For What It Is Worth

No Strings Attached // Chapter 6

There was no doubt in his mind that she felt the same way as him. But he knew how she was about commitment.

They hadn't spoke in 4 days.

He was dying to hear her voice again and the reason they weren't talking was, well, no reason. It was simply Christmas break.

Every single time his phone would go off, he'd hope it was her. It never was. He was going through withdrawals, which really wasn't healthy, but he was mad for her at this point.

It never failed though, he'd always tell himself it was something wrong with him. Possibly his stomach or the way he drools when he sleeps.

Regardless, he missed her so much it hurt him.

"You okay hun?" His mother asked him, sitting down next to him on the couch.

"I miss her momma, but I don't wanna bug her if she's busy." He sighed, resting his head on his hand.

"Awe. Just text her. She couldn't get angry with you. We both know she wouldn't be like that." His mom reassured him, giving him a little hug.

"You're right. Thanks mom."

"You're growing up too fast..." She laughed, ruffling his hair. To which he glared at her and flattened it back out.

He raced to his bedroom and pulled out his cellular device. His fingers swiftly moved across his screen as he typed, "Hey".

Almost immediately, he saw she had read it. His stomach turned in anticipation, waiting to see her message on the screen.

Ten minutes turned into twenty, twenty turned into an hour.

She didn't answer him.

He felt like shit. It was plain and simple. His palms were sweating and his feet tapped nervously. He had been staring at their picture on his mirror for the past half an hour.

He proceeded to cry on his bed, wondering what he ever did for her not to answer him. She always answered. Always. And now, she didn't.

His doorknob turned and his mother entered the room. She sat next to her distraught son and rubbed his back.

"What's going on?" She asked, wiping his tears away with a tissue.

"She-" he hiccuped. "-she saw my message and didn't answer. What if I did something wrong? What if she hates me? What if-"

"Baby boy, you need to breathe for a minute. Okay?" She said. "It's gonna be alright. You just have to calm down a little first. Get dressed and I'll drive you over so you can see her for a little while. Just text her and tell her you're coming. Even if she doesn't answer."

He nodded and his mother grinned at him before leaving his room.

He was very quick with getting ready.

When he arrived at her house, he knocked on the door, he was greeted by her mother. He immediately snapped into worried mode.

"Is she okay?" He blurted, staring desperately into her mother's eyes.

Her mother laughed and nodded. "As far as I know she's okay. She didn't tell me you were coming though. Why don't you go up and check on her for me?" She winked at him as he raced up the stairs and softly knocked on her door.

"Come in!" He could tell by the tone of her voice she had been crying and was trying to hide it.

He walked in, her back to him as she looked down at her notebook.

"Mom, if Lelan-" She turned her head to see him.

He stood there and stared at her. The moment she saw him, she started sobbing again.

"Please go."

His heart shattered. He started to sob himself as he looked at her.

"What did I do?" He asked, sitting next to her and holding her face to look at him.

"Don't act like you don't know." She spat, pulling away from his touch.

His eyes scanned her face, searching for any answers.

"I don't know." He shook his head and threw his hat down onto her bed.

"I'm tired of being used by you. I should've have known you never even cared in the first place."

"What are you talking about?" He asked, grabbing her shoulders.

"Jess, you know the one you liked for two years? Said you were using me to get over her. That you were gonna act all insecure and innocent until you could fuck me and drop me." Her words were laced with venom. "So, are you done playing dumb Leland? Or are you gonna try to get some sort of pleasure out of me?"

He couldn't believe anything anymore. Leland cried to the point where he could barely talk.

"You know I would never..." He sobbed. "You're my world. I could never do that to you. I love you. I love every detail about you El. You're absolutely everything to me."

Eleanor sighed and rolled her eyes. "How am I even supposed to believe you anymore?"

"I don't know. But you have to. I beg you. You have no idea. If I lose you, I lose my sanity." His arms went around her and she gently nudged him away.

Leland looked at her with disbelief and fear. He knew she wasn't allowing him to be apart of her life anymore.

"I just can't..."

He looked down and back up. "When I say I love you, I mean it El."

He smashed his lips onto hers.