Can't Run From You

Chapter 30

Eli and I stayed in my room for a good 45 minutes before we decided that eating was more important than not being seen. I was about to walk out of my room when I realized I was in spandex and my t-shirt. I turned right back around and found some shorts in one of my drawers and put them on over my spandex. Eli was just staring at me as she leaned against the door post.

"Seriously?" she asked as she gave me that irritated look of hers

"Don't ask." I felt the same way she did but I didn't want to cause any more trouble than I had to. We started down the stairs and Eli was following close behind me. Before we even reached the bottom of the stairs I could hear them talking about who knows what. When I reached the ground level I looked around the group and immediately made eye contact with Will. The shock caused me to stop dead in the middle of the walk way which made Eli run into me because she wasn't expecting me to stop. I stumbled forward causing the entire group to look at Eli and I. My mom got up from the chair she was sitting in and walked over to me.

"Hi honey." She smiled as she kissed me on the cheek. She looked behind me and said

"Hi Eli, nice to see you." Eli just gave her a sort of grimacing smile and waved. I could feel Will looking at us.

"We brought pizza for the group but we brought enough for everyone. It's in the kitchen so help yourselves. And maybe after you can join us if you want."

"Thanks mom." Eli and I slipped past my mom and headed for the kitchen. I could feel everyone in the group, especially Will, staring at us as we walked by. When we walked into the kitchen I saw five boxes of pizza on the table so I went to grab two plates. When I turned around Eli already had a piece of pizza in her mouth. I just smiled and walked to her. She took a bite of the pizza and then put the piece up to my mouth so I could take a bite, so I did. Eli and I both started laughing a bit and she leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. As soon as she pulled back her face grew serious and somewhat angry. She was looking over my shoulder so I turned around. When I turned around I saw Will staring at us. His face told me he was pissed, but his eyes showed me how hurt he was.

"Can I talk to you Thea?" he asked. In the corner of my eye I could see Eli tensing up.

"Um yeah. Here we can talk outside." I said as I lead us to the back yard and waited for Will to close the door behind us.

"So, she's like that with all her friends huh?"

"Will I..."

"You left me because of her. Because you're..."

"Because I'm what Will?" I basically screamed.

"Because you're going against everything we have ever been taught! Everything the congregation has ever shown us from the bible." I felt everything inside me break. Everything I had been worrying about, every bad thing I'd ever thought, he'd just said it. Out loud. He made it real. I felt tears running down my face. At this Will's face softened.

"Thea I..."

"No Will. You don't get to tell me that I'm wrong. You have no right to judge me. I'm sorry things turned out this way. I am. I wish I had never hurt you. But you do not get to make me feel like shit for falling in love with her."

"Thea its wrong and you know it." He said.

"There is nothing wrong about me loving someone."

"You can't be in love with her. You can't be like her. You can't be a dyke." Now I was angry. I was about to say some terrible things, but I know that he was hurt. I know that he didn't mean the things he was saying. I walked right past him and to the door.

"Thea where are you going?" I didn't turn around.

"I'm leaving, because if I don't I know I'll hurt you more than you hurt me." When I walked into the kitchen Eli was sitting on a chair with her head in her hands. When she saw me, she stood up and looked at me straight in the eye.

"I'll kill him." She said already trying to walk past me and get to the door. I wrapped my arms around her again just like I had a couple hours ago in the trainer's room.

"Let's get out of here." I said. We walked through the living room up to my room for me to get clothes. When I looked in the mirror I saw that I still had on the stupid shorts so I took them off so that I was left in nothing but my spandex. We walked back down stairs and past the groups. Everyone was really looking at me now. Will wasn't in his seat. I looked at my mother and said

"I'm staying at Eli's tonight." And with that we walked out. In the car I leaned my head against the window and didn't speak. I felt Eli grab my hand. Today had been the longest day of my life, and just maybe the worst, but the sad part is, I know that things will only get worse before they get better."