“Do you want to come by my house today? We can think of ideas for our project then,” she suggested. I shrugged. I knew I didn’t want to go to my house.

“I’ll meet you outside the library?” She whispered.

“Sure, why not?” I agreed. Ellie smiled, and I tried hard not to grin back. She had one of those breathtaking smiles. Whenever she even slightly smirked, I forgot about all my problems. But I was not about to let her get to me.

I knew this project was going to change everything. I just had a feeling.

~~*~~
“Are you ready to go?” Ellie asked as I met up with her outside the library.

“Yeah, let’s just get this over with,” I grumbled. I watched as a slight shiver ran through her spine. I wouldn’t have been able to notice if I hadn’t been gazing at her. She fascinated me though. She was so small, yet not perfect. She had meat on her bones, but she wasn’t fat. She was almost too thin, actually.

But the thing that got to me, the thing that kind of frustrated me, was that she was afraid of me. Ellie was so fragile. I knew inside her, she was strong and independent. However, whenever I was around her, she shut down and became instantaneously frightened. I didn’t want her to hate me. There were far too many people that already had that down.

“Are we walking?” I asked her.

“No, I drive. I turned sixteen a couple weeks ago, and my Aunt let me borrow her old car for a while,” she said. I nodded. Ellie pulled the keys out of her pocket and unlocked the car, motioning for me to get in the passengers’ seat.

“How far away do you live from the school?” I asked.

“Only about fifteen minutes. It’s a pretty short drive,” she said.

I hooked my seatbelt on and watched as Ellie started the car and drove away. We were both silent the whole way. I couldn’t decide if it was because there was nothing to say, or because we didn’t know how to say anything to each other. When she pulled into the driveway, I took a second look. Her home wasn’t huge, but it was like a mansion compared to mine. It was put together, and looked like people actually lived happily there.

I pulled my bag out from the back of the car and stalked to the porch. “You have a…nice home,” I complimented as she opened the door. She put away her key with a ‘Hello Kitty’ chain connected to it. I chuckled, thinking it was sort of cute.

“Thanks. My Aunt loves cleaning. I think she’s crazy,” she said, trying to spark a conversation. But after realizing that wouldn’t work, she led me into the living room. “Should we get started?” Ellie asked.

“Yeah, I guess,” I said, opening my bag and sitting down on one of the vintage chairs. Ellie stared at me for a couple of seconds and then followed.

“What are six things that describe you?” She asked, cutting straight to the chase.

I shrugged. I wasn’t going to let her take that advantage. I wouldn’t let her know me. “Okay,” she shifted nervously. “I’ll start first,” she said. Ellie took out a piece of paper and numbered it to six. “I’m obsessed with photography. It really speaks to me,” she said, writing it down.

This was going to take a while.

“Hello Ellie!” A woman in her late thirties’ said as she walked through the front door.

“Hi Mary,” she said happily.

“Oh, you have company!” She said, dropping her bags on the table.

“This is Luke. We’re working on a project together,” Ellie explained.

“Aw, nice to meet you Luke. I’m Mary, Ellie’s Aunt,” she beamed, shaking my hand ferociously. I managed to smile sheepishly, almost as if I was awkwardly happy. “Well, if you two need anything, I’ll be upstairs. There are snacks in the pantry,” she hinted, climbing up the stairs.

“She seems bubbly,” I stated.

“Yes, she’s very … eccentric,” she said, trying to find the words to describe Mary. “Anyway, I’ve thought of one thing that describes me. What’s something that symbolizes you?” Ellie asked.

I knew exactly what spoke who I was.

It was the only thing that knew who I was.

“My mother,” I said.

Ellie’s cheeks became rosy as her lips widened into a peachy grin. “She seems amazing. I’d love to meet her someday,” she said. My eyes darted towards her, turning icy and emotionless. I noticed her frightened expression as she averted her eyes from mine.

“My mother is dead,” I hissed, acid dripping from my putrid words.

Ellie froze, her complexion turning white as snow. “I’m …I’m s…so so..rry,” she stuttered, pretending to feel sympathy for me. But I didn’t need that.

“You know what? I should just go. We’ve got enough done for today. I’ll come over to your house tomorrow,” I said, quickly grabbing my bag and leaving her house before she got the chance to run after me. I started walking out of her driveway and onto the road when I heard an apologetic whimper.

“Luke, please, wait!” Ellie begged, running to catch up with me.

I didn’t look behind me, but I knew she was catching up to me. “Luke, was it something I said? I’m so sorry,” she said.

“It’s cool, okay? I just need some air,” I said, walking faster. But she still managed to catch up.

“At least let me drive you!” She insisted.

“You would die if you saw my house, let alone my father and his slut of a girlfriend,” I muttered under my breath.

“Come on, it can’t be that bad,” she pleaded.

I turned around and pulled her closer to me. “You don’t get it, do you?” I spat. “We’re two different types of people, okay? I’m a worthless low life that’s barely surviving in my train wreck of a home and you’re some spoiled wealthy girl that gets whatever she wants if she complains enough. We aren’t meant to be friends. We are partners for this project and that’s all. Do you understand?” I sneered.

I was centimeters away from her, and I could see the tears trying to pass through her. But this was who she really was. She wasn’t going to let that show. Ellie was strong, and she needed someone to break her and rebuild her.

I watched as she clenched her jaw. Her hand began to rise from her side, and I waited for the inevitable. But it never came. She just backed away and nodded.

Ellie thought I was some kind of monster.

And maybe she was right.

Maybe I was.