A Stolen Soul

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Connecticut  

Fifteen Months Ago

I woke up feeling a warm arm around my waist. Fear gripped me. What if it was Penn? I cautiously rolled onto my other side to face my intruder.  

My body relaxed when my eyes found Eli. I was about to let him kiss me when I remembered this was the first time I'd seen him in days. I pushed him away from me and hit his chest trying to show him I was annoyed at him. But he only laughed and pulled me closer to him. 

"Eli, what are you doing here?" I breathed.  

"Maybe, I can ask you the same question," he laughed. 

"No, Eli, you really can't. This is my room. So, what are you doing here in my bed?" I asked again. I didn't want to be mad at him; a part of me was glad that he was here. Yet, the other part of me was angry with him? Where had he been for three days? 

"Thought I'd drop by and see my beautiful girlfriend," he said sheepishly. 

"Yeah, and how did you get in?" I said blankly. 

"Your window, I keep telling you to lock that thing," he smirked.  

I hit him playfully but I think I actually meant it. "So, did you enjoy your three days away from me?" I quickly looked away from him; I hadn't meant to say that out loud.  

He groaned and sat up. "Please don't start this again."  

I sat up too. "Start what? That you disappear and never tell me where you are or what you're doing? I call but I get no answer from you."  

"Look, you can't know. Please, you have to trust me. I want to tell you but I can't. Please, understand how hard this is for me."  

"Hard for you? I understand that it must be something you're ashamed of and knowing the truth will hurt me. But I love you, I don't care what you've done."  

"Bren, it's not that simple. Please. If I could tell you I would, but I don't want to hurt you." I could hear the shame in his voice.  

"You're hurting me by not telling me. It's happening more and more. I call and you don't answer or you make some stupid excuse why you can't see me. You've always been private about your life, we've been dating almost two years now and I've always respected that. But lately, you've been disappearing two, sometimes even three times a week. Where are you going, Eli?" I was almost crying with anger.  

"That's what's killing me. I know I'm hurting you, but I don't want you to hate me. I wished I wasn't who I am," he said almost to himself.  

"I could never hate you. I try to trust you but it's difficult for me when I love you so much and you're keeping a part of yourself from me. Just tell me and give me the chance to forgive you."  

"Look, you don't need to know. I want to get out of it. I'm doing all I can. I know it's a lot to ask of you but you'll just have to trust me." He sighed and I saw his pain.  

I put my arms around him and put my head on his chest. "I do trust you. I love you."  

Elijah put his arms around me and held me close. He kissed my hair lightly. "Thank you, I love you too." He took a deep breath.  

I looked up at him. "Okay, let's forget the last few days and start fresh. Do you want to do something?" 

"Sure." He pulled out of our embrace. "I'll wait here and you shower and get dressed."  

"So, where do you want to go? Pizza and a movie? Bowling?" I said walking towards my closet. I was busy looking for something to wear when I sensed him behind me. 

"Um, Bren, instead of going out for the day I was wondering if you'd like to stay with me this whole weekend and maybe even next week too." 

I turned around looking at him. "Really? The thing it's my eighteenth birthday tomorrow, I wasn't going to have a party or anything like that but you know I can't just leave my mom and Sammie." 

"Bren, I'm sure they wouldn't mind, they'd want you to enjoy yourself. It is your first birthday without your dad and without being popular, without Mallory. You have nothing official planned. I have a friend who owns a beach house in Florida, it will probably take us almost a day to get there but I was thinking we could take it in turns driving and I think this break would be good for us both, don't you?" he said smiling. 

I sighed. "I do. Okay, I'll go. A road trip is exactly what we need. And I'd love to spend my birthday just you and me." 

He grinned. "Awesome." He picked me up and spun me round and kissing me lightly.  

I grabbed my big bag from under my bed and packing a few different summer outfits, two bikinis and some clean underwear. 

"I already have my stuff packed, so if you hurry up and get what you need to we can head off pretty soon." 

I turned around to face him. "You already have your stuff packed? How did you know I'd say yes?" I laughed.  

He sat on the edge of my bed. "I just know you. And I mean, you are pretty predictable, Bren," he smirked.  

I walked towards him stopping right in front of him. I stood between his legs. I put a hand on each of his thighs. He looked up at me, his dark eyes filled with lust and a smirk plastered on his sexy lips.  

"Is that so?" I said biting my lip seductively.  

I pushed him back onto my bed. I climbed on top of him straddled him and I leaned forward my lips almost touching his. He looked back at me stunned. I had obviously taken him off guard.  

"How's that for predictable?" I breathed against his lips. 

His hands gripped my hips softly holding me against him. "You're just a tease," he laughed.  

I brushed my lips gently against his smooth lips, making him wait. I was really winding him up. 

He wrapped his strong muscled arms around my small waist. I snaked my arms around his neck pulling him even closer to me. I finally let our lips touch into a soft kiss. His tongue passed lightly over my bottom lip and I parted them letting his tongue invade my mouth. 

We kissed for several minutes until we were breathing heavily and we pulled a part. I smiled down at him, while his fingers gently caressed my cheek. 

"I think you should get ready and then we can get out of here," he whispered.  

I nodded and climbed off him. 

"I'll put your bag in the car and you finish getting dressed. He opened my bedroom door and disappeared down the hall. I went straight to the bathroom, took off my pyjamas and got into the shower. I quickly washed my hair and was out within ten minutes. I dried my body and wrapped the towel around me. I walked back into my room getting my clothes together. I chose a denim mini, my white converse and a plain white tee. I got dressed, quickly dried my long hair, put on my foundation, black eyeliner, blusher and finished with lip gloss.  

I grabbed my school bag empting out its contents onto my bed and replacing the books with my phone, iPod, toiletries and finally my makeup. 

I checked myself over one last time in the hall mirror and I headed downstairs.