Page 86 of Only Ever Yours
He shakes his head in disbelief, “Shit, you are fucked, man, so completely fucked…” He swipes a hand back over his short hair. “Does she know how you feel?”
I look at my almost empty plate, shaking my head. “Nah, she still fucking hates my ass.”
“Well, looks like you’ve got your work cut out for ya then… she’s gonna be hard to tame.”
We both laugh, “Yeah, that’s a guarantee.”
I know my girl is feisty, but I wouldn’t have her any other way.
His face suddenly gets serious, and he leans in, resting his elbows on the table, “Well, I’m rooting for ya, man. She's been an amazing friend to Haleigh, but I don’t have to tell you that.” His gaze locks onto mine. “Haleigh said she doesn’t have a good relationship with her sister… I feel like there’s a backstory there that none of us really know about. And with her mom being so far away, she really doesn't have anyone.”
She has me. That’s enough.I think, but I don’t say it out loud.
“So, whatever you decide, tread lightly. You know your sister would be pissed if you hurt her best friend.”
I nod in agreement. “Once she's fully recovered, I plan on telling her how I feel. Just don’t mention it to Haleigh yet. I’m sure she suspects something by now, but I'd really like to have that conversation with Ellie first.”
He studies my face for a beat before crossing his arms and nodding in approval. “All right, sounds like you're already in deep, my man.”
I chuckle a laugh, rubbing a hand over my jaw. “Yeah, don’t I fucking know it.”
Ellie
Yelling. It gets louder and louder, filling my ears, drowning out any other sounds. I’m riding down the road in a passenger seat, my body frozen in fear. The yelling and screaming is so loud, but I can’t make out the words; only the anger comes through.
I can feel my eyes squeezing shut, but panic still floods my body. I’m crying, although I’m not sure why. More screaming this time, it’s coming from my own lips. We speed down a back road, the trees a blur beside us, while I panic, feeling completely helpless. I can't move. I can't speak.
I finally manage to turn my head and see who's behind the wheel. Kevin. His face is reddened and twisted in anger.
Why is he screaming and so mad at me?
I can't make sense of anything. My brain is a jumbled mess. The car veers off the side of the road, and everything goes black. I try to scream, but I can't. No sound escapes my lips. I’m unable to move, fear flooding my veins. I can't breathe. I can't move. My body is in panic mode.
Then I feel hands—familiar hands, gentle but masculine—on my arms, then my face, and hear a voice I recognize calling my name.
“Ellie, wake up… Peachy, can you hear me?”
My eyes flutter open, and my vision clears, pulling me out of the darkness. I’m in the hospital, hooked up to machines, and Jaydon is standing over me, sheer panic written all over his face. “Ellie, calm down… you’re having a bad dream. You just scared the fuck outta me.”
I finally realize I’m okay and take a deep, calming breath, feeling heavy tears leak from the corners of my eyes.
It was just a dream.
But why did it feel so real?
And then, the floodgate opens, and the memories come crashing back.
Kevin’s yelling. His hands gripped the wheel so tightly, his anger boiling over. He was out of control, his driving so erratic while he demanded I admit I was using him. I had been upfront with him this entire time. He knew I only wanted to be friends. He even agreed to it. But his temper, his rage, had twisted everything. The memory of him losing control, the car veering off the road—it all hits me like a ton of bricks.
The dream... it wasn’t just a dream.
It was a memory, and the terror I felt then floods back into me.
I'm trembling, unable to breathe, until Jaydon lies beside me and wraps me up in his comforting arms.
“Jaydon.” I reach for him, gripping his shirt in my shaking hand.
“Shh, Peachy. It's okay. You’re gonna be okay. I’ve got you...” My tears continue, and I feel the pain on my face when I turn into his embrace. “Always.”
