Eliott Price Should be Dead

twenty seven - oops

Back at home, I feel even more out of place than before. Kylie, Nigel, and James are playing some sort of card game when I walk in. They're sitting in a circle in the living room, laughing and talking like best friends. Nobody acknowledges me.

I slip my shoes off and keep my jacket on, going straight to my bedroom where I close and lock the door. I find a duffel bag and stuff some clothes inside of it until I can't fit any more, slinging it over my shoulders. I don't even look at them, I just walk right out the door.

Fuck them and their happy little circle of fun card games.

I make it back to Ivan and Jackie's house, knocking on the door. One of Jackie's brother's answers the door and gives me an awkward smile before letting me inside without saying anything. I scratch my head and thank him but it does not elicit a response.

"Eliott?" Jackie says once she sees me standing in the middle of the living room with an over-sized duffle bag on my back.

"Can I maybe stay here for a little while?" I cautiously ask, slumping my shoulders a little bit. Not from the weight of my bag, but from the weight of everything.

"Yeah.. I mean, we're pretty packed already but it's not problem at all," she graciously answers while coming towards me with outstretched hands.

She comes in for a hug and I hug her back, closing my eyes while I sigh deeply.

"I want to move away from here," I mutter while she keeps her arms wrapped around my waist.

"Don't do that, just stay here for now," she soothingly tells me while giving me one last squeeze.

I ignore the fact she doesn't ask me what's wrong and I finally get a chance to drop my belongings when she moves her arms from around me.

"I can get my brothers to move that upstairs if you want," she asks me while nodding her head in the direction of the stairs.

I swallow hard and shake my head, bending down again to pick up my bags.

"No, no, I got it," I reassure her, "should I take them to your room?"

She nods and smiles widely. "I can't wait to spend our first night together."

I chuckle uneasily and choke back my laughter after a few seconds to make it seems as normal as possible. I head towards the stairs and lug my bags up, peeking into Jackie's room where I set them down. I notice Ivan's door is closed. Actually, all the doors are closed except Jackie's. The hallway is long and dark, no windows and only one dim ceiling light. If the light was off, I'd definitely accidentally run into the wall.

Quietly, I walk back downstairs to see Jackie putting some cookie dough on a tray.

I chuckle to myself and sit down at their kitchen table. "How come you are always preparing food when I'm over? You don't have to act so hospitable every single time."

Jackie scoffs and continues preparing the sheet of cookie dough, giving me a little smirk while her body shifts to slip the tray into the oven. "Alright, if I didn't act hospitable, then this place would be an absolute garbage dump."

I shake my head and lean back against the chair while I watch her close the oven door. "Doubt."

Jackie shrugs, but before either of us can slip in another word, a metallic bang rattles the floor of the house. My eyes widen in shock and I look to Jackie for an answer.

"That's my dad out back, he's probably doing something with sheet metal," Jackie reassured me while pointing her thumb in the direction of the back yard.

"Doing what with it?" I ask with my eyebrows raised.

"Dropping it apparently. Could have been one of my siblings too," Jackie says again as she shrugs it off and takes the spot across from me at the table.

I just keep staring at her, wondering why in the world her dad is doing stuff with sheet metal.

"Oh, one of my dad's friends buys it from him, something with drugs. I'm not sure but we get money and that's all that matters," Jackie tells me while her fingertips tuck some stray hairs behind her ears.

Suddenly, the kitchen door rattles a bit before getting slammed open, the door knob nearly punching a hole into the wall with how hard it's slammed open.

"FUCK!" Ivan yells as he's cradling his wrist in his other hand, rushing through the door and to the sink.

"Shit, what?" Jackie rushes over to his side and tries to see what's going on, but from what I see Ivan's eyes are squeezed shut and his face his bright red.

"Fucking metal sliced my arm!" He says again, a little softer than before.

"Are you alright?" I ask while standing up from my chair, my hands flat against the table while I wait for an answer.

"Um, okay, Elliott? Grab a towel in there," Jackie frantically says while pointing to a cabinet.

"Okay," I respond, frantically beginning to look inside every single cabinet in the kitchen, "why the hell is it so hard to find a towel?" I mutter, finding one quickly after.

"Why is he here?" Ivan grimaces and speaks through clenched teeth.

"He's gonna stay here for a bit," Jackie tells him quickly, keeping her eyes on me as I pull a towel from the kitchen drawer and throw it to her at the sink.

I peek over Ivan's shoulder and see blood splattered all over the metallic sink, a bead running down his palm and middle finger.

"We should go to the hospital," I mutter while Jackie wraps the towel around his wrist.

"I'm gonna be okay, keep your mouth shut. You don't even belong here," Ivan spews back at me, his head hanging forward as Jackie wraps his cut.

"Ivan, you shut up. He's fine here," Jackie says as I see the frustration in her face while she ties the towel and takes a step back.

Ivan moves his head to tilt it back now, taking a deep breath while he rests his arm against the counter. His eyes open up towards the ceiling and he licks his lips. I'm still standing behind him at this point, my eyes glued on the dish towel quickly becoming saturated with blood.

"Would you get out of my personal space?" He hisses, eyes still fixated on the ceiling.

I nod and silently back up a few steps. Ivan immediately peeks his head around his shoulder, nodding his head to signal me to step closer again.

I silently take a few steps forward.

"Reach in my back pocket and get me a cigarette," Ivan asks.

"Oh my god," Jackie interrupts, coming in between me and Ivan, "no smoking in the house."

Jackie reaches in his pocket and takes his cigarettes and lighter, throwing them in the trash can.

"What the —" Ivan stops mid sentence and closes his eyes again, "hate you."

I smirk and grab my own cigarettes and lighter from my pocket, flashing them like I have the winning cards.

"I'm gonna go outside and smoke."

Ivan kicks his foot against the floor and runs his fingers through his hair with his good hand.

"This ain't gonna stop me," he yells as I step outside through the kitchen door.

Once the door is shut all the way, I laugh for a few seconds before lighting my cigarette.

---

Umm, I'm so sorry for never updating this. I can't give you a good excuse anymore because it's just been way too long. I hope things make sense this chapter because it took a whole 4 months to write. Also it probably sucks and I'm really sorry, I'm trying to get back in the groove.