Broken by Ellie Anne (reading well .TXT) 📖

“I told you it wasn’t there.” I said.

“Um, I’m just gonna pretend I never got that bruise. It’ll be our little secret.” she tried to joke, and failed, epically.

“Well, I’m not going to pretend you didn’t get the bruise ‘cause you did get it. I’m going to figure out how it did its little vanishing act.” I said, and I meant it. I was going to get to the bottom of this thing.

“Okay, but for right now, I’m going to get back to what I was doing before I was so rudely interrupted.”

“Oh, and what was that, making faces at me?” I asked, my voice thick with sarcasm. Hey, if she could be sarcastic then so could I.

Onika stuck her tongue out at me. That was another thing she looked super cute while doing. She got off me and sat up.

“Ah, now I can breathe again.” I joked.

“Are you begging me to sit on you again?” she asked, joking as well.

“Nope” I replied, making the “p” pop.

She just smiled at me. I grabbed her into another bear hug, and she buried her head in my chest. I had no idea how long we sat like that but she started to hug me back. She lifted up her head and just stared at me. Her big, dark blue, almost hurt looking, eyes. Eyes that looked like they’d seen the worst and the best. Eyes I could drown in and not even notice it. That’s when I realized something major. I seriously liked her, and I wanted her to like me back. I just wanted to stay like this forever, holding her and staring into each other’s eyes. I’m not one to really like a girl I just met, but Onika was different, she was special, and I couldn’t help but like her.

A tap on the window brought us back to reality. It was Gregory, it was my old Alpha. I hated him. I held onto Onika tighter. I was not going to let this stuck up jerk taker her away from me. Onika just looked up at me, her eyes seemed to be asking the question of who the crap is he and why does he know where I live? and he isn’t going to take you away, is he? I looked away from her and back to the window. I stood up, and Onika followed. I put myself between Gregory, I wasn’t going to let him separate us.

I put a protective arm around Onika, still behind me.

“Gregory, what do you want?” I asked, not caring that my voice was hard as stone. I was almost positive he’d want to take Onika away from me. And I wasn’t going to let him.

The only thing I was worried about was that he was stronger. I was right to worry. He shoved me away and grabbed Onika.

“Well, I see you’ve found quite a lovely flower here.” Gregory said, his voice trying to be sweet. It wasn’t.

“This ‘flower’ knows how to do a roundhouse kick pretty well. In other words, I’d suggest getting your slimy hands away from me or get a broken jaw.” Onika threatened. It definitely wasn’t an empty one either, she meant it.

“Well, I came to take Erin back, he’s in quite a lot of trouble at the moment.” Gregory said smoothly.

“That’s it.” Onika mumbled. She kicked him square in the jaw, and then pushed him back. In a matter of seconds, he was on the floor and Onika was going to check to make sure her parents didn’t hear anything.

“I suggest you leave, if Onika can get you down that fast then you’re clearly outmatched.” I told him

“I don’t ever lose, I suggest remembering that.” he turned on his heel and left the same way he came.

Onika was standing there, shaking. “I really hate that guy.” she said, a scowl on her face.

“Hey, it’ll be okay. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” I told her.

“And if anyone tries to pull something like that again, a roundhouse kick isn’t going to be the only thing that happens to them.” she said with a smile on her face.

“That’s the Onika I know.” I smiled back at her.

She came over and gave me a hug. She broke away then got out her guitar and composition book out again. She started playing around with a few different chords. What she did next surprised me. She started singing the song she wouldn’t let me see.

When she finished is asked “I thought you said I couldn’t see it.”

“Well, I finished it.” she said with a smile.

“Well, that’s the song you’re going to sing when I get you you’re record deal.” I replied.

“Is that a command?” she asked.

“It sure is.” I smiled.

“You’re the best, Erin.” she told me as she came over and gave me a hug.

I was having the best time of my life, just sitting there holding Onika and feeling safe and wanted. She was the first person outside of the pack to be friendly to me since my change, even my parents thought I was a monster and didn’t want me anymore. It was a different feeling but it was a good kind of different, and I liked it. For once, I felt a feeling of belonging. I wasn’t about to let it slip away. I was going to grab hold and keep hold. I’m going to get Onika her record deal. I promise.


Chapter Six
Hallelujah


I was at school again. Onika was in my English class and every day, we sat next to each other, whispering stupid stuff about lame projects and stuck up teachers.

“I really don’t know what’s up with that retarded sub in Mr. K’s class. She’s like the total opposite of him. So FYI, be prepared.” she whispered as we were taking notes.

“Oh c’mon Onika, she can’t be that bad.” I whispered back, a grin threatening to slip onto my face.

“How many times do I have to tell you that all my closest friends call me Nik? You count in that ‘closest friends’ group.” she replied a dead-serious look on her face.

“Fine, “Nik”. I’ll try.” I wanted to add but you’ll always be my Onika.

“Much better.” she whispered right before the snooty Ms. Clinesdale asked her to answer some question on The Lord of the Flies. All I could think was hallelujah she counts me as a close friend!

“Simon represents the Christ figure.” She answered as if she had been paying attention the entire time.

Ms. Clinesdale flushed a bright pink and moved on. She always liked to pick on the unsuspecting, zoned-out kid (or kids in this case) in the back of the room. Lately, Onika, or Nik, and I have been asked lots of question. All of them Nik tends to get right, me, not so much. My mind was screaming at me hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah over and over again. In only about a week, Nik has become one of the most important things in my life. If anything happened to her, I knew I’d blame myself. As that last thought entered my head, another one pushed it out of the way.

What is Gregory up to?

I knew it had to be some horrible way to get me back to the pack. He’d always said I could do things no one else could. And that thought led to another. What’s up with Nik’s disappearing bruise? All these questions kept circling around in my head. I had no idea how I was going to get to the bottom of these things, or if I was going to get to the bottom.

I decided I’d figure out these mysteries after school. A glance at the clock told me that English was over in about five minutes. I started getting everything ready to get packed up like the rest of the kids when Ms. C came over and asked me and Nik to stay after class. Nik just gave her an I’m innocent look while I just nodded my head and continued packing up. The bell rang and all the kids dashed out of the room, all too willing to get away from the ever so strict Ms. Clinesdale. She really was one of the meanest teachers on the campus. And still single after age 50. Was it really any wonder?

“I’ve noticed you two talking in my class and I want it to stop. Next time I see it happening it’s a detention for both of you.” she said sharply and to the point. “To be honest, I expected more out of you, Erin. I guess Onika here has changed you.” she gave a pointed look at Onika. “After all, she has lied to everyone about having naturally black hair. Everyone who’s passed the eighth grade should know that hair can only be variations of brown, never pitch black like hers.” Ms. C started ranting on about how Nik has such bad taste in color and how she feels I need new friends. She was really starting to piss me off.

“Can we go now, we can’t be late for our next class.” I interrupted.

“Yes, go.” she said, looking annoyed.

Nik turned on her heel and I saw a sad, welcome-to-my-suck-y-world look come into her eyes. When Ms. Clinesdale’s door had closed, I put my arm around her shoulders and squeezed her. She looked about ready to sit down and give up on people. She looked like she wanted to cry. Nik just hugged me, like I was the only thing keeping her sane. I felt horrible for her. Even teachers were calling her a bad person. Now that, that just wasn’t right.

“Nik, you know Ms. C is a deranged psycho right?” I told her trying to cheer her up. We had our next (which was also our last) hour together, so I had plenty of time to make her feel better.

“I know, it’s just, I don’t know. All that stuff about hair being only variations of