Sweet Revenge

Apology

I could do nothing but stare dumbstruck into the face of the little boy whose life I'd helped make miserable, feeling as if the air had been ripped from my lungs. It was surreal to take him in and see how his familiar face had transformed into the handsome and stunning looking boy stood across the room. His face had been pudgy and soft in his youth but now it was chiselled and structured. His grey eyes regarded me cooly above sharp cheekbones, and his golden hair fell in dishevelled waves. A muscle ticked in that defined jaw as we stared at each other. I was steel reeling with shock as I  gazed at him in disbelief. Jess nudged me, and I watched as Elliot's eyes flickered to her. His gaze hardened before flitting back to me and though his blank expression didn't change his eyes looked dark and unhappy. He turned away, listening as Deacon Lewis told him a story. I turned to Jess, my eyes bulging.
"It's him. It's him." I whispered, my voice shaky with horror. Jess' brows scrunched together in confusion, but she instantly knew what I was talking about.
"What? No it's not." She said quickly, her gaze bouncing back to Elliot. I nodded frantically, wanting to hit her over the head for being so unobservant and easily distracted by his blinding good looks. How could she not recognise him? I'd know him anywhere.
"Yes. It. Is." I gritted out, raking a hand through my hair in frustration. I felt shaky and off kilter. I quickly placed my drink down on the counter and leaned against the wall for support. It was horrible, unnerving and guilt inducing to be faced with your sins. It was much easier to feel like a good person and distance myself from the horrible things I'd done and said with a whole ocean between Elliot and I. An ocean he'd put in his place to escape the persecution of me and my friends. I felt tears well up in my eyes and quickly swiped them away. Jess had been frowning as she intensely stared in Elliot's direction.
"Holy shit, I think you're right." She murmured.
"I am right." I almost growled. Jess looked shaken for a moment as she fully registered that Elliot Harris had returned before she shook her head, as if clearing thoughts.
"This changes nothing." She said finally, though I could see the hesitation in her eyes.
"Jess, I swear to God, if you go near him, if you hurt a hair on his head..." I snarled. Both Jess and I drew back startled at the vehemence of my reaction. I blinked but didn't take the words back.
"It's more complicated than that." Jess said quietly, looking slightly pale.
"No, no it's not." I said resolutely, glaring at her. If she thought that I would let her pursue Elliot to play her mind games and little flirtations on him, after all we'd done in the past, she had another thing coming.
"Melody and Aria are challenging me." Jess spat out finally. I cocked my head to the side.
"What?"
"They think I've grown weak. I can tell. And Melody has her sights set on Elliot too. I need to seduce him before she does." Jess explained stiffly, having the grace at least to look ashamed by the petty, superficial nature of her words.
"I don't give a flying fuck." I said instantly, and Jess raised her eyebrows at my tone.
"I'm serious Jess. Stay away from him. And that bitch Melody better stay away from him too." I announce angrily, my eyes narrowing as I spotted her across the room. She was standing near Elliot, pretending to pay attention to whatever Erin was saying to her but her gaze was fixed salaciously on Elliot, running over his muscular frame. I bristled at the thought of her getting her way with him.
"It's quite amusing how you're acting like his biggest protector all of a sudden. Maybe if you'd acted this way back then he wouldn't have run away across the globe." Jess snapped. I glared at her, trying to stomp down the hurt I felt rising in my chest. The words stung so much because they were true. Jess sighed, regret already in her features but I held up a hand to halt her apology, turned and fought my way through the people crowded throughout the house so I could get some fresh air. I leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths, and tugging my hair anxiously.
"So you still pull at your hair when you're stressed." A voice floats through the cool night air and I stiffened as I recognised it, despite the years that had changed and deepened it. I take a deep breath and turn around, hiding my shaking hands in my pockets. He stood there, leaning calmly against the wall behind me, his grey eyes inscrutable as he studied me. I felt my heart clench at how stunningly he'd grown up, it was so strange to see him like this now, tall, muscular and quietly confident as opposed to the tearful little boy I remembered.
"Elliot." I whispered, searching for more words but I'd suddenly forgotten all vocabulary. He tilted his head, his stormy gaze still unreadable.
"Bella." He said my name delicately, as if tasting the letters on his tongue. I wet my lips, trying to think of a way to convey how sorry I was, how much I'd changed. He laughed darkly, glancing up at the sky before returning his gaze to me.
"You were surprised to see me." He observed quietly.
"Yes." I murmured, my voice strained. "I didn't think I'd see you again." I continued softly. Elliot took a few steps closer to me.
"Yes I'm sure. I'm sure you expected never to have to look on my face again." He said in a voice too indifferent to be casual.
"Elliot...I'm so sorry." I quickly blurted, unable to keep the words in without them burning a hole in my tongue. His eyes widened almost imperceptibly, but he said nothing as he stared down at me impassively, waiting to see if I'd continue.
"Elliot, I hate myself for how I treated you, along with Jess and the others, but I'm not apologising on their behalf. I'm apologising from the bottom of my heart, you'll never know how truly, deeply ashamed I am of myself. For how I hurt you. God, I know we were young but my behaviour was inexcusable. I made you miserable, I..." I broke off as the tears now streaming freely down my cheeks made it too difficult for me to speak. I pressed a trembling hand to my mouth to hold in a choked sob, shaking my head as I gazed up at him, beseeching with my eyes for his forgiveness. He stared down at me as if calculating something, while I cried. I took a deep breath, at last beginning to control my tears. He shook his head slowly.
"God you're pathetic." He said coldly. I froze, flinching in hurt as I stared at him. His beautiful face was unreadable, except for the contempt clear in his steely eyes.
"What?" I hiccuped out in a tiny voice.
"I said you're pathetic." He repeated coolly without missing a beat. "Did you think that little act would convince me that you've changed? You're a good girl now huh? I'm supposed to believe that?" He laughed coldly. I stared up at him in shock. This cold boy was nothing like the Elliot Harris I remembered. Elliot had been soft spoken, sweet and empathetic.
"It's not an act." I stuttered, pushing my hair behind my ears as I watched him cautiously.
"I'm not a bad person. I've changed." I whispered. Elliot smirked, the light of the moon gleaming in his eyes turning them silver. I coughed and looked away quickly, as I overcame an unwelcome punch of attraction for him. He leaned closer, his lips curled in dark amusement.
"No you haven't Bella. You were a bad person then. And you're a bad person now. You'll always be a bad person." He whispered softly, his words as gentle as a caress despite the way they cut into me like the blade of a knife. I took in a sharp inhale of breath, as he confirmed that everything I ever feared about myself was true. He studied me again, apparently satisfied before he stepped back and gave me a small, mocking smile.
"See you around Bella." He says in a friendly tone, the sinister gleam in his eyes making the words sound like a threat. Then he turned and strolled casually back through the door and into the party, leaving me tearful and devastated in the cold.