Can't Run From You

Chapter 27

Eli and I sat on the floor of my living room for a good twenty minutes. I sat there perfectly broken with Eli's arms around me. What killed me the most was that hurting Will wasn't even the thing that was making me break down. What was making the tears fall seemingly endlessly was the fact that I had to come to grips with the realization that I was falling for a girl. It went against everything my parents ever tried to teach me. It was something that was basically taboo. It was something that wasn't spoken about because it wasn't supposed to be right. So, if it's supposed to be wrong then why the hell did it feel so right. It felt so right for Eli to be the one holding me. It felt right for her to be the one that I wanted to spend all my time with. For her to be the one that made me laugh, that held me when I cried, that I told everything, all my secrets, all my fears and dreams. Why did this feel so right to fall for her?

When I finally stopped crying, and I felt like I could breathe again Eli pulled me off the ground and led me to the couch. I sat down and picked my legs up onto the couch and crossed them. Eli did the same so we were facing each other. She was staring at me. I know I must be hot mess.

"I'm sorry." I sniffled

"For what?"

"I don't know. All of it." Eli's response to my apology was to scoot in closer to me.

"You don't have to be sorry. Ever."

"And why's that?" I was trying to be somewhat playful, but when I looked at Eli, she was playing with my shoelaces and wouldn't look up at me.

"Well because..." at this she looked up at me and her eyes were a deep green.

"Because you chose me." I looked down at the shoelaces and linked my index finger in with hers. I could feel my ears turning a bit red.

"Yeah. I guess I did, didn't I." Eli put her hand on my cheek and looked into my eyes. I leaned in and kissed her on the lips. I could feel the emotions coming from her though this one kiss. Right as I pulled back I heard something outside the front door and a second later my parents walked in. Needless to say, I jumped back to my side of the couch. When they walked in I tried to gather myself and look somewhat decent but I already knew my eyes were still red and probably a little puffy. When my mom walked in and looked at me ran over to me and said

"Is everything alright?"

"Uh not really."

"What happened honey?" My dad walked over to us and sat down on the other couch.

"I broke up with Will today." I was trying my hardest for it to come out evenly, but it wasn't working. My voice was already breaking again. Why the hell am I crying so much. I hate it.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Thea. Do you want to talk about it?" I know my mother meant well but I really didn't want to talk about it here with my dad her and Eli sitting around me.

"No, I'm okay. Eli's been here all day. I'll be okay now though." My mom gave Eli a thankful little gesture then gave me a sympathetic look and kissed my forehead.

"Well you know I'm always here for you. I love you sweetie." She got up and walked into the kitchen to make dinner I assumed. My dad got off the couch leaned down and gave me a hug and followed my mom into the kitchen. I turned my attention back to Eli.

"Come on. We can go watch a movie or something in my room."

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It's Monday morning and I haven't talked to Will since Saturday. If I'm being honest I haven't talked to anyone since then. Eli spent the night with me Saturday, we didn't do anything though. I think she was too afraid to even touch me. She kept tiptoeing around me the entire day like I would break down if she said the wrong thing. In her defense I probably would have. When she left the next morning, she gave me a hug and kissed my forehead. I spent the rest of the day with my parents watching movies. They didn't ask and I didn't tell. Will didn't call or text or try to make contact in any way.

As I sat in class listening to Mr. Lynes drone on and on about something I wasn't paying attention to, I could feel a couple girls looking at me. By now the whole school had heard the news. Will was one of the most eligible bachelors at the school, and now he was actually a bachelor. I ignored the girls and counted down the moments until I was out of this class and in my next one, because I have Eli in that one. As soon as the bell rang I practically ran out of the class room, I didn't want to stay and talk to anyone. Especially the girls who were trying to catch me on the way out so they could ask about Will. It only took about five strides for me to run into Eli, probably because we were heading to the same class.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" she gave me a small smirk as I said it.

"Running from them." I pointed to the couple of girls that 'just so happened' to be behind me. Eli looked over my shoulder and gave them a dirty look. When I turned around I saw them walking in the opposite direction. When I turned back to Eli she had the cutest little smile on her face.

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?" she was playing dumb.

"How do you go from this badass chick who scares people off with one look then turn right around and look adorable?" I mean I didn't understand how she did it. She was such a different person with me than with everyone else.

"So, what I'm hearing is, you think I'm adorable." I started laughing.

"Stop being such a smart ass." Eli laughed and gently bumped her arm into mine.

"Don't act like you don't love me."

"You know I love you." I said this without thinking, but as soon as I said it I felt my ears start to burn and I looked straight ahead and not at Eli. I didn't look up at her, I just walked into the class room. I felt Eli staring at me as I walked in. I cannot believe I said that. I rested my head on the desk and didn't talk to anyone. This was going to be a long day.