The day drags slower than I want it to. I know the day is going to be even longer because I signed up for an SAT class. I take it on Mondays after school in the library, so I’m not able to go to the center and volunteer tonight. I check my phone a few times throughout the day hoping Eli will text me or something. I get nothing from him. Complete silence.
I push any doubts from my head, knowing I need to talk to Eli in person. Maybe the day away from each other will do him good. I know I’m missing him like crazy, and he has to be missing me, too. At least, I hope he is. I want to go back to him picking me up and taking me to school. I know it’s childish, but I feel like it’s our thing.
When I finally get out of my SAT class, I practically run to my Jeep and take off. I head straight for home, and excitement builds in my stomach. But disappointment slides through me when I don’t see Eli’s truck in the driveway. I try to shake it off, thinking maybe he’s working late or something. Alice’s little VW beetle is here, though, and that offers me some comfort.
I grab my backpack from the backseat and head into the house. When I walk through the door, I see Alice sitting in one of the dining room chairs, and my dad on his knees in front of her. His hand is cupping her face, and I can tell right away something is wrong. They turn to look at me when they hear the door close, and my dad’s hand drops to his side. It’s then I see a bruise below her eye.
“Oh my God, Alice.” I rush over to her. “What happened?” I look to my dad to explain, but he looks away, like the sight of it is too much to bear. Alice looks at me, then to her hands in her lap.
“My mom’s new boyfriend. He got a little drunk and…” She trails off. I look over at my dad again, and this time I can see he’s about to explode with rage. All I can feel is sadness welling up inside me. How could anyone lay a hand on Alice? She’s the sweetest person in the whole freaking world.
I look at my dad, pleading with him to finish her sentence. I’m sure he got it out of her. It looked like they’d been talking when I walked in.
“The new boyfriend and Alice’s mom were having an argument. I guess he threw a cup he had in his hand right as Alice was walking into the room, and it hit her in the face,” my dad growls.
“I came to see if maybe that offer was still available. That maybe—”
“You’re staying,” my dad and I both say at the same time. She looks up at us, a watery smile pulling at her lips.
“Thank you, Major.”
“Thomas,” he corrects her.
“You can stay in my room with me,” I offer. We only have one spare room, and Eli is using it. Plus, I have no problem sharing a room with Alice. Maybe even a little part of me hopes I’ll be sneaking into Eli’s room now.
“She can have the spare room,” Dad says instead.
“But Eli—”
“Moved out,” my dad says before I can finish my statement. His eyes are still on Alice. I can feel the anger rolling off of him. It takes a minute for his words to sink in, and it hits me hard. I stand there, not sure how to respond.
“I’ll get your stuff, Alice. You two keep your butts planted in this house until I get back.”
I still can’t move. It isn’t until I hear the front door slam closed that my eyes start to water. Alice reaches up and takes my hand.
“I didn’t know,” she whispers, and I know she’s talking about Eli moving out. She knows how deeply I care for him. How much I love him.
A part of me can’t believe it. He wouldn’t do that, would he? Leave me without so much as a word? I let go of Alice’s hand, but she only grabs it back as I walk toward the bedroom to see it for myself. I push the door open, and a tear slides down my cheek. All his things are gone. The only things that are left behind are the bed, the dresser, and a chair—things that were there before Eli came to live with us.
I catch sight of something on the dresser and walk over to see a note with my name on it. I pick it up, crumple it into a ball, and throw it across the room. Then the tears really stream down my face. I look over at Alice, who’s crying, too, and I feel like an even bigger ass because I know she’s crying for me. She has her own issues right now, but instead of wallowing in her own sadness, she grabs me and pulls me into a hug. We both stand there and cry, holding each other until the sobs finally stop.
“I’m sorry,” I tell her, my voice hoarse with emotion.
“Nothing to be sorry about. The man you love walked out on you, only leaving a stupid fucking note.” A bark of laughter comes out when she uses a curse word, something she hardly ever does. She walks over and picks up the crumpled paper I threw. I shake my head, not wanting it.
If Eli had something to say to me, he should have said it to my face. Not in some note. Anger starts to rise now, pushing the sorrow away.
“What did your mom do?” I ask her as she shoves the crumpled paper into her pants pocket.
“Nothing. She just stood there.” She shakes her head. “While her boyfriend laughed, and then she went and got him another drink.”
My jaw clenches, and I want to punch her mom, but I know my dad will give her a piece of his mind. And the boyfriend better hope he’s not anywhere to be found by the time he gets there.
“God, Alice, I’m so sorry. I’m crying over a broken heart, and your mom—”
“Don’t,” she says. “I’m glad it happened. I mean, kinda. I finally had a reason to really leave. It was the push I needed.”
“We’re a hot mess,” I tell her, turning to look at the mirror over the dresser. Our faces are blotchy and red. “You were always a better-looking crier than me,” I tease, making her smile.
“We should eat ice cream, and then you can tell me what sent Eli on the run.”
“I kissed him.” The words come out soft and sad. Wait, he kissed me. I’m not really sure, to be honest. It was the best moment of my life, and it sent him running. I thought he needed time, but I was wrong. He wanted as far away from me as possible, taking with him the life I’d started to dream of.
“Was it good?” Alice asks.
I look over at her and let out a heavy sigh.
“It was life changing.”
Just not the life-changing way I thought it was going to be.
Chapter 10
Eli
Eleven months later…
“Fuck, that’s it,” I groan, squeezing the base of my cock. I wrap my fingers around it tightly because I know her mouth can’t possibly go down that far. My cock is too long and thick, and she can’t get to the end without gagging.
I close my eyes tightly and lick my lips, knowing I’m close to cumming. I use my other hand to run along my chest, rubbing my hard nipples. I want the sensation of her hands on my body, but she can’t reach while she’s on her knees in the shower.
Slicking up my hand, I run it up and down the shaft, helping her milk me to completion. When I cum, it’s in long spurts that land on her neck and perky wet breasts. It’s a sticky mess, and I’ll have to clean her up afterwards, which will start this process all over again.