Escape | ✓

22 [part one]

I was sitting at home with the TV playing, yet my attention was focused on everything except it. Specifically, my mind was on the words Eli had said to me earlier about telling Arlo we were mates.

I knew that the suggestion was innocent and he was trying to be helpful, but I wasn't sure I was ready to take that step yet. I liked what we had currently and I didn't want to change it. If I said that to Eli, I didn't know if he would understand my words but I doubted he'd agree with them.

That was where we differed. I knew the whole reason Eli hadn't told anyone yet was because he was respecting my wishes, but if it was up to him and him alone then I had little doubt that he'd have already told anyone and everyone about our...situation-ship.

The sound of my door opening pulled me from my thoughts and I turned to see Arlo standing there. His eyes were bloodshot and he was sporting a deep frown as well. He walked toward the couch and took a seat beside me. For a while, neither of us said anything. We sat there pretending as if we were focused on the TV when we both knew we weren't.

"It happened," Arlo broke the silence. "Cronan and I decided to end things."

I turned to face him. "Really?"

He nodded slowly but didn't meet my gaze. "Just a few minutes ago."

A million-and-one thoughts ran through my mind. "Was there s specific reason?" I asked.

Arlo leaned back and sighed. "I went to go talk to him this morning and try to work things out. I saw him lying on the couch with Eli. He told me that nothing was going on between them and I believe him, but..." he frowned. "I just don't think we're on the same paths. I'm looking for love, Reu, not just some short-term fling, and Cronan always seems like he's biding time, waiting for the next big thing to happen which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's not what I want."

"So this had nothing to do with Eli?" I asked him to make sure.

He shook his head. "Seeing them together did get me thinking, but no, we didn't end things because of him. We're just at two different places right now." He turned to me. "Can I ask you a question?" I nodded and Arlo seemed to study my face. "What's going on with you and Eli?"

The question caught me off guard. "Come on, Reuben. I may have been distracted recently, but I'm not stupid. Not to mention, did you really think Cronan wouldn't tell me? What I've been trying to figure out is why you didn't. Why didn't you say anything after we saw them eating together? Why didn't you say anything just now?"

His arms were crossed as he waited for answers, however, the first sentence that came out of my mouth was: "How does Cronan know?"

Arlo stared at me in disbelief. "Is that really all you're going to say?"

I ran my hand through my hair. "What's going on between Eli and I is nothing serious and I didn't realize it was the whole world's business."

Arlo frowned. "Does he know that?"

"Arlo—"

"Does he know that it's 'nothing serious', Reu? Because I've been on the wrong side of one of those and they only end up hurting the person who's been lead on."

My jaw clenched. "I'm not leading him on."

Arlo stared at me. "Well, for his sake, I hope that's true, and Reuben? Decide whether he means something to you or not because people get tired of waiting sooner or later."

"Get out," the two words escaped my mouth before I could think of anything else.

Arlo's eyes widened slightly, but he nodded and stood up. He headed to the door, but just before opening it, he glanced back at me.

"Reuben?" He called out. "It may not be the world's business, but I'm your friend and the last thing I want to see is this backfire and you end up hurt or someone else does."

I didn't respond and with that, he left. I didn't move from my place on the couch for a long time. I didn't answer my phone either. Arlo's words stayed on my mind and I kept thinking back to what he said about Cronan knowing.

Eli told Cronan.

A flurry of emotions swept through me and I leaned back on the couch and let out a loud groan. This was why I stayed away from relationships—they get messy. I also knew that Eli would eventually find out about Cronan and Arlo breaking up and I knew that in typical Eli fashion, he would think he had something to do with it and come here begging for me to tell Arlo about us.

It was a mess. This was part of what I was trying to escape by coming to Oakwood.

My eyes drifted to my phone and I picked it up. I ignored all the messages and missed calls and went straight to my contacts.  I scrolled down slightly and clicked on one of them. My finger hesitated over the phone icon.

I hadn't dialed the number since I received it. Would he even pick up? Was it worth it? How would Eli react? I wasn't sure. What I did know was that if we continued down the same path then Eli would only get hurt. Besides, they were friends after all...

So, before I could talk myself out of it, I tapped the call button and brought the phone up to my ear. I held my breath and waited as it rang.

One...two...three.

The call connected, but there was no talking on the other end. For a second, it seemed like no one was there until I heard an all too familiar voice.

"Hello?"