Who We Were | ✓

chapter nine

Everly Clark

I TIGHTLY clenched my fingers as I felt my hands trembling at my sides. All the pain and heartaches I buried all these years seemed to awaken from their cold, somber grave. He was like a dream, too good to be true. Surreal to conceive and believe. The strong thumping of my heart was what I couldn't handle although. This was not good. This was not good at all. I needed to give in a little fight, to resist the damn temptations. I couldn't trust my heart.

I also took his silence as a chance to observe him properly. I noticed that he had a tattoo going down his entire right arm and by telling from his rolled-up sleeves of his expensive looking suit, it looked as if he came from a business meeting of some sort.

All my feelings were bursting out and I had no idea how to feel. My mind was hectic but there was only one thing I wanted to do right now. Kiss him.

I wanted to reach out and grab his face in my hands and kiss him hard. To make sure that the kiss showed every emotion I felt through these years. I wanted to give him a kiss of forgiveness.

I took a step forward and he took one back. I immediately paused my actions, feeling a pang in my chest. God, I was delusional. He hated me with every fiber in his body.

"Don't even try to touch me," he spat, "Listen here Everly, I'm here to warn you. You better watch your back, traitor. I will ruin you, just like you ruined my family."

Oh, God. I let out a shaky breath, trying to calm myself down.

"Ricky please!" I pleaded, helpless to his frightening gaze.

"Shut up!" he yelled, "Just shut up. You are a pathetic person and you deserve to be hurt in the worst ways possible!"

I flinched at his words, closing my eyes tightly. A few tears escaped, falling down my face like rain down a window.

"You deserve all the happiness in the world," Ricky smiled at me, cupping my cheek.

"You've got a heart made of gold," he whispered, pushing my hair behind my ear.

He doesn't mean it. He possibly couldn't. He was supposed to tell me that I was going to be okay, not to make sure to hurt myself, like he always had.

Then he just left. He walked away from me, just like I had, ignoring my desperate cries of pain. He left.

• • •

"Everly, oh God!" I heard Gabriel's voice, although it was a bit fuzzy.

I sat on the cold, hard ground, my back pressed onto the wall. I had been crying for three hours straight, not moving at all. After Ricky had left, I had another panic attack and I had gone hysteric.

Crying and screaming loudly. Feeling vulnerable and confused. Alone and broken.

"Jesus Ev, what's wrong," he was on his knees, his eyes frantic and filled with concern. He reached out and hesitantly placed his hand on my shoulder.