I walk up the stairs slowly, still processing what just happened. If Max is actually planning to stab Eli's parents, how could I have been so blind to trust him?
I reach the top of the stairs and my body begins to weaken. I don't want to fight with Eli, but if that's how it goes, then that's how it'll end up.
I shakily walk into my room, taking slow, quiet steps in the process. Do I even want to talk to Eli about this right now? Yes. Yes, I do. I need answers. And now.
I sit on the edge of my bed, sitting in front of the mirror. "Eli?" I ask, my voice weak and powerless. The mirror shapes into it's normal form of the couch with pillows, and Eli is smiling at me from the couch.
"I'm here, Ruby." Eli answers and I almost fall off of my bed trying to get up. Stop speaking Eli. My mind urges him. He doesn't hear my thoughts. "We haven't been hanging out much lately, how are your friends doing?" Eli continues, always the same kind voice around me, always unaware of the world outside the mirror.
I take a step into the mirror, and fall onto my knees, my head laying limp in my hands as I cry. I don't know why I'm crying, but I'm so frustrated and confused and it's overwhelming.
I hear Eli's quick steps as he runs over to me and puts one arm around my shoulders, the other resting on my waist. "What's wrong Ruby? Tell me." Eli pleads at me but I just cry harder. I am so confused, and my mind is roaming everywhere and my head hurts and my heart hurts and I'm scared and my emotions are everywhere. I fall onto my side and hear a yell before I don't hear anything anymore.
🌼🌼🌼
I slowly open my eyes to bright light that seems to be seeping through a window. I wince at the light. Groaning, I sit up from wherever I was laying and adjust my eyes to the light.
It seems I was laying on the floor behind the couch in the giant room Eli lives in. What? Since when would I lay on the floor?
There's a blanket underneath me with a pillow sitting where my head used to lay. At least it was somewhat comfortable.
Looking around, I notice the back of Eli's head above the back of the couch. "Eli?" I ask with as much power as I can muster.
I see him get up from the couch and run over to me, worry etched along his features. "Are you okay?" He asks quickly, pulling me into a hug.
My throat hurts as I laugh. "Yeah, but why did you leave me on the floor?" I ask, my smile not leaving my face.
"Your mom said it would be best to leave you that way. You were dehydrated and tired." Eli says and I almost choke.
"M-my mom?" I ask, fear seeping into me.
"I yelled at the mirror, hoping to attract attention of someone in your house to help me, and your mom came into your room and helped me get you stable. I thought she got arrested?" Eli asks and I realize that I didn't tell him that my real mom came after her sister got arrested.
"I completely forgot to tell you. Everything was so confusing lately. Apparently the woman I thought was my mom was her sister and my real mom lives here now. My dad just took her back like- boom, I trust you after you left your abusive sister with us for like fourteen years or something and that's okay." I say, revealing my current emotions.
Eli moves to sit next to me and rests his hand on my knee. "Well, it's okay. You seem like you have more to say?" Eli asks, sensing my urge for my curiosity to be gone.
"U-um. Yeah, I do. So one of my friends, Parker, came over to my house-who knows how he got the address- and told me that my one of my other friends, Max, was trying to stab your parents. He said that you and Max had some sort of like business going on between the two of you and I was gonna ask about that. As long as you're comfortable with that anyway." I finish quietly, and look down embarrassed to even bring it up.
It's silent for a few moments but Eli finally speaks up. "Max bullied me for many years, Ruby. I never told you because I didn't want you to worry. He is the original reason I became depressed. He'd tell me I'm worthless, or something like that I'll get nowhere in my future. He'd call me names, and make me ashamed of myself for being the way I am." Eli finishes.
"B-but Eli." I start. "You are such a great person and I love you as you are," I say and lunge into his arms, my head finding its place on his chest.
His arms find their way around my waist as I hug him. "Thanks Ruby." Eli say, and I can practically hear him smiling.
I lift my head up and see that my smile matches his. I quickly lean up and kiss him, making all of it quick as I duck and hug him again, my cheeks flaring red.
"You know what," Eli says, pulling away from the hug. "Let's go on a date," Eli mentions and I look at him in confusion.
"Wait, but you can't go an-" I start but Eli stops me.
"I meant here, I can plan a date of some sort 'cause we haven't exactly gone on a date yet." Eli says, making my eyes light up.
"Yes! I'll buy a dress, and I need your clothing size too so I can get you an outfit too! And I can fix your tie, and then you can walk me to the mirror as if it's my front door and even though Christmas was a few months ago, we can hang mistletoe above the mirror and yeah." I ramble about the date and completely forget about my plan with Parker.
🌼🌼🌼
As I'm walking back into my room from Eli's, I think about my happiness.
I like to think I'm a generally happy person, but I realize that my mind is too dark for me to be happy and positive all the time.
I think back to my day so far. It's been crazy long. I ate dinner with Eli while we watched a movie because I didn't want to deal with my mother.
And then earlier with Parker. He must break into places all of the time if he could get into my house.
And Max. If what Parker said was true, then I can't be friends with Max. Great. School tomorrow, yay! I have to deal with him.
But I only have two questions on my mind:
~should I tell Victoria and Novalie about the situation?
...and...
~how in the world can I walk through a mirror-one that I'm only supposed to see myself in-and see my dead boyfriend?