Meet Erik Durm (Erik Durm)

Chapter 18

Silence. Pure silence. Complete silence. Awkward. Okay you know what? I'm going to break the silence. I clear my throat. Nothing. I've got nothing. Nope. Absolutely nothing. 

"Are you okay there?" Erik asks from the driver seat. 

No, I didn't hear anything.

"Ellie." 

He nudges me. 

"Ellie talk to me." 

I look for the knob to put the seat back. 

"Ellie what the hell are you doing. Talk to me."

"You don't see what I'm doing?" I ask him.

He stares at me blindly.

"Selective hearing sweetie. You've taught me well."

He swerves to the side of the road and completely stop and leans over to kiss me. He pulls back and I lay there eyes wide and shocked as hell. Ugh. What the hell? 

He pulls back but draws near. 

"Stop." I face forward.

"Ellie. You can't do this to me."

"What am I doing huh?" I ask him.

"You can't hate me forever."

"But I can't love you forever either." 

"You're not making any sense." He says.

"You know after all I've been through growing up... And then with Garret I've learned that love isn't anything special. It's just a feeling. A strong feeling towards someone or something. Eventually you run out of feelings and gradually grow away from it." 

"Now I'm even more confused."

"Don't worry I'll show you what I mean."

"Please elaborate Eliana."

"I told you." I look at him. "I'll show you."

I look at him as if saying proceed psychologically.

"Ellie, I love you and you know that. Why are you so unwilling to care?"

"It's because I don't care to care Erik." 

"And why do you say that now?" He asks me.

"You know what. I can't do this right now so please just drive and when we get home we can talk about this. But right now please focus on getting me home without provoking an argument."

"Whatever." He sighs.

We drove onto the driveway and I realized that my mom was here. Great! Now I'm having to face the fact that I'm crippled and I need this guys help and sadly my mother's wonderful ecstatic long lasting lecture. 

I sigh. "Can we go to your house?" 

"To burn it down?" He asks.

I roll my eyes and fake a smile. "I mean if you want it'd be an honor."

"Tssk. Just get inside your mother has been waiting since this morning."

"You just literally gave me a reason for wanting to leave Erik. Oh my gosh, I'm appalled by your intelligence."

"Ellie if you want this to work please stop with the attitude, the sarcasm and everything else."

"Erik. Look, nobody asked you to do this okay?" I say annoyed.

"Maybe nobody asked Eliana. Maybe I just want to do this because I truly care about you and I just love you that much okay? And even though you make me feel like shit because of what you witnessed doesn't mean I should hate you and make you live in hell. But I ask of you... please just give me a chance and let me do what I want to do Ellie, it'd be easier that way. I'd hate to pick a fight... At least with you."

I swallow and walk pass him. I can hear his heavy sigh.

"Ellie." My mom opens the door and embraces me. 

"Mom." I close my eyes and literally put my weight on her. 

"Aww honey look at you." She helps me inside. 

"Thanks mom." 

She sits me down on the sofa and gives me a light blanket. 

"Sleep honey, you need the sleep." 

She kisses me on the forehead and leaves to the door. 

"Thanks so much Erik. You are such a great young man."

"Of course anything for Ellie."

"Aww you're such a good man." 

"Thank you Mrs. Butler but I'm afraid I'm not so good without Ellie."

"Do you truly love Eliana?" She asks. 

EAVESDROPPER.

"You know Mrs. Butler I'm afraid I feel too strong for Ellie. I'm afraid I might get hurt. But even knowing so I'm willingly going through everything and anything with her and it seems so surreal but it's starting to roll out for me."

"You a great man Mr. Durm."