Running on Empty

NEED | 5

"I swear, I just got a bit distracted. Thinking about how good this grilled cheese was actually, how did you make it?" She stared at me for a moment more before rolling her attention to the sandwich I was clutching much too tightly in my hand.

"It's really not hard Amira, just cheese and bread," I stuffed the rest of it in my mouth.

"Well, it's great," I took a calming moment, stop thinking about it. Who knows if that was even a real memory or not. Maybe that was the nightmare from last night, nightmares are never real. "House tour?"

"Eon." I chewed on my lower lip.

I wasn't sure how he was going to react to this at all. It would either be nothing, bad, or very bad. No reaction would probably only be because he was inwardly seething, which would definitely be the worst outcome.

I stared hard at the ground as I felt his cold grey eyes settle on me.

"Morris."

"They're moving me, early next week. They said it's too full here." I glanced up just to see his vacant expression. I could never tell what he was thinking. It was unnerving.

"That isn't why they're moving you," He said carefully and I gave him a weird look.

"Yes it is, that's what they told me-"

"People lie, Morris, all the time." He paused, gauging my reaction. "You're being moved because I asked them to move you."

My heart stopped.

He asked them to move me? He was trying to pawn me off and get rid of me just like my sister had done, just like everyone else my entire life had done. My vision blurred before I quickly blinked, trying to make my pitiful feelings go away but it wasn't working. My heart was aching, my chest burning, and every emotion wanted to pour out of my eyes.

"Amira-"

"I have to go... go do homework..." I trailed off, my words just whatever spilled from my lips without thinking. I was never very good at lying, everyone else always seemed so good at it. Eon said it was because my tells were too obvious.

Eon was masterful at telling lies, as proven by how he lied about wanting to protect me.

I made it to the small room I shared with three other girls who, luckily, were not in right then because as soon as I stepped through the doorway I began to cry. Loud ugly sobs that I'm sure would leave my nose runny and my throat raw.

Could I be any more worthless? I sunk against the wall and buried my face in my arms that I rested over top of my knees. I just sat there and cried, and wallowed in self-pity until two arms wrapped around me and tucked my head under a chin.

"You didn't let me finish, Morris."

Despite how much I hated Eon at that moment, my body still relaxed against his. I stiffened still when his arms tightened, a warning to not even try to move until he was done talking.

"Yes, I told them to move you. But only if they would move me too. You aren't doing well here. Too many memories. None of them good."

I knew they only approved a move in certain circumstances. Cara running away and leaving me behind were all the circumstances they needed to ship me away and cross their fingers that I wouldn't bolt after her. Eon was probably just being moved because, let's be real, he's an absolute menace.

I had never despised my sister in my whole life, not really. Not until Eon showed up and showed me how awful she really was. I was so caught up in my grief that it took me more than a moment to realize what he said.

"You aren't sending me away?" I sounded weak. I was weak, and we both knew it.

"Well, technically I am. But not alone, you didn't really think I was just going to abandon you? I am nothing like her. You need me," I sniffled and shifted a bit so that I could wrap my arms around him. Eon was never really that touchy, not with anyone but me, and even then it was super rare.

I, however, thrived on contact. Not able to get enough of it when he hugged me or held my hand, or anything, it was more than I had ever had in so long.

Sometimes I missed my parents so bad that it hurt, or I missed Dorothy and her stupid little face, and I missed Wolfy even though I wouldn't ever admit it because I am far too old for toys, but with Eon all of that faded away into a hurt that I could easily ignore.

"I'm sorry, I was just so scared," I managed to whisper after a moment.

Eon adjusted our position so that I was basically sitting in his lap with one of his arms snaked tight around me, as the other pushed my face into his neck with soft touches on my hair.

"You wouldn't be able to get away from me that easily, Morris." I could hear the amusement in his words and smiled a bit, my sadness lifting and my hug tightening.

"Tell me that you need me, Amira," he murmured, his grip turning almost painful.

"I need you, Eon."

He sighed.

"I know you do."

I hope the plot isn't too confusing right now, but if it is I swear in the next few chapters it will get a bit clearer. I hope you guys are liking it so far! 

Any feedback is more than welcome as this is very much a rough draft just written for fun :)