-Harry
"You.. You followed me?!"
"Everly, you ran off like you'd...."
"Like I'd what? Just seen a video of my father alive months after I'd brought his remains back here?!" Her eyes are wide as she pulls her arm out of my grip.
"After? What?"
She only shakes her head at me, glancing around us worriedly before taking off across the street.
"Everly..." I quickly catch up to her, weaving between a few random people milling about 2nd Avenue. "Stop for a second. Please."
"I can't. I need to get away from here."
"Let me hail a cab, I'll see you home."
"I can see myself home. You should go." She quickly glances over at me, her forehead crinkled in concern, before staring straight ahead again.
"Go? I'm not leaving you like this. You look like you've just seen a bloody ghost. What happened in there?"
"It's none of your concern."
"Like h.ell it isn't." I stop her, pulling her away from the crowd of people steaming down the busy avenue and toward the front of a shop. "I'm the reason you even saw that video remember?"
"I didn't ask you to do that." She snaps.
"What the f.uck Everly?" I flinch slightly from her harsh tone, "I was trying to help you..."
"I don't need anymore help." She avoids my gaze, hiding behind the SnapBack resting on her head. "I'm fine on my own."
"So this is you being fine? This is you not needing help?" I shake my head, knowing full well she's about to fall apart.
"Listen..." I soften my tone, lowering my voice as I take her hand. "I followed you because I was worried about you. I ask so many questions because I care about you. I hate seeing you upset, which you obviously are. Let me see you home. You can talk or not talk to me there. Just... let me be with you till I know you're alright yeah?"
She surprises me by nodding slowly, actually giving in to my request.
Still looking down at her feet as I entwine our fingers, she lets me tug her towards the curb.
We both remain silent, sat in the back of an older taxi as it carries us towards her flat. Her gaze stays fixed out the window as mine remains watching her, keeping hold of her hand the entire drive.
I've never in my life been so invested in another person before and frankly.. It scares the shite out of me.
When she smiles it makes my heart feel like it could nearly burst in my chest. And when she's upset, it tears me apart inside.
It's as if her emotions are in complete control of my own.
I feel at a loss of power over myself, but somehow I'm alright with it.
As we pull up to her building I fish a few bills out of my wallet, handing them to the driver before sliding out of the backseat. Everly follows me out, letting me once again take her hand to lead her inside.
Pressing the button for the lift, I try to steal a glance at her face but it's still hidden from my view.
She's always hiding. Shutting everyone out is her coping mechanism. Her snapping at me wasn't because she was upset at me, I know that by now.
But I also know getting her to share with me why she's really upset will be close to impossible.
So I'll do the only thing I can. I won't push like she expects me to.. I'll just be there for her.
I follow her out of the lift and into her flat, closing and locking the door behind us. Pulling the hat off her head, she drops it on the table along with her bag and keys before staring out the window at the New York skyline.
I stay quiet, folding my arms and resting my side against the window frame as I watch her seemingly looking at nothing. I can tell her mind is in a completely other place, not here with me. To be honest, I don't know if it's ever truely been here with me.
"Do you ever people watch?" She asks softly, her gaze still locked on the world outside.
"There's some evenings I sit out on the balacony for hours..."She goes on before I've the chance to answer. "It's peaceful. You wouldn't think it would be with everyone always in such a hurry, pushing past the next person ahead of them, but it is. I try to imagine where they're headed, where they came from. I make up these lives for these people I've never even met.."
She chuckles humourlessly, shaking her head a little. "Once in awhile I'll see the same person and I'll continue this completely made up story for them. It makes me think if anyone ever sees me, what story they've created for me... And I just can't imagine there would be any less truth to it then the one I'm actually living."
"You feel like you're living a lie?" I ask quietly, making her look over at me.
"I am the lie."
"Everly..."
"My life has become this story that I can't make sense of because I'm not the one writing it."
"Who is?"
"I don't even know anymore. It's like every chapter it's someone different. The only thing that remains the same is that I'm not the one in control."
"So take control. Stop letting other people make decisions for you."
"How?" She shrugs her shoulders. "I don't even know what's real anymore. I'm surrounded by all these things that other people chose for me. Things that are all just lies."
"And what am I?"
Staring into my eyes, hers finally soften a bit. "An exception."
"To what?"
"Everything. You're..." Her voice fades off as she takes in a shaky breath.
"I'm what?" I urge her on.
"You're something I wrote in that I already know the ending to."
"How can you know the ending when the story isn't over?"
"I just do." She sighs, rubbing her temples.
"Why are you.. Everly, you've been insistent from the beginning this isn't going to work out between us. Why?"
"You always ask so many questions."
"Cause you're always leaving me about twenty steps behind. I feel like you're giving me pieces to a puzzle, but for some reason they're all blank. I've no idea what I'm putting together. I need to know what's going on. With your dad, Carter.. the lot of it."
I exhale, cursing myself for my lack of self control.
So much for not pushing her.
"I'm sorry Harry. I just... I can't do that."
"You can't or you won't?"
"Both I guess." She responds quietly, looking down at her feet.
"So we're back to that then? I've been trying to make this f.ucking work. Whatever the f.uck this is, I'm at least trying. Pretty d.amn hard, if I'm being honest." I run my hand through my hair, overly annoyed. "But you're just... You're not."
"I know."
"I'm tired Everly. If you don't trust me enough to be honest with me.. this can't work. It won't work."
She nods in agreement, looking back out the window at the darkening sky.
Clenching my jaw, I close my eyes. Everly Abbott has got to be the most frustrating woman I've ever laid eyes on.
I can't stand all the f.ucking secrets. It's drives me mad that she won't just tell me what is really going on. But with all of it considered, there's something that still won't allow me to walk away from her.
Stepping towards her, I cup her cheek and duck down, softly pressing lips against hers.
She kisses me back slowly, not being able to fight the undeniable pull between us.
My thumb brushes across her jawline before I pull away, glancing back and forth between her eyes.
"There's something real for you... Something that isn't a lie." I say slowly, hoping she believes my words as much as I do.
"Harry..."
I raise my eyebrows at the vulnerability laced throughout her tone. Wishing to god I could will her to just speak her mind.
To speak the truth.
"Yeah?" I nod, urging her on.
"I..." She hesitates, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth in contemplation. "...I should probably get to Carter's."
I exhale, feeling my heart fall in my chest. "Yeah.... Carter's."
"I'll see you tomorrow night alright?"
"My fight is tomorrow night."
She nods, "I'll be there with Carter."
"Course you will."
"Harry..."
"It's alright." I cut her off, leaning forward and pressing a swift kiss to her forehead. "I'll see you then."
I know her eyes follow me as I make my way towards the door, gripping the handle when her voice stops me.
"I'm sorry I can't be what you want."
Looking over my shoulder, I find a frown gracing her face.
"You are what I want Everly."
I pull the door open, closing it behind me before making my way towards the lift.
She is what I want. It's everything surrounding her I hate.
And if she won't tell me what I need to know, I'll just have to do some digging on my own.
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Sorry I've been slow updating! Busy time of year! Love you guys and all your votes and comments! ;)