“So then she slams her fist into his nose. Wham, bam, thank you, ma’am!” Simon’s telling the rest of the group about my so-called fight with Max from this morning. We’re at lunch, and thankfully, the rest of the morning has passed uneventfully. Word of my fight spread quickly, though, and I’ve spent most of my time this morning either ignoring remarks from Max’s friends or fending off congratulatory applause from others. It’s a strange feeling being called a whore in one breath and a rockstar in another.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiuBwpLscAa
“Atta girl,” Cyrus says. “I always knew you had it in you, kid.” He smiles and winks at me while taking a sip of his soda.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjpHWMi22M
“Do not condone her behavior, Cyrus. She could have gotten expelled!” Romina’s eyes are wide and bright. “Ellie, what on Earth were you thinking?”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEvyFD3kHdY
“I was thinking that his stupid face needed a makeover.” I grimace, remembering how angry Max made me. I scan the cafeteria, searching for a sign of Max and the Bitch Trifecta through the throngs of noisy students. Luckily, they aren’t in any of my other morning classes, and it would be just my luck to have them pop up in what’s supposed to be the best time of the day, lunch. While half of the school is here right now, munching on lukewarm spaghetti or hamburgers resembling hockey pucks, Max and the Bitch Trifecta are anywhere to be seen. I breathe a sigh of relief and focus back on my friends.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKqswdPL03W
“Your mom is going to flip.” Lindsey shakes her head and twirls her pasta onto her fork. “You better not miss my party this weekend.” Every year, Lindsey throws a back-to-school bash over Labor Day weekend. It’s usually just the five of us, plus our families and a few other friends from school. It’s a big deal, though, and if I miss it, Lindsey might never forgive me.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBoTwnUkEu
“I won’t miss it, Linds.” I draw a cross over my heart. “Lamontagne said I’m not suspended, anyway. It’s likely my mom won’t even find out.” I take a bite of my turkey sandwich and lick the little glob of mayo that spurts out, smacking my lips in the process. Delicious.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSNBUuYjLDb
Romina frowns at me and leans in. “You do realize that your mom has to sign off on the counseling sessions, though, right? You’re not 18 until next week. You have to have a parent sign off if you’re under 18.” She pushes her glasses further up on her nose. Romina’s always been the mother of the group, so expecting her to be chill about my fight is a long shot.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgLf4OqxglV
I shrug and the air deflates from my lungs. “Maybe I can wait until next week to start? Or I can tell her it’s something I’m choosing to do. You know, heal myself and forgive Max. She’ll eat that shit up.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttU2hs6Ejl
“Or, you can always punch your mom. That right hook of yours could be quite persuasive.” Simon laughs and pokes my cheek.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbsZwbntFO
I swat him away and toss a potato chip at him. He blows me a kiss just as Marcus walks by. Simon stiffens and blushes, redness creeping up from his neck to his earlobes. Marcus raises his hand briefly in a wave before leaving the cafeteria. Groaning, Simon puts his head on the table, pounding it against the laminated wood.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgpFLfzKCM
“Ah, trouble in paradise?” Lindsey asks, wiping her hands on her napkin and throwing it on her tray.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlo8FMUkH1X
Simon groans again. “I wish he’d come out to his folks already. It would make my life so much easier.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9iJllbAJv
Lindsey nods. “I’ll invite him this weekend. Let’s make the magic happen.” She smiles, and it sends shivers down my spine. I’ve seen this smile before, and judging by Lindsey’s ability to make things happen, Marcus and Simon will leave the party as a couple.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTwEGOVmmAp
Simon nods as the bell rings overhead. “Abracadabra.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgLXv950sv
---
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyovAl9kcAw
The rest of the day goes by without incident, and I soon find myself standing in my driveway, staring at my mother’s SUV. Fear trickles down my spine. Its shiny black exterior gleams in the sun, recently washed and waxed. My mom usually works long shifts at the hospital on Mondays.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4a37EdVcUv
Maybe she just took half a day.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkEEn3vuQH
Or maybe she heard about the fight and came home to end my social life as I know it.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTcuRdImUt
My stepfather’s car is thankfully not in the driveway, meaning he hasn’t made it home from his law office. If both of my parents were home, it would certainly spell trouble for me.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzesNrIiuZ
