I Won't Tell You I Love You

chapter six

"Your words in my head, knives in my heart,
you build me up and then I fall apart"
- Christina Perri
___________________________

ADLEY and Eli stayed there for over an hour, eventually sitting on the ground. Still clinging onto each other for dear life. Still crying. Eli opened his eyes to see Theo and Amara coming towards them, looking like they'd both been crying.
"I-is that your siblings?" Eli asked her, Adley looking up.
"Hm?" Turning around, Adley saw her brother and sister.
"Oh. Yeah."

The two approached them, and Adley could tell they'd both been crying.
"Addy..."
"Come here, Ama." Adley ushered her younger sister towards her, bringing her close and holding on to her as they both cried. Theo joined his younger sisters, engaging in a similar embrace to the one just a couple of days prior. The three cried together, as Eli watched them.
"Lee, I'm gonna g-" Eli started.
"No, no, come here. Theo, Ama, this is Eli." The three slowly pulled out of their embrace, facing Eli.

"Hey. I'm Theo. This is Amara." Theo walked up to him, hugging him. It wasn't how he normally greeted new people, but needless to say, this was different. "Thanks for... taking care of Ad."
"Of course."

"Um, Addy?"
"What's up, Ama"
"Why are we here? I thought A- Acacia was... over there." Ama asked, gesturing towards her sister's gravestone.
"Um, she is." But before Adley could explain, Theo had already read the gravestone they were stood by.

"The other little girl..." Theo's words made Eli sharply turn his head towards Adley's brother. "Eli, don't tell me that's your-" Theo started, shaking his head, still with tears in his eyes. Eli nodded his head, cutting Theo off.
"My sister." Eli's voice came barely above a whisper, but it was enough to make them all start crying again. The four sat on the ground, tears streaming down all their faces, all holding on to each other.

"I bet that bastard doesn't even care. Much less remember the fucking date." Adley blurted out, making her siblings stare at her.
"Ad, Acacia's the reason he's like he is. Cut him some slack."
"And yet he still decided to leave like two days before the anniversary?"
"I know it's not my business, but are you talking about your father?" Eli asked, not really directed at any of them in particular. Adley looked at him and nodded.

"I think we've made it your business, man." Theo gave him a sad smile as he spoke.
"I'm not surprised Mum's not here, either." Amara seemed distant as she spoke those words. Adley turned her head so fast she was sure she should've broken her neck.
"Let's not talk about her, Ama." Adley urged, looking away.
"Why? We haven't spoken a word about her since-"
"Enough, Mara." Theo said as calmly as he could manage. "If she doesn't even bother to call us, then that's on her, okay? I think it's time to go home now."

As they all stood up, Theo and Amara said that they wanted to go and see Acacia before they left, leaving Adley and Eli alone once again.
"Bet that was the weirdest first meeting ever, huh?"
"I can think of weirder. That was nice." Eli smiled. "I thought your brother would hate me."
"Oh god no, he's really not as bad as he seems. He's just... protective. He can tell you're a good guy."
"I'm glad."

"Eli- about what you said before they got here-"
"I meant it, Lee. But let's not talk about it now." Taking a deep breath, Adley looked around her, only to see a face she was sure she'd never see again.
"Mum?" Adley said to herself in disbelief, making Eli look at Adley, then at her mother, then back at Adley.

With tears in her eyes, Adley quickened her pace, eventually running towards her mother.
"Adley..." Her mother said, as her daughter crashed into her arms. A little taken aback at first, her mother eventually gave in, wrapping her arms around Adley, resisting the urge to cry. Just then, Amara sprinted up to them, flinging her arms around her mother and older sister.
"You're allowed to cry, Mum." Theo told his mother as he approached, with tears in his own eyes. He wrapped his arms around all three of them, now bigger than his mother.

"You're so big, all of you." Their mother held them at arms length, as if they'd disappear if she let go.
"Yeah, that's what happens when you don't make the effort to see your kids for a year." Adley scoffed, pulling away.
"Ad..." Theo started.
"No, Theo, she's right. I'm sorry, all of you. Y-you have no idea how many times I picked up the phone but didn't ring, got in my car but didn't drive. And I really am sorry."
"What stopped you?" Amara asked her, looking up. It was the first thing she'd said since she saw her mother.

"Honestly? Your father. I didn't want to face him."
"Finally, someone who understands me." Adley muttered as she rolled her eyes, causing Theo to shoot her a stare and raise his eyebrows, to which Adley responded with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Something happened between you two, Ad?"
"You don't know the half of it." Adley sighed, just before hearing her phone vibrate in her pocket.

I think I'm gonna take off now, Lee. See you tomorrow?

Eli. She couldn't just let him go home without saying goodbye. And thank you. Looking up to see if he was still there, she noticed he'd started off down the dirt road. Adley began to run, and eventually sprint to him. Calling out his name, she ran as fast as she could. Eli turned around and smiled, realising what she was going to do. Adley flung her arms around him, jumping up into his arms, and Eli caught her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. She buried her head in his shoulders, and Eli did the same as he clung onto her for dear life. Adley slowly lifted her head up, her eyes meeting with Eli's.

For what seemed like minutes but was only mere seconds, the two stared into each other's eyes. And then, there it was. Adley crashed her lips on Eli's, melting into his embrace. At this point, she didn't care that her family was probably watching her. She didn't care that she'd promised herself this is exactly what she wouldn't do. She just... didn't care. Eli held Adley tight as he kissed her, her legs still wrapped tightly around his waist. He put his hand on the back of her head, making her hair even messier than it already was. Adley pulled Eli's head closer to hers, and eventually pulled away.

"I- I have to go now, Eli." Adley slowly unwrapped her legs, and stood on the ground.
"M-me too." Adley saw how red Eli's cheeks were. She expected her family could see it from all the way down the road.
"You're blushing." Adley smirked as she turned on her heel and walked away. Eli slowly brought his hand up to his face, feeling his cheeks. As he turned around to walk home, he moved his hand to his lips. The lips that Adley just kissed. He could hardly believe it.

Adley had kissed him. On purpose.

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