Damage Me

Chapter 27

I'm staring at Eva, shock running through my body, and I'm frozen in place. My legs have been filled with concrete.

My jaw is dropped, my brain wants me to talk, to ask about a million questions, but my mouth won't cooperate. I'm standing here, like this, dumbfounded, when there's a knock on the door.

"Hey, what's the hold up?" It's Kenji, sounding annoyed.

Eva's looking at me worriedly and eager, and I force my legs to move stiffly towards the door.

I try to compose myself the best I can, shoving everything down until later, and I swing open the door right as Kenji is about to knock again. He stumbles forward a little, but catches himself.

"What the hell—"

I shove past him.

"Hey!" He calls.

Eva scurries out the door after me. I'm walking fast and shes trying to catch up.

I don't even know where I'm going.

"Alexis," she hisses, with a hint of something else in her voice. When I still don't stop, she grabs my arm and spins me around.

"What," I say, my voice harsher than I meant it to be. "How could you not tell me something like this?" I say, angry, but at the same time, I feel betrayed.

Eva looks slightly desperate.
"I wanted to. I really did."

I don't say anything.

She's beginning to get annoyed.
"It's not like you don't understand," she says, lowering her voice so only I can hear.

"I know how bad you've wanted to tell Aaron everything, but you know that you can't. Not until your fathers dead. Im in the same predicament."

I just stare at her. I don't know how I should respond. I'm pissed that she thinks she has the nerve to be upset with me, but also at the fact that she feels the need to compare her problem with mine.

What she has to keep from everyone else, that's just a small speck of dust in a room. Aaron might never forgive me, no matter the reasons.

But I also understand, in a small sense.

"Maybe before it wasn't a big deal whether you told me or not, but after she's been with me, for months?" I make sure to keep my voice a whisper.

Eva looks frustrated. "I wanted to, I swear, you have to know that. I know you know that, you can feel it. You can tell I'm not lying, just trust me, please. I can help you tell him, I can say anything you'll want me to to him."

I draw back, slightly. She's so desperate all of a sudden, desperate to make things right. Deep down, I know I can't stay mad at her. Not when I know her so well.

I'm about to open my mouth, about to say I understand, that I forgive her, when Aaron's voice comes from somewhere in the room.

"Let her go," his voice is steady, laced with dynamite.

Eva is so surprised, she does, taking a step back, heels clicking against the floor. Then she laughs, but it's only to herself.

Everyone is staring at me, then Eva, then me again.

Aaron's making his way over to me—but, no it's not me, he's walking up to Eva.