More Than a Memory

Chapter Seven: A Break Through and a Misunderstanding

"What do you mean? What did you do?" I ask.

"It's nothing to brag about, Tessa. Believe me, none of it was good. I did things that I shouldn't have, but I did what I had to do to make sure my mom stayed alive. I couldn't lose her too." He clears his throat as his eyes grow glassy.

"Elias, you don't have to-"

"Yes, I do Tessa. You need to know why I never called. You need to know that I thought about you Every. Single. Day. Not once did you leave my mind. Not even for a second." He snaps before continuing. "If they found out that you existed- that I cared for you as much as I did- as much as I still do, they would have used you as leverage to get what they wanted from me. If I refused to do one big job, they could've come for you and there wasn't a sliver of a chance that I was risking that." He frowns. "It killed me, but I did what I had to do to protect you."

I stare at him, not knowing what to say. "What kind of people have you involved yourself with, Eli?" I feel my eyes well up at the thought.

"They're not good people, Tessa. That's all you need to know." He sighs. "The night that mom and I were supposed to come to dinner, I went and I told the guys that I was done- that I quit," He pauses to collect himself. "They didn't take the news too lightly and I ended up getting my ass kicked. It was brutal." He clears his throat before continuing. "I couldn't come and see you for the first time in four years covered from head to toe in bruises could I?" He chuckles sadly.

"It's not funny. Not at all." I feel a tear fall. "You were going through hell, and I was too busy hating you to even try to give you the benefit of the doubt. I'm so fucking selfish." I cover my face.

"No, hey." He grabs my hands and pulls them away from my face. "You didn't know, kitten."

I cry harder at the sound of my nickname. "I missed you so much," I say through my tears. "I thought you hated me. I thought I was never gonna see you again."

In a flask, he's up on his feet and pulling me into his arms. "I could never hate you. Not for a second." He squeezes me tighter and places a kiss to my head. "I missed you too, and I'm not going anywhere this time."

"I'm sorry." I mumble into his chest. "I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry too, kitten." He still holds me to him.

The door chimes, but neither of us pay it any mind.

"Tessa?" I look over and see Chase with a hurt expression on his face. "What are you doing here with him?"

"I-"

"You said that he was a liar, and that you couldn't stand him." He voice gets louder. "I guess he's not the only liar here, huh? You were just using me, weren't you? It was all a game to make him jealous, wasn't it?" He asks.

"Chase-"

"Stop talking," He cuts me off. "I don't want to hear it. You guys deserve each other." He turns around and storms off, leaving from where he came.

I stare at the door in shock. "What the hell just happened?"

"Chase Thomas just happened," Elias sighs. "He always blows everything out of proportion. He doesn't know what he's talking about."

"I can't believe he acted that way," I say. "We literally just met last night. It's not like he owns me."

"That's where you're wrong. When Chase Thomas decides that he wants you, you're his in his mind. Whether you know it or not." Elias' voice is tense with controlled anger. "He's a possessive control freak and he wouldn't have done anything but hurt you and guilt trip you into doing things you don't want to do."

"I had no idea he was like that," I say in shock. "He seemed so nice last night at the party."

"He seemed nice alright." Eli says before walking over to the counter and paying for the check. "Let's go for a walk."

"Okay," I agree, following him out the door and down the sidewalk.

We find ourselves at the park a few blocks over, and spend the next hour and a half talking and getting caught up on each other's lives.

I laugh as we swing next each other. "You should meet Dani. She would love you."

"I thought she was gonna bite my head off in that parking lot for making you cry." He chuckles. "I don't think she like me very much."

"She only knows what I've told her. Which only consists of us being best friends, and then you abandoning me with no explanation." I shrug. "Besides, she's the one who made me stay in the parking lot in hopes that I'd hear what you had to say. I apologize for the way I handled things, by the way."

"It's ok," he shrugs. "I think you did what anyone would do with four years of pent up anger."

That sounds so oddly familiar to me. Where have I heard that before?

I think for a moment before it dawns on me- EJ.

"A new friend of mine actually told me the same thing," I say. "Though, I don't know how he knew that it had been four years." I shrug.

Elias smiles at me. "Can I see your phone for a second?"

"Sure, why not?" I hand it to him.

He types for a second and hands it back to me. He then proceeds to pull out his own phone and type. He slides his phone back into his pocket, and my phone chimes.

Eli: Surprise. 🙈

Above his message is the old thread from EJ and I. I slowly lift my head up to look at him.

"It's been you this whole time." I whisper.

He nods, wordlessly.

"I don't know what to say," I pause. "I don't know whether I should be mad at you or if I should laugh."

"I'd go with the ladder," He smiles innocently. "I had to find a way to talk to you somehow." He shrugs.

"You stupid boy." I laugh. "I missed you."

"Missed you more, Kitten." He bumps my shoulder. "It's getting late. We should head back to our cars." He stands and offers his hand to me and I take it.

We walk all the way back to the ice cream shop hand in hand, before saying our goodbyes.

"I'll text you later." I hug him tightly.

"I'll be waiting." He smiles, before sliding into his truck.

I slide into my car and make my way home with a huge smile on my face. Things are finally looking up.