Forever You - Evening the Score // Book Two

Chapter 10

Elena wasn't sure when she fell asleep, but she was still wearing all of her clothes.  Her eyes were almost cemented shut due to the mascara she didn't take off and she had a splitting headache.  It was barely daylight, the sun just coming up over the horizon casting a orangish pink glow over the landscape.  Usually Elena was comforted by that glow in the morning.  It meant she had another day to make things happen.  But all she felt this morning was regret and such deep shame it suffocated her.

She pushed herself onto her hands, glancing around the room.  The house was silent.  Was Harry still even here?

Just as she was about to get out of bed she heard someone rummaging around in the kitchen.  Dread waved over her, but she had to try to talk to him again.  She had to try to get him to understand.

When she rounded the doorway into the kitchen, Harry was seated at the table with a mug of coffee and his laptop.  Elena hoped he wasn't looking at those pictures again.  She was relieved when he started typing. 

Elena took a few steps into the kitchen.  Her heart stopped when Harry looked up from his mug.  The anger and hurt were still there though she wasn't sure why she expected them not to be.  He blinked once and then turned back to his laptop.

Elena leaned against the island, racking her brain for something to say.  She pushed her hands awkwardly into the counter,

"Harry,"  She started.  He stayed focused on his laptop screen, sending Elena's heart sinking into her stomach.  She took another breath, "I'm sorry."  Was all she could get to come out.

Harry lifted his mug to his lips, but didn't move his eyes,

"You said that."  He answered, his voice so robotic it scared her.

Elena bit her lip to keep the tears from showing again,

"There is...just so much you don't understand."

Harry nodded again,

"Said that too."

Elena walked towards him.  She sat down in the chair next to his, her hand reaching out for his when he set his mug down,

"Please..."  She begged, "Please look at me."

Harry stopped then, his eyes still focused on the screen.  He let out a long sigh before he finally lifted his eyes to hers. 

Elena saw it then.  The small glimmer of forgiveness in his eyes.  He was hurt and angry, but he wanted to understand.  She scooted forward, about to start talking when Harry took his hand from hers.  He stood up, his back turned as he walked towards the sink with his head shaking,

"I can't do this right now."  He answered as he set his mug down in the sink.

Elena set her now empty hand in her lap,

"Harry I didn't know what I was going to do.  It came as such a shock that I panicked." 

He didn't respond but he didn't walk away.  His head dropped as he listened.  Elena stood up to walk towards him,

"We had just made this huge step with me moving here...and we were just coming down from that.  I wanted to get used to everything first...it was all happening so fast."

Harry scoffed, just slightly, his shoulders jumping when he did,

"You make it sound like I forced you into all of this."

Elena shook her head vigorously as she placed herself in front of him,

"No!"  She said, her voice slightly louder than normal, "I wanted to move here to be with you.  I wanted us to start our life together.  I never questioned that."