Someone Like Elliott

Chapter 8: Scared?

"Miss Barca, over here." A voice said and a second later a camera flushed.
"Miss Barca, Miss Barca."
Wow, who knew Kim was such a celeb. I thought baffled.
Penny looked a bit overwhelmed by everything and I knew she was about to have a panic attack.
The paparazzi were all around us and I felt fingers grab mine tight. Every where we turned, we were blinded by white flashing lights.
Penny. Her face was slowly turning pink and it looked as if she was about to faint.
"Please, move out of the way, move out." Kim said trying to make space for us but the noise was a bit too loud for her to be heard.
Henry and her date as well were also pushing to make space for us but it was almost impossible.
I could feel my patience wearing thin.
"Move out of the fucking way!"I screamed and for a moment there was silence.
I pushed Penny to Henry who quickly rushed her inside but the rest of us couldn't get in. The paparazzi became more vicious now and this time, I was at the receiving end of the questions.
"Who are you miss."
"Why are you so rude."
"How do you know Miss Barca."
"Did you just tell the paparazzi to fuck off."
If I was angry then, now, I was pissed. "Jayna, if you don't want your face to be on the front covers of tomorrow's newspaper, please don't react and just smile." Kim said through a sweet smile.
I heard a car pull up infront and I sighed in relief as all the paparazzi rushed towards that car.
Kim, her date and I walked inside unharmed. I turned around to take a peek of who just arrived.
My eyes connected with a pair of icy blue ones and I felt my body tense.
Slowly, his lips pulled up into a smirk, eyes still connected to mine. His eyes roamed around my face.
From my eyes to my nose and finally settled on my lips. I don't know how my bottom lip ended under my teeth but that action had his eyes darkening.
My body felt hot all over and my eyes unconsciously did the same.
His hair was combed neatly to the back. A few strands falling unto his forehead and my hands itched to push them back.
I didn't even realise when I stopped walking until Kim nudged me.
"Sorry." I apologised, breaking the eye contact I had with Elliott.
What is wrong with me. I thought annoyed.
What was he even doing here.
"Kim." I called out to her as we walked into the place.
"Yes ." She responded.
"Elliott's here." I replied, scanning the place. The room was filled with artworks of various kinds.
From pictures to paintings to jewellery and even clothes.
"Really." She said excitedly, looking around trying to find him.
"He's out with the paparazzi." I responded.
"There's Penny and Henry." I said and made my way towards them.
They stood infront of a painting trying to figure it out.
"You guys made it alive." Henry said causing Kim to let out a laugh.
"Yh, the paparazzi can be a bit too much." Kim replied.
"Speaking like a true Paparazzi." I said with an eyeroll causing her to laugh again.
"Are you okay Pen." I asked her. She looked fine.
"Yeah. I was just a bit overwhelmed back there." She said with a little smile.
"Tell me about it. I had no idea you were this wanted Kim." I said giving her a questioning look.
She only shrugged in response.
"Guys look, that's my boss. I'll be back soon." Kim said and walked away with her date.
"Here is pretty incredible isn't it." Penny said her eyes still on the painting.
"Yes it is." The three of us continued looking through paintings and jewellery and soon the place was almost packed.
Suddenly the lights dimmed and the place was lighted up with little blue and purple LED lights
"Welcome, to this year's Save A Life Charity Event."
A voice said excitedly from the speakers. Although the person could not be seen, it wouldn't take a genius to know that the voice belonged to the one and only Camillia Brookes.
"You folks didn't think I gathered you all here to just stand and look at pretty artefacts did you?" She asked drawing murmers of sarcastic responses and laughter from the crowd.
Camillia's laughter was heard clearly over the speakers.
"To the left corner of the room is Elliott Grey." A spotlight suddenly fell on him to which he smiled and waved.
"Behind him is a door, come on in and prepare yourself for a fun night." Camillia said and the room broke into excited cheers.
Slowly, the people in the room decreased as everyone went into the new room.
I walked in along with Penny and Henry when I was suddenly pulled into a room so fast I barely had time to scream.
I was caged to the door by someone and I felt my heart in my mouth. Fear had me paralysed as I thought of the worst case scenario
"It's just me sweetheart." Elliott's voice said, making me look up. I felt my shoulders relax in relief.
"What the heck Elliott." I exclaimed. How could he just pull me in here and cage me against the door.
"No, what the heck Jayna." He said, anger burning in his blue orbs.
"What?" I asked, confusion taking over the anger.
"Yes Jayna, what the heck." He moved away from me, combining his fingers through his hair. A mixture of frustration and puzzlement on his face.
"Why are you ignoring me." He asked.
My mouth run dry.
"Is this the reason why you took me against my will." I asked with an arched eyebrow.
"I had no choice. You are refusing to talk to me. You don't pick up my calls, reply to my message and you think I don't know that you have your barrister lying for you." He had a scowl on his face as he talked.
I couldn't help but feel a bit guilty, dragging an innocent man into my personal troubles.
"I'm sorry Elliott." I sighed. It's my fault for leading him on. I should have come clean after the first date instead of saying nothing and making him worry.
But is that what you want Jay.
