Loves Me Not

*REVISED* Chapter Thirty-five

I don't leave my house for three days, finding no reason to face the outside world with the storm of emotions swirling inside of me. But that doesn't stop them from trying to reach me. Ellie keeps up regular one-sided conversations with me, shooting text after unanswered text before she finally just calls me, rambling on through the phone despite my occasional halfhearted responses. Charlie texts me randomly throughout the day, asking how everything is going or if I need rescuing again. But Jeremiah...he texts me twice, and only twice, every day; his texts being the first thing I see when I wake up and the last thing I read before I go to bed.

Finally, Archer forces me from my room, dragging me out of the cocoon of blankets on my bed to the curved sectional in the living room. There waits Ellie, her legs crossed at the ankles as she frowns heavily at me. I take the blankeT I was able to drag behind me and wrap it around my shoulders before I sit on the couch.

"We're worried about you," she says bluntly, although there is a softness to her voice.

I don't say anything, staring blankly at the unlit fireplace instead.

"How much longer is this going to last?" She asks after a few minutes, some of that softness gone.

I still don't respond, although this time it's because I don't have an answer. Ellie sighs loudly before she whispers something to Archer, who is occupying the seat to her immediate left. He whispers something back, which she responds to in another hurried whisper.

"I'm still sitting right here," I grunt after a minute of their private conversation.

"Told you it would work," Ellie grins triumphantly as Archer grunts in anger.

I look away with a glare, waiting for them to get to the point so I can go back up into my room. But they don't say anything, the silence stretching out between us.

"What do you want?" I mumble, pulling the blanket tighter around me.

"We want you to get out of the house for a little bit; even if you only take a walk around the neighborhood."

"It's 27 degrees outside." I point out.

"Take a jacket," Ellie combats immediately, her face resolved.

"Or two," Archer adds in with a smile.

I glare at the both of them, repulsed by their unending enthusiasm.

"I'll be fine in my room," I reply, shrinking further into myself.

"You're lucky my parents are making me go to this stupid dinner tonight." Ellie sighs heavily as she moves to stand, smoothing out the wrinkles that have appeared in her dress. "But tomorrow my schedule is completely free and I am going to be spending the entire day with you. So this is going to be your last night of sulking."

Ellie grabs her coat that is resting on the couch. "Enjoy this while it lasts."

I don't say anything, the energy I thought I had gathered to flee back into my room suddenly leaves me. I sink even further into the couch than I thought possible. I'm already dreading tomorrow. The combination of Ellie's stubbornness and unwavering optimism already has me exhausted enough to not want to get up tomorrow. So I just don't respond, knowing there is nothing I can say to change my fate any longer.

As Ellie moves to leave I take note of the elegant dress she is now hiding underneath her black trench coat. Her make up is done as well, her hair pinned up into two perfectly gelled back French Rolls. She really does look like has something special to do tonight. Maybe her parents are dragging her to some fancy dinner again. She absolutely hates being their little puppet, so she will be absolutely insufferable tomorrow.