A Good Enough Reason by C.M. Lievens Read Free Book Online

Anna’s footsteps getting closer. The duvet was yanked away from his body, and he scrambled to get it back, without success.
    “Hey!”
    “El, I know you’re not really sick, so you better have a good reason why you’re hiding in your bed instead of getting ready to go out.”
    Ellis hugged his pillow and turned to face the wall. “I do.”
    “And? What happened?”
    “I’m surprised you don’t know about it yet. I would’ve thought it’d be all over the school as soon as it happened.”
    “You mean you’re like this because of the prank someone played on you? Come on, El. It couldn’t have been that bad.”
    Ellis rolled onto his back and sat up. “Couldn’t have—Anna! I got hit in the face by about fifty dirty, smelly jockstraps, and I had to pick them up. One. By. One. And throw them away in front of other students. You tell me, does it sound so nice to you?”
    Anna’s mouth was distorted in a disgusted grimace, but Ellis wasn’t fooled. He knew she would agree with him, then pounce again and continue trying to convince him to go to the movies. “Okay, maybe it was that bad.”
    “Maybe?”
    “It was awful, but El, you have to show them you’re stronger than they think! If you hide in your room, everyone will think you’re ashamed.”
    “I am ashamed, Anna, and humiliated.”
    “El… I know. I know you hate being the center of attention, and I understand you, I swear, but wouldn’t it be better to do this on your terms?”
    Ellis sighed tiredly. “What do you mean?”
    “You’ll have to face the school on Monday anyway. I know you want to hide in here for the next two days, but you’ll have to come out in the end. Show those who did this you don’t care how much they laugh and talk.”
    “But I’m tired, Anna. Why can’t Mark leave me alone? What have I done to him to… to earn this?”
    Anna sat on the edge of the mattress and pressed a hand against Ellis’s leg. “It was Mark?” Ellis nodded. “El, why don’t you tell someone?”
    “I can’t be sure it was him. I saw him laughing and looking at me, but then so were at least another ten students.”
    “Why do you think it was him, then?”
    Ellis rolled his eyes. “Really? Who else could it be? I might not be popular, but I never had problems with anyone else apart from a few insults.”
    “Let’s forget about who did it. Are you coming?”
    “Anna, you know most of the people from school will be on Main Street tonight. There’s literally nothing else to do in Fairview. I’m not sure I’m up to facing everyone right this second.”
    Ellis could already see it. With his luck not only would every single student in Miller High know about what had happened earlier, but he’d probably run into both Mark and Dale.
    Ellis groaned and slumped sideways on the bed. He buried his face into his pillow. “Please, kill me now.”
    “Stop being so overly dramatic.”
    Ellis rolled onto his back again and faced his friend. “But it is a drama, Anna. I had to wash my face no less than four times before I managed to finally get the smell off it, and I don’t even want to know what I’ll have to do to free my books of it.” Ellis shuddered. “I’m going to have to burn them!”
    Anna slapped Ellis’s thigh, and he yelped. “Look, I’m all for drama usually, but today I’m done hearing your poor-me impression, and I’m not going to allow you to wallow in self-pity. You’re going to come with me and Rick, you’re going to have fun, and you’re going to show Mark and his friends just how little you care about them.”
    “Is there a way for me to get rid of you?” Ellis muttered.
    “Sure. You’ll get rid of me in about… five hours, give or take. After you come out with us and after we see the movie. Oh, and after you buy me one of those chocolate-caramel milkshakes.”
    “Shouldn’t Rick be the one to buy it? He’s your boyfriend, not me.”
    “It’s not only part of the boyfriend duties but also of the best