"I should have told you earlier that I'm not interested in anything serious. I don't know what I was thinking ignoring you like that, I'm sorry." I apologised again and turned around to leave, a strange feeling settling into my chest and stomach.
Suddenly, a hand tugged mine roughly again. My body turned on its own accord, my chest slamming into a mascular one. A pair of hands settled unto my waist, fingers coming into contact with my bare waist.
My breath hitched as his thumb rubbed circles unto my exposed flesh.
"Elliott" I gasped, my cheeks turning pink.
"You're one hell of a confusing woman, you know that?" He asked. My body felt too fuzzy and my mind distracted as it concentrated on the patterns his thumb was making on my skin.
"What are you interested in." He asked, his breath tickling my face. He smelt like cinnamon and his scent was driving me crazy.
I tried to push his hands away, everything was a bit too much. He was doing things to me no one had ever done before.
"Fuck sweetheart, you have no idea how badly I want to kiss you." He murmed, his eyes dropping to my lips.
Do it
"Don't ." I screamed out loud and pushed him away, standing as far away from him as possible. He had a surprised and hurt look on his face. I felt as if I had just run a marathon.
Breathless and hot
"We can't do this Elliott, I can't do this." I said hugging myself.
"Why can't we Jay. I've never wanted anyone as much as I want you." He said, frustration evident in his voice.
"You're Elliott Grey, you could have any girl you want at the snap of your fingers " I argued. Bitterness seeping into my voice.
"But I don't want any girl, I want you." He argued back. My defense wavered. My eyes roaming his, searching for any sign of dishonesty.
"You don't even know me." I said after a heartbeat of silence. How could he just suddenly come to the conclusion that he wants me.
"Maybe its just a phase." I said again.
"Do you really think I just woke up, came to your cafe by chance and liked you?" He asked with a bittersweet smile.
"The first I saw you was at McDonald's. You were crying and eating a hamburger."
My eyebrows shot up in surprise. That was a year ago. It was a few months after the opening of the cafe.
"Who do you think had the waiters send you a happy meal and a box of tissues." He continued after a while.
"The second time I saw you was at the grocery store close to your cafe. You mostly go there on a Thursday to shop for baking ingredients." He continued.
My cheeks redden as I recalled how I saw him and hid.
"I saw you the last time. Since then I've been keeping an eye on you. Trying to figure out how to get your attention but you've just never noticed me." He sighed sadly at the end, running his hand through his hair.
"And I've tried Jayna. I've tried so many times to get you out of my fucking mind but nothing is working. And when we went out on the date, I was happy. You were happy. I thought we could be happy, together." He looked vulnerable and confused. He suddenly turned away from me, hiding his face.
"It has always been you Jayna." Elliott whispered, his back turned towards me.
I let out a laugh devoid of any amusement. "Stop fucking with me Elliott".
"Goddamit Jayna, I am not fucking with you!" He turned and started walking towards me until our noses were touching. His eyes full of passion and desire.
"See what you do to me". He suddenly lifted my hand and pressed it against his chest and I gasped.
His heart was racing, just like mine always did when I was around him.
"What's stopping you from giving me a try, giving us a try." He asked, holding my hand tightly in his against his chest.
I was in a dilemma. I knew I wanted him.
My body and my heart screamed for him but my brain held me back. A questions of what ifs tumbling in my brain. What happened the last time I let myself love hanged over my head. My heart was beating and throbbing, imagining the pain it will have to go through again when Elliott decides he's tired of me, like how Leon got tired of me.
"I'm scared." I whispered so lightly, I didn't know whether he caught it or not but the look of surprise in his eyes told me he did.
I'm afraid of falling for Elliott. Afraid of becoming a burden to him. Afraid of him not wanting me anymore. Afraid of him leaving me if we get together. Afraid of the pain I'll have to go through if we break up. I was just so danm afraid of falling in love again.
Leon broke me so badly. It took me three years to fix together the pieces of my broken heart.
"I don't know who hurt you this badly sweetheart, but I'm never going to let history repeat itself." Elliot said and gently cleaned the drop of tear that spilled from my eye with his thumb. He squeezed my hands and held it out infront of him.
"Can I kiss you sweetheart?" He asked. A blush settled on my cheeks again and I nodded shyly.
He dropped my hands and held unto my waist tightly, pulling me closer and closer until I was flash against his body.
Slowly, he dipped his head down till our lips were brushing against each other. My breath was coming out in short breaths, my cheeks flushed and mouth slightly parted.
His eyes roamed around my face like how it did earlier today. From my eyes to my nose and to my lips.
"You're so beautiful." He whispered against my lips and kissed me. My eyes fluttered shut. His lips soft and gentle, treating mine as if I was a fragile China doll.
My whole body felt on fire. My whole body felt zapped with some kind of electricity and I felt the blood in my body flow with such intensity and heat that had me arching into the kiss.
Suddenly he pulled away, resting his forehead on mine. My eyes were still close, trying to understand what just happened.
"What do I have to do to show you that I care for you Sweetheart." Elliott said against my lips. My eyes opened and I looked at him, allowing myself to get lost in his eyes.
"Prove it." I whispered back watching as he registered my words.
A glint of determination and hope settled into his eyes and he passed me a heartwarming grin.