Promise. (Manthony)

Thirty-Seven

     I put my hands on my hips as I stared at the clothes I left in Elijah's closet. I was over so often that I practically had my own side of the closet. 

I had so many clothes, but I often felt like I had nothing to wear. I was turning into Amber. Anytime she thought she had nothing to wear, she would go online and buy a new outfit. I sometimes wondered how she paid her rent. Or anything else, for that matter. 

I was beginning to miss her. 

     I tried a few things on, but nothing was satisfying me. Everything either looked stupid or way too formal. I was only going out to lunch with Elijah. I was making a big deal out of this for no reason. 

I roll my eyes to myself. 

     It had been a few days since the party we had thrown. I had seen Mitchel there. At first, I was happy that I had succeeded at rubbing my relationship in his face, but I felt terrible when I actually saw him in person. I stopped feeling that way again when I saw Lily. She seemed drunk and was talking to so many different guys until she came across me. Usually, I would have been worried that people would get pictures or videos of us and think Lily was cheating on Mitchel with me, but now that everyone knew I was in a relationship with a man, I had hoped those rumours wouldn't start. 

Lily had kept falling into me, and I'd have to help her regain her balance. I attempted to ask her different questions, but I was only met with laughter or slurred words, none of which made sense. 

     I think back to what she was saying and remembered one phrase Lily had kept repeating. 

"Have you seen the video?" Lily asked before erupting with another fit of laughter. I purse my lips together in slight annoyance. Why was I looking after my stupid, ex-best friend's girlfriend? I didn't like her. I had no idea what she was talking about, but I assumed she was talking nonsense. I didn't care, though. 

I frown at the memory. When I saw her talking to other guys, she seemed to be looking for someone. Lily would get their attention but then wave them off. That was until she came across me and didn't leave my side. 

I shrug and dismiss my suspicions of her. Lily had been drunk, and I was overthinking per usual. 

"You ready?" Elijah asks as he walks back into the living room. I get up from the couch and nod as I zip up the jacket I decided to wear with my black jeans.

     I would be lying if I said I was "comfortable" in this relationship. Things had escalated between Elijah and me so quickly that I wasn't entirely sure how it all started. But, nevertheless, my heart was broken, and I was looking for something or someone to help mend the shattered pieces. 

Elijah was the first person there when everything had fallen apart. I glommed onto him. All I wanted was comfort and to know that I wasn't a complete fool for trusting Mitchel over and over again. Part of me knew that if he had been anyone else, I would've glommed onto them as well. 

Amber had been there for me until I found out she had begun hanging out with Mitchel. He had left his jacket at her apartment. I was leaving her place when I saw it hanging on the coat rack. 

I asked if she had seen or talked to Mitchel recently, but Amber said she hadn't. I knew she was lying because his jacket wasn't on the coat rack the day before when I had been over as well. The moment she lied about seeing him made me feel that she was also betraying me. He was dating Lily, but that didn't seem to stop him from spending time with my best friend. 

I hadn't talked to Amber much since. Elijah had been receiving all of my attention. 

     As I walk out of Elijah's house, I realize I have forgotten my wallet. I feel around my pockets, but they were empty. I must've left it on the bedside table. I frown. I could be so forgetful at times. 

"Eli, I forgot my wallet. Can you toss me the keys real quick?" I yelled at Elijah, who had already been in the car. His car windows were already rolled down, so all he had to do was toss them to me. I nod as if saying "thank you" and run back to the door, quickly unlocking it, and running to his bedroom. 

It wasn't where I thought it was. I sigh. Nothing could be easy.

I look around the bed and on Elijah's bedside table. Still nothing. 

"Where could it be?" I ask aloud to myself. I think for a moment before thinking it may be under the bed. I get down on my knees and feel around. My hand hits a picture frame instead. 

I look under the bed and see my wallet near the picture I had just hit. I glanced over at the bedroom door to make sure Elijah hadn't come back inside. I was being nosy, but I didn't know much about his past when I thought about it. 

I grab my wallet but pull the picture frame out as well. Something fell to the floor as I picked up the picture. It was weird that he had framed pictures under his bed. People normally didn't do that unless it reminded them of something sad or that they regretted. Or maybe he was embarrassed by the picture?

It was probably a family photo or maybe a picture of Elijah as a child. He must have been a very cute kid. I flipped over the framed picture first since it had been upside down. I feel every part of my body freeze. 

It was Elijah, but he was with Mitchel? No, that couldn't be. They didn't even know each other. They had officially "met" when I brought Elijah home that same day we had hooked up in his car.

I look down at the picture again. That was most definitely Mitchel Cave. They were both smiling. This picture didn't look like it was even a year old. I put the picture down and picked up the one that had fallen. It wasn't framed. I flip it over as well. 

I shouldn't have snooped around, but it was too late. A picture of Mitchel and Elijah kissing was in my hands. They had taken the picture themselves since Mitchel's arm was extended. He had been the one to take the picture. 

I swallowed hard and shoved the pictures under the bed again. I was feeling nauseous. My head spun with questions. I get up from the floor and rush out the door, locking the front door behind me. 

I run to Elijah's car and get in the passenger's seat without saying anything. 

"Are you okay? You look pale." Elijah says with a concerned look. 

"Yeah, I'm alright. It's a bit cold out here. Sorry, it took so long. I couldn't find my wallet.  But, it was on the floor. I hadn't seen it." I spit out in a rush. 

Elijah raises an eyebrow at me. I smile in return and face forward. I didn't feel like talking. I was numb. 

     Everything felt even more wrong. There were things that I didn't know about. I had been lied to. I had been fooled. I had been tricked and played. 

I was still majorly confused, but those pictures weren't fake. I couldn't set myself up for failure by making myself believe that that picture was a figment of my imagination. As much as I wanted to believe that Elijah and Mitchel weren't one-thousand percent lying to me, I couldn't. 

They knew each other somehow. 

I looked over at Elijah, driving with only one hand on the steering wheel. He seemed to be in his own little world. The only sound was the cars around us. 

My heart was crushed all over again. He lied to me. Everyone had lied to me like it was something I had deserved.