Katya:

As we built our relationship, Elijah became more and more protective. He also became a lot more secretive. I knew he was hiding something and I was determined to get to the bottom of it. I’d been spending so much time occupied by spying on him, that I hadn’t realized when my grades started to slip. When I first noticed, I was quick to get on top of my assignments. However, as it went on, I found myself using my grades as an excuse to see him more. He would help me with reports and he would bump up my marks for his class, of course. In exchange, I would come over to his place a few times a week. It sort of turned into a routine for me. I continued to blow off plans with my friends, and missed study hours. I really thought it would be more worth it to work on this relationship.

Things between us went pretty smoothly for a while after then, until the day that the Marilyn incident occurred. Marilyn came into the classroom wearing a tight, red dress covered in bright flowers. She was smiling and humming a familiar tune. I’d been friends with Marilyn since the start of high school, but we talked less and less these days. About a month ago, she’d come to me telling me about her newest infatuation. She was always the type of girl to sleep around, but not necessarily in a slutty way. She truly got to know people, but she would hook up with them, and then drop them. Although that seems like a bitchy thing to do, it’s not the way anyone saw it. She wouldn’t be sleeping around with multiple people in the same friend group, and she usually only had one new boyfriend a month. She came to me to tell me how much she liked her new guy. He was dark and handsome, as well as well educated. She liked that in a man. The ways she described him reminded me of Elijah. I pushed that thought aside. If he was seeing someone other than me, I would’ve found out by now, right? I asked myself. As skeptical as I was about his loyalty, I chose to believe him; but not for long.

He and I were discussing evening plans one day in his classroom.

“Maybe we could go see a movie,” I suggested.

“Or… you could come over to my place…” He grinned.

“It seems like we’ve been going over to your place a lot,” I complained. “I thought we were trying to build an actual relationship here,” I added.

“Come on Marilyn, you know how much fun we have together,” He said. My face dropped. There’s no way he just said that, I thought.

“Marilyn?” I asked harshly. “Did you just call me Marilyn?”

“No. I mean, yes, but-”

“Did you just happen to get us confused?” I asked sharply.

“Don’t you think you’re being a tad irrational?” He replied.

“Irrational?! God you are such a fucking hypocrite, Elijah. You told me that we couldn’t be together because I’m your student, yet you proceeded to date god knows how many students. You sure love to call other people out for everything, when the only person who is truly to blame is you.

“You didn’t even give me a chance to explain,” He whined.

“Go ahead. Explain.”

“You see, Marilyn has been needing some extra help with the novel study, and I generously offered,” He explained. He’s bullshitting me, I thought. He spends so much time with me, he’d never have extra time to help out another student. Plus, Marilyn is super smart, it’s hard to believe that she’s falling behind.

“Okay, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that,” I lied. “I think I’ve just been a bit on edge lately. I believe you.”

“Thank you. I know I’ve done some things before that might’ve led you to be suspicious, but I promise you’re the only girl for me,” He smiled.

I knew he was lying. I was doubtful of his commitment to me since the beginning. In hopes to catch him in the act, I dropped all of my community service, and other extracurriculars. I would stop at nothing to prove once and for all what a cheating scumbag he was.

The next week, I told Elijah that I was going to be out of town for a few days. It was the perfect chance to catch him when he thought there was no chance of being caught. I skipped out of school those few days, following him home in the evening. There was a new girl at his doorstep every night. Sometimes there were multiple per night! I knew he was cheating, but not like this. Every night I would take new pictures and videos of him with the girls. I needed blackmail if I was going to make sure that I was his only girl. I also needed to make sure that I kept calm, because otherwise I would end up ruining the whole thing. Unfortunately, on the final night of my plan, Marilyn showed up at his doorstep. Despite everything I did to control myself, an inexplicable anger came over me. I was practically pulling my hair out with hatred. I opened and slammed the car door behind me, as I rushed towards Elijah’s front door. I swung the door open with outrage.

“Elijah! You shitbag! I know which whore is in the house tonight!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. He sprung up off his couch. He was fully undressed, and so was Marilyn.

“I knew you couldn’t change! I knew I wasn’t the only girl!”

“Calm down!” He shouted.

“No! You do not get to tell me what to do after I gave everything to you. I knew you were a bad guy, but I thought that you’d at least care about me enough not to cheat on me. Especially after I forgave you for everything before,” I cried. He shook his head in disbelief. I don’t think he ever expected me to find out about this. He got dressed and sent Marilyn away as I waited with my arms crossed. I was tapping my foot with irritation and impatience.

“Okay, I’m ready, let’s talk,” He said.

“I don’t want to talk to you,” I replied coldly.

“If you don’t want to talk, then why are you still waiting here?”

“Look Elijah, you really hurt me. There’s nothing you can do or say to make me forgive you. I may have been naive before, but I’m not prepared to risk everything for you anymore. I’m done with this,” I told him. He snickered and scoffed with disbelief.

“You don’t get it, do you? You may think that you aren’t a naive little girl, but I know the truth. I used you, Katya. I used you, and it was easy,” He laughed. “You cut out half your friends for me. Your grades dropped in an instance for me. Trust me when I say, I changed you so much. You used to at least have a chance at a future, but now, you have nothing. You don’t even have me. Now, after everything I’ve put you through, there will always be a part of you that wishes you had me. Your reputation and life is ruined forever, but before you know it, you’ll be begging to have me back,” He said.

I feel sick. I feel so sick over him. Nauseous, yet lovesick, I thought. I ran away from him, fast. I got in my car and drove straight home. I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to think that everything he said was just lies he used to manipulate me, but I wasn’t sure. I did turn my life upside down for him. I did spend all my time with him instead of friends. I put my grades at stake all because I wanted a boy to like me. When I got home, I ran inside and hugged my Mom. Tears were streaming down my face as I let out whines and shrieks. My parents both gave each other worried looks. They had no idea what was going on. I cried and cried for hours, but didn’t say a thing. I sobbed in the darkness of my room until I fell asleep that night.

The next morning, I woke up and headed downstairs. I sat by the kitchen island, sipping hot tea.

“Morning honey,” My Mom said sweetly. I nodded and smiled at her. “A letter came for you… from Princeton. All of the sudden, my face lit up. This could be it, I thought. I may have gotten into my dream school! Nothing from high school would matter anymore if I got in. I enthusiastically tore open the envelope, revealing a letter addressed to me.

Ms. Tyson, we regret to inform you that we do not have a place for you at Princeton the following year. You have a very competitive application, but ultimately, you have lacked many requirements in community service and extracurriculars this year. Our committee also received letters from a few of your teachers, saying that you have shown a strong decrease in your grades this semester. Thank you for your application.

I was completely devastated. Everything I’d ever dreamed of had just gone up in flames. I was so preoccupied with Elijah, that I had ruined my chances at college. That’s what he was talking about yesterday. He knew that I started cutting back on school in order to turn my attention to him. The worst part about it, was that it had been entirely my choice. I broke down in tears. Tears of sadness sure, but mostly shame.

I walked into school with confidence. After everything that Elijah put me through, I had learned a valuable lesson. Never throw your life away for a guy. In exchange, I planned on teaching him an even more valuable lesson.

“Principal Carter, I have something important to talk to you about.”

I hope he learned to never put your secrets into the hands of a girl.