cherry flavoured

29

THE SUN IS setting by the time I push my key into the front door of the Ashford home. I went to Bela's after school, mainly so I could avoid him. I don't know why I asked. I knew I wouldn't get the answer I wanted. He's just bored. And I'm convenient.

I push the door open and have to restrain myself from physically groaning. Parker is on the couch, laying back on his phone. I click the door shut and he looks over, sitting up when he sees me.

"Elena."

"I can't Parker." I say, making a bee-line for the stairs.

"Elena wait, please."

I stop, closing me eyes and letting out a breath. Dropping my bag at the stairs, I turn, walking over and sitting on the arm of the couch beside the one he's on. He takes a deep breath in through his nose, out through his mouth, before bringing his eyes to mine.

"You don't have to explain yourself." I shrug, beginning to get up.

"Sit down, Elena." he says, his voice stern with seriousness.

I listen.

"Two years ago, I was in a relationship. It was an infatuation. Lust, whatever you wanna call it. It was nothing more than that."

I frown, unsure where this story is going.

"But it was more than that for her. She was in love with me. Obsessed, if you will. It was unhealthy." he runs a hand through his hair. "She'd become hysterical if I so much as looked at another girl. She'd show up to my house uninvited. It was so tiring."

Keeping my eyes on his, I slide down on to the seat, listening.

"After a year I broke up with her. It didn't stop, it only made things worse. She would sit in her car outside my house at stupid hours, waiting for me. She would harass my friends."

He lets out a breath.

"So one day I agreed to speak with her. I got in her car, and we drove around town. I told her she needed to stop. She apologised. And then she asked if we could get back together. Of course I said no. But that wasn't the answer she wanted."

Parker brings his eyes up to mine. They're dark.

"She began screaming at me, taking her attention off the road. She drove us into a tree. She wrecked her car and almost killed us both."

My breath hitches and I feel my eyes brim with tears.

"I had to get 142 stitches total. I broke my arm and 3 of my ribs. I couldn't do a lot of things on my own. I couldn't play sports, I couldn't do the things I loved. The physical damage sucked, but it was nothing in comparison to what it did to my mental well-being."

Parker reaches forward, brushing the tear from my cheek with the pad of his thumb.

"I can't let myself fall in love Elena. It's not worth it." he breathes, pressing his forehead against mine.

"I would never do that to you." I whisper.

"You're not the one I'm worried about."

I look up, confused.

"It's not infatuation that I feel for you. It's something more. Deeper. It consumes me Elena. You consume me." he plants a kiss on my forehead. "I can't let myself love that hard. The same way Mackenzie loved me. Love changes people. I don't want to become her."

Even though I can feel my heart breaking, I nod, squeezing my eyes shut.

"I need to stay away from you, Elena Kinsley."