Pushing down a wave of nausea, I climb the stone steps on the porch and tentatively walk through the front door. “Mom?”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeCEey1kuT
I find her sitting in the living room on one of the couches, flipping through a magazine. She’s turning the pages quickly, merely scanning what’s on each page instead of reading. Her lips are turned down into a frown, and her foot is shaking rapidly.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi13Pz7bNj6
Yep, she’s definitely pissed.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBY0RqaxHVz
“Hey, Ma.” I drop my bag at the doorway of the living room and plop into the soft brown recliner.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡetLNmcGJPH
“Hello, Eleanor. How was school?” She turns a page, nearly ripping it from her magazine.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNjTKNSsd1
“It was...good. Same old first day stuff.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0FiIMggMU
She nods. “Anything interesting happen?” Flip.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvKqwNMEww
I gulp. “Not that I can think of.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ583jp2WyCj
She nods again. “I had an interesting phone call from your school today..” Her lips purse.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdp3rI0bO8J
My palms begin to sweat. Oh shit.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKqWPOHdRv
“Oh?” My voice comes out squeaky.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNoczZJy66h
“You’ve been recommended to attend therapy sessions?” She looks up at me, her hazel eyes, the same ones I inherited, burrowing into my soul. “Ellie, is everything okay?”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvjYLFf0nj
I let out a sigh of relief. They didn’t mention the fight. Bless them. “Oh. That. It’s not a big deal, really. See, Max and I broke up, and I thought maybe it might be good for me to talk to someone. The school has a fantastic counselor-”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJZDG6zzBw
I’m interrupted by a chirpy ringing. My mother moves to grab her phone off the coffee table. I glance at it quickly, my heart dropping when I recognize Ellen’s name flash across the screen.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoiXcboFXvb
Oh, dear sweet Jesus. Please let this be a book club call.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbnJFQQqNN
“Ellen! Hello! I was just getting ready to call you about this week’s book club-” My mother gets caught off by a loud shriek from Max’s mother. She winces and pulls the phone from her ear.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBOjF5yvR9o
Nope, not about the book club.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAu0NF6rfC
“Ellen, honey, calm down and tell me exactly what’s going on. What happened with Max? Ellie was just telling me how the two of them broke up. So unfortunate.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WujaqjgIY
My heart jumps into my throat and I start to get up from the recliner. My mother locks eyes with me and frowns. She holds up a finger on her hand, signaling me to stay put. I sink back down, my lunch threatening to make a comeback.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJ4tw2A3rB
“I see. Well, thank you for letting me know.” My mother’s glare burns my skin, and I’d like nothing more than the floor to open up and swallow me whole.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyNOzwaMlO
My mom’s voice gets louder. “Now, Ellen, let’s think rationally about this. I don’t think we need to get the cops involved.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zt8ticuDP
Shit. Fuck. Damn it all to Hell.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOaLjfuNp3
“You’re absolutely right, Ellen. Yes, paying for the procedure sounds fair. Eleanor is probably just going through a rough time. Yes, I will take care of it. Goodbye.” My mother puts her phone down and looks at me. If looks could kill, I'd be six feet under by now.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDLjVa9MWO
“Eleanor Rose Whittier, care to explain to me what happened today?” Her voice is calm, still. She only ever uses my middle name when I’m in serious trouble.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HVrD6Drrd
God, if you’re out there, take me now.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TFxPaVqKI
“Oh, you know, we got our schedules and went over what the year is going to look like. Nothing major.” I bite my lip.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnIFWYSKyb
“Eleanor, you know what I’m talking about.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPw38YyA7V
“Max was being an ass...jerk so I handled it.” Mom flinches at my near swear and sighs. She’s religious, and any swear, or almost-swear, causes her to have a class-3 meltdown.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwzzUk5gBix
