Genius (CENTURIES series: Book #2)

32

Eli's P.O.V:

Years and years of being used as a lab rat had taught Eli just one thing.

– There were two reasons you didn't trust people; one, because you didn't know them. Two, because you knew them.

Over the past few weeks, he had gone from not-knowing, to thinking-he-knew, to thought-he-knew, to now-he-knew about Mia. About Caleb. About... everything.

One thing he had always known, though, was that his world had been and would always be, fucked. No matter how many contracts Caleb made, no matter how many anonymous people tried to help him, no matter how many times Mia tried to help him. He was a lost cause, he had accepted that. Hell, even his parents had, before they even bothered to wait for him to open his newborn eyes. Even they had known he was no good, so why the fuck did she keep trying to help him?

The minute the front door shut, Eli opened his eyes. He got up from her bed and collected all of his shit, throwing it into his duffle bag in his room.

He had long overstayed his visit. Christ, last night was the proof. The bitch had actually gotten a tattoo with his name in the design. On her wrist. People would fucking see that. But that was the exact purpose, wasn't it? She wanted people to know.

But he didn't. That's why he had to go.

After Mia left, he begun gathering what was his. Which wasn't much. Just a few shirts here, a stolen watch there. His shoes. His cap. That was all he had.

He took a quick shower because he reeked of smoke and alcohol, sweat and sex. Jesus, he hadn't meant to go there with her last night. Actually, he meant to go the exact opposite way. Instead... instead he opened his big mouth, like he always did and mouthed her off. Called her things, said things—

"Fuck." He cursed under his breath and punched the tiled walls inside the shower.

He had talked to her about his parents. Talked about his trust issues-yada-crap. And then she had given him that look. The one he despised. It made him want to... hit something. Not her, but... the anger was directed towards her. And then when she lunged at him, that anger just... transformed... into... need.

And that's where the 'breaking it off' had gone wrong. It was now crystal fucking clear he didn't know how to end whatever they had, so leaving was better. No goodbyes. He didn't like crying chicks, and if he knew anything about her, it was that she got emotional fast. Actually, it was an even tie with her; Either she exploded in a bitchflip or she started bawling like an infant. He cared for neither of the responses, but if he had to choose, he'd almost prefer the bitching. Anger was easier than sadness. That's why he tried ending it brutally with her last night.

But look how that went.

He got finished cleaning himself up and after a quick shave, he packed up his last things. He put on his cap and then pulled his duffle over his shoulder.

But when it came to the point where he placed his hand on the door to the bedroom, ready to leave it, he paused. He came to the realization that this was the closest thing to a home he had ever had. The orphanage he had been at had never felt like home. All their fucking rules, it had felt like a prison. He thought no place would ever be as bad as there.

That was until he arrived at C.E.N.T.U.R.I.E.S.

They'd locked him up. He remembered it like it was yesterday – which it sorta was. Until yesterday, he had been locked up. Kept for safekeeping.

The experiments they performed... all the drugs they doped him with, the things they forced him to do, to calculate, to solve, explain, draw, see, sense, feel... the list went on.

Letting go of the doorknob, Eli walked across the space again and sat down on the bed. Ran a hand over his skull.

The memories... they'd never fade. He had tried to forget. To bury them. To shove them out of his head and just live freely. But forgetting was hard. Caleb had tried to help him, but he didn't want his help. Didn't want anybody's help. Last time he accepted 'help', he ended up getting experimented with for eight fucking years. Yeah, he wasn't doing that again.

And then the bitch said she wanted to help him, too. As if that was happening. She had to be out of her fucking mind.

And still, he had said yes to staying here with her. In her home. Living on her fucking green, because he had none himself. Accepting that offer had been the fucking hardest thing he ever had to do, but at that time, it had been the best for Elana. She always came first. She was the closest thing to a sister he would ever get – Caleb being his brother – so she had to stay safe.

And this had been a good home for her... and maybe that was why it was hard to leave. Because maybe, this had felt like home to him, too. He had felt... safe. Calm. Not having to worry about the owners of the house showing up or burglars coming in the middle of the night. No, it had been relaxed here. Mia had provided that tranquility to his fucked up existence.

But now it's time to go, he thought and stood up again, now walking towards the door again. He couldn't stay here with the bitch anymore, now that she...

"Fuck it," He cursed and pushed that thought away and then stepped out of the room. He only made it to the middle of the living room before the front door opened, though. And in she walked, like summoned from his thoughts.

Fuck. He had hoped to avoid this by leaving before she got home, but his luck had run out years ago. Fuck it, he had never had any, and now he was forced to face her.

How did you tell someone you didn't want them? How did he do it? Words didn't fit well on his tongue, he always ended up shouting or mouthing off at her.

And then they argued. They always argued. It was either sex or arguing. Sex. Argue. Sex. Argue.

He kept his eyes on the floor as she walked in, seeing him standing there with his bag, wearing his shoes. She could guess what was happening. She wasn't stupid. Not that kind of stupid, anyway.

He had to get out of here. He could already feel the tension building up, his hands shaking. His tongue twisted when the words tried to fit, but couldn't, so they crumbled and tasted sour instead.

He had to move, but he couldn't. He just stood there, feeling her eyes on him, judging him for what he was doing. Was that why she wanted to help him? Did she want to reform him? Turn him into one of them? Live up to the title by which they had named him?

Genius.

Fuck that. He was done with that. Forever. No more science, no more friends, no more Mia. He hated it all, hated how science had done nothing but hurt him, hated how it had done nothing but hurt his friends, and Mia... Mia...

Oh, but he didn't hate her... No, never hate...

He closed his eyes for a split second, hearing how she sucked in a shaky breath. This was going to end ugly, wasn't it? He was going to hurt her again, and she knew.

But it was for the last time.

He opened his eyes again. Armored himself in steel and coldness. Ridded himself of any emotions. And then he turned, looked at her.

Time to end it.

• • •

Talky-feely-feels from Eli.