Promise. (Manthony)

Thirty-One

     My eyes widen, and I lick my dry lips harshly. 

"You there?" Elijah's deep voice asks through the phone. 

I cough awkwardly and nod my head as if Elijah could see me. "Yeah, what's up? How'd you get my number?" I rush the words out. I opened my bedroom door to make sure no one was eavesdropping. The last thing I needed was someone hearing me on the phone with Elijah. 

 Mitchel and Clinton's doors were closed, so I assumed they were listening to music or playing video games. Far too busy to eavesdrop on my stupid conversation with some idiot I didn't even feel like talking to. 

"Tanner gave it to me. He still had it in his phone." 

I looked up from staring at my hand and couldn't help but feel sad by the fact that Tanner still had my number. It was something small, but as everyone says, the small things matter. 

I knew Tanner had strong feelings for me. If I could have just looked past my feelings for Mitchel for five seconds, then I wouldn't have hurt Tanner the way I had. Perhaps I'd be in a happy and healthy relationship with someone who genuinely cared for me. 

I close my eyes in regret and embarrassment from my actions. As I looked back, I realized how shitty I had been. 

I heard three knocks at the front door, alerting me Tanner had arrived. I dried my hands off on the kitchen towel, throwing it down, and glancing in the bathroom mirror as I passed by to make sure I looked okay. I take a breath and open the door with a smile on my face. 

It had been fake for a while, but I was trying my best to focus on the person standing in front of me with a genuine smile. I kept convincing some part of my brain that I was happy and had moved on, but I was lying. 

"I brought your favorite food!" Tanner explains happily. I blink a few times and regain focus. I opened the door wider so Tanner could come on. No one else was home which I wasn't necessarily happy about. 

"You've been a bit quiet lately. If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine, but if that's the case, then we can eat some food and watch a movie?" Tanner suggests. He puts the plastic bag down on the counter and faces me again. 

He pulls me closer by my waist. I swallow hard, not enjoying his touch. I step back and remove Tanner's hands from my body gently. A flash of hurt was noticeable in his eyes. 

"Am I doing something wrong?"  He asks, concerned. "I'm sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable." 

I shake my head and walk away. I was leaving Tanner alone with his thoughts. 

"The food looks good, thank you." I say aloud after a few moments of silence. Tanner clears his throat and nods. 

"I got the same for both of us since I like it too."  I glanced up at Tanner and noticed his eyes were slightly glassy. 

Fuck. 

"I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings...I didn't mean to." I admit. It was true, it wasn't my intention to hurt Tanner, but it's all I was doing. 

"I don't get what I'm doing wrong. You seem to be growing more and more distant. It's like you want nothing to do with me." 

"Tanner, come on." I reply, not wanting to get into a conversation like this. But, at the same time, I knew this was coming; it was just a matter of when. 

"Don't shut me down like that," He says sternly. 

I sigh deeply and cross my arms. Leaning against the counter since we were going to have this conversation now, according to Tanner.