Faded Lines

Chapter 22.

* Michelle *

I gently laid her down on the bed. Reaching up, I moved the hair from in front of her eyes. Listening to her break down completely and stay quiet was hard for any mother to do. But Eva never really knew what it was like to have parents like that, who actually cared. A tear ran down my cheek thinking of all the horrible stuff life has thrown at her. She sees a shell of a girl. But I see the strongest young woman I have ever met. Someone who did everything in her life right, and got treated wrong. I don't know any girl that could tell the stories she just did with her shoulders sqaured and her head raised. She has a long, hard recovery ahead of her. But if she trys, then she will have a beautiful future. I jumped as I felt a hand on my shoulder. Looking behind me, Aiken looked confused as to why I was crying.  I quickly composed myself.

"Sorry sweetie, just got a little emotional. I'm going to go find your dad. We have a lot to talk about. I have a plan."

"Um, okay. Mom?"

I turned back around, "Yes baby?"

I saw him struggle with himself, "Is everything okay?"

I shook my head trying to will the tears away, I didn't like him seeing me this way without being able to explain why. And that wasn't my place to. "No baby. I'm sorry baby, but it's not okay. And it probably won't be okay for awhile."

I turned and left my son in the room with the girl he loved. He didn't know it yet. And neither did she, but everyone else did. I was just waiting for them to figure it out. Eva relied on Aiken a lot more than she thought. She relied on him to help keep her life somewhat normal, she even said it in her story. And Aiken felt more than he let on. He couldn't leave her. He tore himself up. He just didn't know why. Nothing was okay at this point. But I just needed to find Marcus first. Everything just needed to get set in the right direction. And I had a plan!

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* Aiken *

I shook my head as mom left the room. She was really upset. More so, then when we found Eva. What had she told the cops to make them walk out with tears in their eyes, and for my mom to be acting like that. I'll just have to see if Eva will tell me. I won't ask, but just wait to see if she gives it up freely. Making my way to her, I noticed the tear streaks on her face, and felt my heart constrict again. I've finally accepted the fact that somewhere along the way, I began to care for her. She has always been absolutely breath taking, but that's not what did it. I don't know when  I started to care for her, but it must of happened within the past three years of fighting with her. When she had fainted in my room, that should have been my first clue. I gently wiped the tear streaks from her cheeks. Making sure to be careful not to wake her. Her bruising was becoming nonexistent. She stirred some, as I laid down beside her but didn't wake up. Putting my hands behind head, I got comfortable before slipping off into the oblivion.

I felt the sun on my face, and smiled. Someone must of opened the curtains. Turning over, I noted Eva was still asleep. Getting up, I headed to the bathroom to relieve myself. When I came back Eva was sitting up, looking at her hands.

"The doctor said I can go home later today," she whispered,  I guess hearing me walk back into the room. "I don't have a home."

"Yes, you do. Your parents house is still your home. And if you don't want to go there, I heard my parents talking saying you could take the guest room. Even Kelly said you could stay with her. Her parents don't care."

"Why are you doing this?" She asked, keeping her head down.

"What do you mean?" I was confused.

"This," she said again, motioning towards around the room with her hands. "Everyone has told me how you wouldn't leave my side. You were the one who talked to me the most, and stayed the night. You were the one who wanted me to wake up more than anyone, I could tell in your voice. You were the one who, right before I passed out, said you needed me. Why? Why do you care? You hate me."

I sighed. I should've seen this coming. I ran my hands through my hair. "I don't know Eva. I don't hate you though. Somewhere along the way, I started to care for you. Some time between all our fighting. Maybe it was when you passed out at my house,  or maybe when I kissed you.  I started to care for you, like you. Is that so hard to believe?"

She lifted her head slowly and locked eyes with mine. I felt my heart break for her. Her eyes were so lifeless. Dull. There wasn't an ounce of anything there anymore. She had finally dropped her facade and let everything show. It was heartbreaking. It looked like she had finally broken, given up.

"I think it's because you feel bad. You feel bad for all the things you said to me and then finding out that I didn't have the perfect life you thought I had. You feel bad for making me cry, and then coming to find me, and seeing me worse. I think you pity me. But I think the reason you have stayed with me is because you want to make up for all the things you said and did. But you don't have to feel bad Aiken. Everything you said was true. All of it. I was lucky. It could of been worse, I could be dead, but I'm not. I could of starved, but I didn't. I'm ruined, you don't think I know that? I have nothing to give to anyone. Everything I could possibly ever give, has been taken by force from me. Everything. Do you know what that feels like? Don't feel bad, you were right." She finished. Not a single emotion played on her face, and not a single tear fell down. She truly believed everything she just said.

I turned to walk out the door, not wanting to see her do this to herself. This is what my mom meant when she said nothing way okay. She knew. She must have seen her completely break and give up. But I wasn't having it. I stopped but didn't turn around yet.

"You are wrong,  Eva Rea Brant. Completely wrong. If I only felt bad, I'd say I was sorry then walk out this damn room. I'd leave you the hell alone after that too, and be done with you. I don't pity you, I fucking envy you," I slowly turned to face her. "I have been through some hard times as a child, but you have dealt with it your whole fucking life. I still have nightmares from the time when I was a little boy. But you... you found your own way to deal with it. Every time you picked yourself up, and moved on. I can't even do that. Nothing I said was true. Not even close. And I didn't say those things to win. This isn't a fucking game anymore Eva. I said those things because I just wanted a reaction. Something. You were worrying everyone. And you were scaring me. Scaring me, because when you wouldn't talk ormlook at anyone, I just wanted to grab you and hold you. To make whatever was going on, go away. And when you winced away from my touch, you hurt me. I just wanted you to show me, that you were still there. The only girl who has ever been able to go head to head with me in an argument. But when you looked at me and told me to walk away I felt my heartbreak. I went home and cried on my mom's shoulder. I felt awful, because I never meant to hurt you. Never. And when I found you, how you looked," I took a few steps towards her. "I thought I'd never get to joke with you anymore, hear you laugh at me or call me an egostitical jerk. I'd never get to pick you up while you were sleeping, and carry you to the car. And I was so worried that I'd never see your eyes open again. And they haven't taken everything from you. They can't take your strength or your love. Don't let them take your future Eva. So don't you dare sit there and say I just feel bad and pity you. Because that is not true." I felt tears make their way down my cheeks, before Eva's soft hands wiped them away. "Somewhere along the way, through the years. I began to care for you, like you, hell even fucking love you."

I finished before grabbing her face, tangling my fingers in her hair and kissed her with all I had.