Everlasting Love

Finding El

Ben POV:

"I don't know where she could possibly be." I said standing outside on the street searching with Bob.

"Hey I'm here." DeMarius said running up.

"Good, we need as many people out searching as we can." I said.

"Where's Carrie?" He asked.

"She's staying with Chloe." I said. "Ok let's all split up. We got this guys. She's somewhere in the city and we have to find her." I said and we split up. I have an idea where she can be. I hopped on the subway and went down the street to her old house. I climbed up the fire escape and climbed through her bedroom window. The place looked abandoned, like something in a creepy horror movie. Ok if a man with an axe pops out wearing a mask I am getting the hell out of here. I walked through the apartment into her living room and found her sitting on the couch holding a photo book. "Eliza?" I asked. She jumped at the mention of her name and flipped her head back to look at me.

"How did you find me?" She asked.

"Because I know you too well." I said. "What's that?" I asked.

"An old photo album. This ones from Carries first birthday." She said showing me one of the pictures.

"Why did you run away?" I asked.

"I didn't. I just needed an escape for a little bit. I didn't think anybody would even notice." She said.

"Of course I noticed Eliza. And so did your sister who is at our house freaking out about you." I said wrapping my arm around her.

"Joey broke up with me." She said as tear fell down her face.

"Oh my gosh, El I am so sorry." I said pulling her closer to me so I could protect her. "Why did he break up with you?" I ask.

"Um, he didn't tell me." Eliza said. "Please promise me you will never leave me."

"I promise." I said grabbing her hand in mine. Just when I thought I was over her, she moves her way right back into my heart. Too bad she will never think of me as more than a friend. "Now we need to get you back to your sister, she's freaking out." I said.

"Can we just sit here a couple minutes longer, just you and me?" She asked.

"Of course." I said. 30 minutes later, we walked into the apartment and Carrie sprinter over, grabbing Eliza in a hug.

"EL I THOUGHT YOU LEFT ME." Carrie cried holding onto Eliza.

"No sweetie, I would never leave you. I just had to go somewhere for a little bit and forgot I had turned my phone off." Eliza said kneeling down and holding Carries hands.

"Thank you for staying with her." I said walking over to Chloe.

"It was no problem. I'm glad you found Eliza." She smiled.

"Next time I swear we will have an actual date." I laughed.

"It's ok, I don't mind." She laughed. "But I have to take Allyson home to sleep, it's way past her bedtime. I'll see you later." She said kissing my cheek and leaving.

"Where did you go El?" Carrie asked.

"I just wanted to grab some old pictures from the house." Eliza said. "But it's past your bedtime too so go get in bed. I'm be in there soon." And she ran off.

"You can't keep running away from your problems." I said.

"I wasn't trying to today. I just wanted to escape people for a little bit." She said. "How are things going with Chloe?"

"Great. I think I want to ask her to be my girlfriend" I smiled.

"That's great." She smiled. The key word there was, I think. I mean, I had been sure of it earlier. But now, sitting with Eliza, I realize I never got over her. But she will never like me back that way. And Chloe likes me, and I like her. "Hey Ben, I think I'm going to try and find an apartment for me and Carrie to live in."

"Wait, what? No!" I said. It's enough I can't call her mine, but I can't bear not seeing her everyday.

"Yeah, we can't keep freeloading off of you. It was going to happen sooner or later. Might as well be now." Eliza said.

"No you don't free load! You pay rent and pay for food and help whenever you can!" I said. "El...why did Joey break up with you? Tell me the truth." I said grabbing her hands and looking right into her eyes.

"He asked me to move in with him and I told him no because me and Carrie felt safe here and that feeling safe was hard for us. He then told me he thinks I'm too close with you and that its weird that we live with you. And then he broke up with me because he had this crazy idea that I had feelings for you." Eliza said looking down at the ground. So she doesn't have feelings for me. I don't care if she doesn't like me, I want to see her everyday still.

"El that's crazy. Please don't move out, it's lonely here by myself." I said giving her the puppy face.

"Not the puppy face." She laughed.

"Please don't leave me." I said.

"Hey El, can you come help with my closet?" Carrie asked from her room.

"Of course." Eliza said, dropping my hands and running to help. Well, that wasn't a promise. I went to my room and laid down on my bed, pulling out my phone and going to the camera roll.

"Eliza smile for a picture." My voice said on the video.

"Ben stop taking pictures of me." She laughed covering her face with her hair.

"Just one more." I laughed.

"Fine." She laughed at then smiled. What a beautiful smile. The video ended and I was alone staring at the end picture of the video of El smiling. How can I ask Chloe to be my girlfriend if I have feelings for another girl? And big feelings. But she doesn't feel the same way about me. But Chloe does. I can't ditch Chloe for a girl who may never like me back. I guess....I'll just stay with Chloe.