“Eleanor Rose, you know better than to fight. What came over you? Is it drugs? Maybe you should come to the prayer group with me from now on. Expel some of those demons.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwEouwG7KGP
“Nothing’s going on, Mom. I’m not on drugs, and you can call off the exorcism. Max wanted to run his mouth, so I simply shut it for him.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXZ9NKlzBL7
“With your fist?” My mom’s voice remains calm, almost as if she’s talking about her favorite Hallmark movie. “You decided to handle the situation with violence? You should have called me. We could have prayed about it.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡADoyFmtstI
Spare me, please. My mom may be religious, but I’m certainly not.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK280Gkz0H2
“It all happened so fast, Mom. One minute I was talking to Simon and the next Max was bleeding. It’s not like I set out intending to punch him.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8IViwYodtP
“Nevertheless, you can’t go around punching people who upset you. Ellen wanted to press charges. Max’s nose will need resetting! You broke his nose, Eleanor!”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA9qm8bIWUm
“Serves him right,” I mumble. “That asshole-”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuJInHTXbV
“Eleanor Rose, do not swear in this house!” Mom’s voice has gone from calm to shrill, a skill she’s mastered over several years of dealing with three children. I jump and sit up straighter in the chair.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm7IXwn2CTX
“I just don’t get it, Eleanor. What has gotten into you? Are Frank and I not paying you enough attention?”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0bqPgtppPg
Inwardly, I roll my eyes. Frank, my stepfather, is ten times the man my biological father is.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsNVrMpgOON
“No Mom, you guys are fine. I just got angry, that’s all.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ15zfWC4kfG
“Anger cannot be solved by violence.” She leans forward to the coffee table and digs out her Bible.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzyxAmmuHqc
“I know that, Mom. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking straight.” Please, please don’t start quoting scriptures to me.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFT98A1NqN
“That much is clear. Luckily, Ellen seems to think- and I agree with her- that you’re going through something terrible and that some outside help would be more beneficial than dealing with the police.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBnputE8JW
Oh, thank God.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQX9B63Kis4
I nod. “I see. Well, that’s actually the reason I’m going to start therapy at school. Mr. Lamontagne waived the normal suspension if I agreed to do it.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj7QUf6W3IP
At the word suspension, my mother’s head snapped up from her Bible.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1JF6wKbQgc
“I cannot believe you almost got suspended, Eleanor. It should go without saying that you are grounded.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ4HN6vo4wY
My heart falls. “Grounded?”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JxYYk83LH
“Grounded. You are to come straight home from school every day. I will leave a list of chores for you to complete, and you can forget going to Lindsey’s party this weekend.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLoZSpoF1JF
“Mom, please. I have to go.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGz15EdJ8c
She shakes her head. “I’m sorry, Ellie. You should have thought about that before you got into a fight.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgI1jPkOoi
“Come on, Mom! I did it in self-defense. He was calling me names and being homophobic towards Simon. I tried asking him to stop, but he just wouldn’t listen. I had to do something.” I hold my hands together. “Please, Mom. I swear, I will do anything you want, just let me go.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNSKxRCEuGV
My mother shakes her head again. “No, Ellie. This is serious. Ellen wants us to pay for Max’s medical bills, now!”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1d4wJf9ihg
I groan. “So I’ll get a job to pay for them. I’ll do extra chores. I’ll clean both bathrooms and the kitchen!”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4Gl3SBGq9
“No. You’re grounded. You’re also going to have to apologize to Max.” She stands and wipes her hands on her scrubs.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIafiQydHRl
That might actually be worse than being grounded. “Mom. Come on. I want to stop talking to Max, not continue.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ941GNYOhcZ
“And go with me to church every Wednesday and Thursday to help out with childcare for small groups.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBKzbIKPqqA
She’s going to trust me around small children? “Mom, this is insane.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNvqQwEsD8
She turns on her heel and heads out of the living room. “End of discussion, Eleanor.”
