don't you forget about me. (chap. 2)

Jack

Two.

Ebony’s Story.

“There was once a girl who lived in the little town of Aurora, Indiana. A lot of people would call her beautiful. Of course, like most self-conscious girls, she didn’t believe them. She had long wavy light brown hair, that she always wore down, and her eyes were big and green, like emeralds, some would say. She liked her eyes the best about her self, and people complemented them all the time.

“She wore jeans and t-shirts, fitting for the Indiana weather, even though all the other girls wore short skirts and tight shirts. She didn’t wear much make-up. But even without all these accessories common on all the other girls, people still remarkably liked her. But then, in seventh grade, everything changed.

“She started wearing the same things all the other girls did. And the reason? A boy. His name was Damian Todd. He was tall, muscular, with light, sky blue eyes. His hair was a dirty blonde, always in a buzz cut.”

And as she described this boy’s hair her hand absentmindedly reached up to my own head, her fingers running through my hair. Then she continued, her hand falling back in her lap. I listened to her story intently.

“At first they were sort of friends and sort of not. Then once more it all changed. He started calling her names, bullying her.” While saying this, Ebony winced, and I tightened my hold on her hand. She smiled up at me. “Then, the girl met Damian’s best friend, Nathaniel Stewart. He loved her right from the start, he said. Nobody really liked Nate. He was average height with curly brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. His cheek bones stood out high on his face, making him look gaunt and slightly malnourished, and he was very, very weird. They were best friends.” She smiled at this.

“They talked every night on the phone, and she told him everything. For seven months they were like that. But the girl (can we call her Ali?), Ali still liked Damian and Nate liked Ali. It was confusing. And in the end, Ali talked about Damian too much. It crushed Nate, broke him. Ali couldn’t stand his pain, but Nate broke it off.

“This was when...wh– when she...Started...” I looked over at her, and nodded, encouraging her to go on. “ This was when she started cutting herself. Nate had joined Damian, and now they were both going at her, calling her names. And Nate started using everything she’d told him against her. He would talk loudly about all the things Damian did with his girlfriends. But Ali made it through seventh grade, although each cut grew deeper and deeper. Eighth grade passed, with new boys making her miserable, especially one called Toby Carver. And then on to high school. All new and scary.

“Well not that scary,” she said thoughtfully, “Everyone in highschool were the same people I’d gone to school with since kindergarten. Never mind. Back to the story. Highschool was pretty similar to middle school. For about a month. Her friends were getting tired of all the shit she was getting. They stood up for her, but really, it only made Ali feel more pathetic. But then in Sophomore year there was a...an accident. Well that’s what my– her parents called it.

“Toby Carver came back into her life. They became the very best of friends and eventually started dating. She gave him everything she had.” Her eyes were shining with tears now, and I knew what she meant by everything. “But then, he sort of just...left. He ignored her, cut her off. He’d even told her he loved her. But of course, when you’re fifteen and someone tells you they love you, you’re gonna believe them.” She quoted a song bitterly.

“But Ali couldn’t take it. So she cut the deepest of all, and lost so much blood she passed out in her bathroom.”

Ebony looked up at me a little desperately, and a tear slid down her cheek. I wiped it away. She showed her left arm to me, where a large, dark scar stood out.

“I had to go to some rehab place for a year. That’s why I’m seventeen and a junior in highschool.”

“I know you’re not ready for a relationship just yet. I know you’re scared. But I’m gonna wait for you. I’m gonna help you get better, okay?” I looked her in the eyes and she nodded. I pulled her in to my arms, hugging her tight. “I’ll never, ever leave you. I promise.”