Tragic

Chapter Ten: Blame It On Me

Hunter

I know exactly what it looked like to have Regan come over last night. Technically it wasn't even my idea. She called and asked if she could drop off a few of my things I left there. We talked for a while, but that was about it. Nothing happened—although I'd bet anything Elliot thinks it did. Serves her right.

I sat up waiting for Elliot to turn the light off in her bedroom, but she never did. She either didn't sleep or she wasn't really in there. I can't be sure so I'm currently waiting to ambush her run this morning.

If I'm being honest, I might have gone too far yesterday. I guess it has a lot to do with Ollie's influence on her. She doesn't act like most girls, but I'm starting to think her tough exterior has its cracks. No matter what she does to try and hurt me I still want her. There's something between us I can't really explain. It's real and honest and we don't need to play games in order to prove we should be together. I know we should—I just don't know how.

I'm beginning to wonder if she's even going to run today when I spot her slip out of the side door. Her long ponytail is hanging out of a baseball cap and she's actually fully dressed in a hoodie and track pants. It's still sexy even if she isn't trying to be.

Her eyes flare in annoyance when I jog over to meet her.

"Oliver coming with you today?"

"No."

"Can I come with you?"

She laughs once as she bends to stretch her leg. "Don't you have company to entertain?"

I shake my head. "She wasn't here for me—it's not like you think." I shove my hands in my pockets, suddenly feeling nervous. The anger coming off of her is radiating in waves so intense I'm half afraid she'll burn me.

Elliot continues to ignore me and stands up straight to put her earbuds in. "Like I said, I don't think about you at all. So, why would I care?"

She turns to walk away from me, and I pull the strings from her ears. "That's not true and you know it."

For a moment I think she's going to respond but then she takes off running down the driveway. I follow her of course.

We make it almost an entire mile and she still hasn't attempted to put her earbuds back in or say anything to me at all.

"Can we talk about this?" I ask as I keep stride with her.

She glances over at me quickly and then back to the road.

I sigh. "Okay, fine. I'll talk." I take a breath. "I'm sorry."

She lets out a huff but doesn't slow her pace, so I continue. "This isn't fun for me, Elliot. We don't need to keep hurting each other."

It feels like she's running faster because my chest keeps getting tighter. "Say something," I demand.

"What you did last night—was bullshit," she spits out.

"What I did? What about what you've been doing with Dylan?"

She rolls her eyes and it makes me want to scream. "Nothing even happened between me and Regan. I had to watch you make out with that guy for over an hour in the fucking hot tub."

She laughs once. "I didn't make you watch. You chose to do that all on your own."

"It was right outside my window, Elliot. Like I had a fucking choice."