"Feeling's don't die because we keep feeding them with memories, that's exactly why it's hard to move on."
**
I knew this was a bad idea from the start. I should have never agreed to be his friend. On the other hand it would have been a lot worse to pretend to hate him for the whole year. It's been three days since I've last spoken to Carlos. I was completely embarrassed in the library. All day I had wanted to
talk to him and have a chance to get to know him but he was busying himself with all of Jackson High's known sluts. And I had to admit it hurt.
I had to escape the shocked look on his face. Carlos probably thought I was being completely ridiculous and dramatic and that I'm not even worth the effort. I wouldn't be surprised if he
completely ignored me, since he has all those other girls lined up at his door step. Since the day I met him, which was last week I feel a real connection that I can't explain. And to be honest I had wanted to climb over that table like a cave man and choke her out.
I wasn't gonna tell him any of that of course. Someone like him could never...feel that way about someone like me. Hell, Gianna bowed to him and I'm pretty sure that wasn't the first time someone has done that. I'm starting to think I'm in way over my head.
Friday night Mason came through the front door with groceries hanging off his arms. He was wearing a tucked in blue dress shirt with a tie sloppily dangling from his neck, with a pair of black slack and shiny dress shoes.
Oh, I had forgot he has a job interview today. He already has a job working as an assistant at a high paying law firm but he needed another one so he could work on paying off his student loans.
I jumped off the couch and headed to the stairs. I had been avoiding him the whole week and eating dinner up in my room, with the excuse that It was my time of the month. That got Mason to stay far away. I was procrastinating. I knew he would find out eventually what happened...but the later the better.
"I don't think so Eliza! Get your ass back down here. You're helping put away the groceries," Mason yelled after me. I pulled my batman hood down to cover my forehead and approached him at the open door. Mason stepped forward and handed me the groceries.
"Careful, they're-"
The weight surprised me. My legs buckled and I fell backwards with my feet following behind me, and I hit the ground in a thud. I laid sprawled on the floor as Mason broke out into a fit of laughter. He held his stomach and rolled around on the floor laughing in his dress clothes. Yup thats my brother.
I giggled and struggled to sit up. Mason stood and attempted to compose himself.
"You're just a walking accident, aren't -" One look at my face sobered his expression and I realized my hood was down. His face turned dark and menacing. And so it begins. I quickly scrambled to my feet. His shoulders tensed and his eyes narrowed into slits.
"Eliza Arabella Parker, what the hell happened to your forehead?" Ignoring the groceries he slammed the door.
"Sit- he said gesturing to the couch, obeying I plopped myself down, " And don't lie to me I know you don't get into fist fights so someone attacked you," he nearly spit. With me sitting on the couch he towered above me with his arms crossed. Somehow his suit made him look even more menacing.
"A guy attacked me in the hallway during lunch," I said tucking my hair behind my ear.
He leaned forward and peeled the bandage off my head, scowling. I winced.
"This is not a new wound Eliza, it looks partially healed. Why am I only finding out about this now?"
"Because, I knew you would over react," I said calmly.
His arm shot out and pointed at the angry red, scabbed bruise on my forehead. "Look at what he did to you Eliza, I think I have every right to over react. Especially since you failed to tell me, and why the hell didn't your damn school call me!" he yelled.
"Well technically, I did this to me," I said
"What the fuck does that mean?" he asked.
"I head budded him and bit his lip," I said proudly.
"You did?" I watched his body slightly relax. I nodded.
Mason bent down and put his hands on my shoulders. " Just like I taught you?" I saw a look of pride in his eyes as I smirked with a nod.
"Good girl," he said pulling me into a bone crushing hug.
He softly stroked my hair when I heard him say, " I'm going to kill that fucker."
I pulled away. " Mason don't worry about him he's taken care of"
"Of course I'm gonna worry about him! In fact- he stood and pulled out his phone." Who the fuck is he and where does this prick live?"
I stood with him and leaned over to get a look at who he was calling. The contact name read Mafia and I almost swallowed my tongue.
"Mason! Why the fuck is the fucking Mafia in your fucking phone?" I screeched waving my hands around.
He leaned towards me. "Watch your damn mouth Eliza. What was that three "fucks" in one sentence?" he hissed.
"I know people ok? Now do you know where I can find the bastard or not?"
"Well currently his residence is the hospital," I said.
Mason's mouth dropped open. I don't get to shock Mason often so I relished in the moment.
"Bullshit, you didn't hit him that hard," he said suspiciously.
"Nope, he is there. I didn't personally put him there but I think I can take some of the credit," I said gesturing to my forehead. Mason let this hand with the phone fall limp giving me his full attention.
"Who was it then."
"You heard of Prince Carlos?- Mason nodded "Yeah he saved me and beat the guy up. And he's also my partner," I admitted.
"Oh," he paused a moment. " I want to meet him," he said firmly.
" I don't know about that Mason we kinda had a falling out..." I told him what happened, leaving out the kiss, the party, and the motorcycle ride. I wanted to have a long life thank you very much.
Eventually I got him to drop it and he said we'll talk about it later. He still wanted to meet Carlos. I huffed in frustration and trudged up to my room.
**
After an hour of homework I pulled out The Host and started flipping through to my favorite parts.
A huge crashing sound exploded into my room as glass from my window flew every where. I quickly curled into a ball on my bed and let out a small scream. After a moment I sat up looking around for what flew in. I zeroed in on the culprit on top of my purple rug. It was a small round rock.
I heard a long stream of curses from outside my window. Stepping around the glass walked, I walked over then peeked my head out my broken window. And what I saw took my breath away. It was the last person I expected to see.
Carlos had one hand on his hip and the other running through his dark mane of curls. His head was bent as he kicked the flowers in my lawn cursing over and over. He looked so beautiful. The moonlight reflected off his golden skin. He had on a black shirt that blended in with the night and a pair of blue jeans.
I watched him for a few seconds as he continued his assault on my plants.
"Carlos?" I said.
His head snapped up to me and he starred.
"Eliza," he breathed.
"Why are you kicking my flowers and breaking my windows? I get that you aren't interested in being friends, no need to vandalize my house Carlos," I hissed.
I look of disbelief came across his face then pure frustration.
"Fuck, Eliza that's not why I'm here! I was trying to get you to come to the window but...I broke it, he said. Can Falcons blush? Cause I swear he turned a light shade of pink.
"And the flowers?" I asked bending my head to get a better look at them and my hair fell down the sides of my face.
He glanced at them looking apologetic and scratched the back of his head.
"Look, can I just come up? I need to talk to you," he said. I looked back at my door and that at him unsure. I knew Mason sleeps like the dead so it wasn't a problem but...these were the exact type of situations I try to avoid.
"I don't know.." I said. A look of annoyance flashed across his face.
"Stand back, I'm coming up," said Carlos.
I yelped as I stepped back into a piece of glass and felt it pierce my skin on my big toe. I jumped on my bed like my ass was on fire and examined my toe. I don't know how but before I knew it Carlos was standing in my room looking polished and not even slightly winded.
I forgot about the small pain in my toe and focused on the larger one in my gut and just stared at him.
His brows furrowed as my bleeding toe caught his eyes.
Then I thought to myself, Is the sexy alien Prince in my bedroom?