A Moment with Her

His Truth

Yadiel comes home after a long shift and is met with the smell of 'home'. He walked into the kitchen and sitting on the counter laid a plate of rice and beans with a side of chuleta (Porkchop) and tostones (deep-fried plantains) topped with a slice of avocado. 

"What's this?" he laughs.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly with a sad tint laced into her words.

Yadiel sighed and drops his bags as he walked over to hug her.

"Don't ever be sorry for protecting yourself".

"Okay," she said sadly not believing in his reassurance. She didn't feel bad for Jason but she did feel bad for Yadiel having to wake up after a long shift and going to her school.

Once they broke off the hug, he smiled at her and said;

"Boba" (Dummy) and poked her forehead.

He walked over and heated the food up.

"Are you going to tell Dad?'

"No, you tell him," He said.

"He'll be mad".

"You're becoming an adult and you have to face your problems like one".

"Ugh!" She said resting her chin behind her arms

He looked at her through heavy eyes and said;

"Go to bed".

"Can I stay home tomorrow?" she asked.

Yadiel would usually tell her 'Unless she was dying she should get her ass to school' but in this situation, he figured she could use the break. So, he agreed and watched her go to her room with Alice following behind.

_____________

Last night, after Ripley told him to tell someone about his feeling, Elias felt empty. He laid on his bed and decided to talk to his mom about what was happening. Elias told her about being bullied and how the stress of it all was twisting Knotts into his stomach that sometimes hurt so badly that the pain would remain even days after they happen. He told her how he hasn't been telling everything to his doctor and how his actions during the crash haunted him every day.

That day his mother called off from work and set up a meeting with the principle. The principal had to call in Jason, Sarah, and Elias into the office along with their parents. The meeting took the majority of the day to accomplish. There had been much protest, denial and eventual admission towards the treatment of Elias and the bullying that he had endured. Much of it was backed up by other students who were called in but the severity of Jason's and Sarah's punishments came from Elias Mother threatening to sue the whole district and the school.

The Principle eventually told Jason and his parents that due to the complaints against him that he will be expelled to protect the other students and Sarah would be suspended for the next two weeks.

Once the meeting was over, Elias was pulled out of school for the day. They were already in the parking lot when he asked.

"Mom where are we going?"

"We are going home and we are going to be looking at another school".

"You're taking me out?!" He said baffled.

she stopped in her heels and turned around.

"Elias, I almost lost you once. I will be dammed it those little rags of s**t are going to try and take you away from me. They should be ashamed and embarrassed as well as their parents. As far as you're concerned you can thank me when you're older."

She turned on her heels and climbed into the car he took a breath and followed.

Elias didn't know how he felt but his mother was determined and his father supported her decision so for once he chooses to just accept.

_________

Ripley was at home laying on the couch when she got a text from the group chat.

Steven:

Hey, did you and Elias skip?

Ripley:

No, I'm sick and staying home. Why would me and Elias skip together LOL?

Dany:

IDK you guys hang out a lot, right? Well, he didn't come to school either.

Ripley lunged forward, then got a terrible feeling and began calling Elias. She hoped desperately that he would pick up.

"Hello?" Elias said in a groggy voice.

"Hey, are you okay?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah, why?"

"Steven and Dany told me you didn't come to school and after yesterday I got worried," She said tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Well, I did go to school, but it was because I went to a meeting with the Principle".

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, but I did what you said, and I told my mom. She called the school, and we all had a meeting with Jason, Sarah's and their parents."

"That must have been really hard for you? How are you feeling?" She asked, laying back down.

"Numb, I think my mom wants to pull me out of school."

Ripley felt a tinge of disappointment but continued;

"Maybe it for the best. Sometimes leaving help" Ripley said, reflecting on her own experiences.

"She's been looking at Therapeutic boarding schools with residential treatment centers."

"Sounds fancy," she said smiling "But I think it'll be good for you, are you nervous?"

Elias straightened up and took a deep breath.

"Can I see you?" He asked.

Ripley's eyes widened, "Um, I don't know I was serious when I said I needed space. I wanted to make sure you were alright but I need to focus on myself right now".

"You're still mad?" he said disappointedly.

"A little" she admitted, "but this is better for the both of us I promise".

"Are we still friends?" 

"Were something like that," she said.

"I'm sorry".

Ripley paused and then said, "Take care of yourself, Elia" and then she hung up.

___________

Elia POV:

My heartfelt heavy, 'Well if she didn't give a s**t then neither will I!' ... No, that's not true either. Her problem was that she cared too much and now she's losing that. 

I walked over to my living room only to see my mom on the phone with someone talking about numbers and facts. Mom was trying to move me into a boarding school in the middle of my senior year. I don't think she'll be able to pull it off, but seeing her try brings some type of hope.

So, I went out to the backyard and pulled out my phone. It was time to end this stupid s**t. I went into my contacts and started to call Sarah's number. 

'I could feel my heart bang against my rib cage I should probably hang up and just block her number... why haven't I blocked her number yet? Maybe she already blocked mine, maybe-'

"Hello?"

'She answered' I tried to compose myself before saying;

"It's me,"

"What do you want?! " She growled.

"We have to talk this out, Sarah,"

"We had four years to talk this out. I'm done with it,"

"Really? because throughout those four years all you've done is gotten worse," I said defensively.

"Is this what you wanted? To yell at me? So, your mom goes for me in the morning and you at night, great!" she says sarcastically. 

Sarah gets me so mad sometimes... but

"No, you're right," I sighed "I want us to stop fighting Sarah," I say exhaustedly "I'm so sorry for what I did to you and I know no matter what I say it's never going to make up for the lost that I have caused you but after all these years I realized I don't think I've ever told you how much I've regretted it, everything".

I could hear her breath on the other line but she said nothing for a while so I waited.

"Why her? Why did you have to go for my best friend" she said sadly.

I knew that question was coming but I just felt so ashamed to the truth of saying it out loud. 

"We were fighting and you had told me that we were done “I sighed but managed to continue "then you send me that text that you were going to go out with another guy and I was just so hurt but I didn't want to believe you".

"Yeah, I remember that “I heard her whisper through the phone.

"When we got back together I thought everything was fine but then Marnie sends me the screenshots of you and Jason. I mean Sarah I was in love with you" I started to cry reliving a lost love that had cut so deep and I knew I wasn't alone because I heard her begin to cry as well."

"My parents were out of there couples retreat that weekend and Marnie came over we started to drink... and then ..."I took a deep breath before continuing. "... and then I decided to take my dad's car and drive out to Jason’s place... It must have been around 8:00 pm and Marnie didn't want me to go alone" I couldn't help but heave as I cried at the memories.

"I swear the roads were clear and ... I don't remember much afterward".

I could hear Sarah cry louder into the phone before healing a muffled voice on the other side. It must have been her mother because the next thing I know the phone went silent.

I curled into a ball and just cried. My mom found me not to long after just hugged me.