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxpxQzLXa0
Shit.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutyNDVG0bL
---
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSff8SC9aLI
Come on, Ellie. You can do this. Just message him, say you’re sorry, and block him. Easy, breezy.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGByFwj5lkv
I stare at Max’s screen name. I told my mom I’d apologize tonight, and I am currently trying to psych myself up to do it.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhPzjETWkdS
Hey, dirtwad. I’m sorry I broke your nose. Maybe next time don’t talk trash about me and my peeps.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsi0U9aqwG0
No way, I’m not sending that.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEXBeKjxozA
Dearest Maxwell, please accept my solemn apologies for cracking your snout. Next time, I will try to aim lower on your body.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2O4hseR8U9
Nope, that won’t work either. Although, aiming lower would have been funnier.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDarc9DzHvS
Sorry for punching you.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNclUEF85cP
I guess that’s as good as it is going to get. I press send and wait for Max’s reply. My fingers tap against my desk, and my heart rate, which surely must be sick of racing all the time these days, increases.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRqsslbl1r
Maxamillion6969: Oh, look, if it isn’t She Ra. Come to do more damage?
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2biErHXcf
Ellesbelles432: Nope, just apologizing.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡccxG9nxOAu
Maxamillion6969: Why’d you do it, Ellie?
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtPSDa6zVT
Is he serious? Delusional?
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSmfI4KsCGg
Ellesbelles432: Why do you think?
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR0tYsVlGNH
Maxamillion6969: I get it. Getting over me will be tough. Doesn’t mean you have to knock me out.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNM2Wc1uAd0
I roll my eyes and groan.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmFMTa1VZk
Ellesbelles432: Whatever you say, dude.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyaujzWl84u
Maximillian6969: I feel like things ended on a bad note for us.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4BDTwQwwM
You don’t say.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtUVIwUKgG2
Ellesbelles432: What gives you that impression?
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZ7z23GihS
Maximilian6969: I meant what I said, Ellie. I didn’t want to hurt you.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSiUR427kR
Oh please.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgUfULZCklr
Ellesbelles432: Sure.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwK9Awkz4M
Maximilian6969: Tiffani’s just...she gets me.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXz5AMOOKol
Ellesbelles432: Gotcha.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxO3522WNoa
Maximillian6969: I realized way too late we could never be.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBxuQzl4Mi
Ellesbelles432: Right Max. I get it.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTPnNiIeeN
Maximillian6969: And really, you should be thanking me. I definitely helped your social standing, by letting you punch me. If we weren’t in school, I totally would have kicked your ass.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdeC2K5nYBn
I let out a chuckle.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw70gNDl1rB
Ellesbelles432: Big bad Max for sure would have whollaped me. Whew, I’m glad I know that now. I’ll keep that in mind for when you spew hatred.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlL0U2aWcQ8
Maximilian6969: Why do you have to be such a bitch?
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxXbhKbsbmd
I suck in a breath before responding.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAeQFDksGE0
Ellesbelles432: If standing up for my friends makes me a bitch, then fine, I’m a bitch.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhtgyHCsZc
Maximillion6969: You could have much better friends than that guy.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUTQ9s7QwOT
Ellesbelles432: What, like Tiffani?
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9gt5uw4BH
Maximillion6969: What’s your issue with her, anyway? She’s always tried to be nice to you.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRuSMgOG3UX
Yep, he’s definitely delusional.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcimgDbIk0
Ellesbelles432: I’m not getting into it with you, Max. I just wanted to apologize.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5bm0ywXGT
Maximillion6969: Like everything else you do, you’re doing a shit job. Don’t come near us again, Ellie, or I’ll get my mom to press charges against you. I told her you were so heartbroken at our breakup that you lost your mind, but I can always say you’re harassing me.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡByqG929pnR
Cool, I see blackmail is in style now.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwOuEbxiPl
Ellesbelles432: Got it, Max.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc01OXZGBRq
Maximillion6969: I mean it, bitch. Keep your filthy paws off us.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOKT1LzxvN
Maximillion6969 has signed off.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7HvKdU0wkI
I laugh, closing my laptop and shutting off my desk lamp. The room is illuminated in darkness, aside from the moon shining through the window. I crawl into bed, thinking about how Max was never great at insults, as seen by his consistent use of calling me a bitch and if he wanted to blackmail me, then so be it.
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fbZmZUs3u
I pull my turquoise quilt up to my chin and close my eyes, replaying the day in my mind. Max is the least of my worries, and I’ll be damned if he is going to ruin my senior year. Now, how do I get myself ungrounded?
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4jdNzdVld
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnD68OV9gP
169Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGYUVBKDgJ
