"Baby, you in there?" I hear Elijah call out from my bedroom.
"I'm in my closet!" I yell, standing up from my little corner.
"Hi," he says smiling warmly at me in the doorway.
"Hi," I say, walking into his arms.
"What are you up to?" he says, rubbing my sides as I bury my face in the crook of his neck.
"Just watching YouTube videos," I answer, pulling away and heading back to my corner.
"I never understood why you hung out in your closet...but it is pretty cosy." he says, sitting beside me. He pulls me in his arms tightly and I lay the laptop his lap.
"Dad left for Arizona this morning," he whispers after we watch a few or Lauren Elizabeth's YouTube videos. Suddenly, I knew why he'd been so adamant on spending time with me and staying close to my side.
"How long have you known?" I ask him.
"How long what?" he asks.
"You've been acting strange all week, Eli...how long have you known he'd be going back?" I ask and I feel his body tense up.
"He told me that day you went to visit your dad...its just a meeting." he says trying to reassure me as I pull away.
"You've know since Saturday? Seriously Eli?" I exclaim. He sits there with his head in his hands.
"Eli," I say gently and he looks up at me distressed.
"Please stop calling me that...call me anything but that." He says and I frown.
"The last time you called me 'Eli' I lost you, so just please stop calling me that." he says and I close my eyes, leaning back against the wall. Of course, he'd think back to that night. I snake my arm around his, and intertwine our fingers.
"Yes, I knew dad was leaving since Saturday but it's just a meeting...thats what he said. He said we shouldn't have anything to worry about." he says and I feel that queasy, uneasy feeling in my stomach.
"But you still are," I say and I feel his grip on me get tighter.
"I can't leave you again," he says, voice trembling at the last moment. I slide my hand from his and pull him into my arms.
"I can't, I can't" he repeats and I shush him. This was one of those very rare times I saw Elijah absolutely terrified.
"And you're not, you said it yourself; your dad said that it was just a meeting." I tell him, kissing his cheek.
"I don't want to lose you again, I don't want to go through that again." he says, pulling me onto his lap, my laptop forgotten.
"Elijah, you're not...Okay? You're not going to lose me." I say, looking him in the eyes. He's so panicked, I don't think he actually understands what I was trying to tell him.
"Focus, baby, focus. Look at me," I say gently, holding his face in my hands. His eyes finally meets mine.
"Focus. We're here in my little walk in closet, on this insanely comfy carpet floor...I'm where I'm supposed to be, in your arms and I love you. I'm not going anywhere. You are not going to lose me." I tell him and he takes a deep breath in.
"I love you," I whisper, kissing the spot below his ear.
"I love you so much," he says, holding me tight.
"I know," I answer cheekily, smiling to myself. I feel his fingers run through my hair.
"I'm sorry for calling you Eli, I was just caught up in the moment." I tell him and he pulls back to look at me.
"What if my dad comes back and tells me we are going back to Arizona?" he asks and I shrug.
"I don't know, you'd be going back to Arizona...but we'd still be together." I say and he kisses me. We only pull apart when we need more air to breathe.
"What was that for?" I ask after I catch my breath.
"For being such an amazing person, my person." he says before kissing me again.
"I've had some time to grow up and realize that the man I love -by some absolutely fucking crazy chance - loves me back...and that no amount of miles can change that." I tell him. He smile at me, kissing my fingers.
"You couldn't realize that a year ago?" he ask jokingly and I hit him in his arms, laughing.
"Now you got jokes," I say.
"Seriously though, if you were to go back to Arizona....you'll still have my heart. Always." I say, laying back against his chest.
"Why aren't you freaking out like I just was?" He asks.
"Because...this is us, Elijah. The two crazy in love kids who broke almost a year ago and were still hung up over one another. And now we're back together and I think stronger than ever. We're gonna make it." I answer him and he kisses the top of my head.
"God, I love you." I hear him say quietly and I smile.
"I'm certain he loves you too." I tell him and his arms tighten around while I laugh.
"I love you too," I get off of my laughing fit.
We're gonna be okay.
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Chapter 30 has not been edited. Hope you enjoyed. xo
YOU ARE READING
Unconditionally
Romance"What I was suppose to do? You left me, you went to Arizona." I shout at him as he storms away. "Wait for me." He shouts and I go mute. Did he really just say that? Had he really expected me to just sit around? "Oh yeah, j...
