The Other Girl(BWWM)

Understanding

I stomped up the stairs passing by Eli until his hand shot out and grabbed onto my ankle.

"W-wait where are you going?" He scrambled to get up, careful not to slip on the wet stone. "I thought we could talk now..."

I huffed, reaching down to gently remove his grip on my leg. "Look Eli I've had a long day and I think it would really be best if we had this 'talk' some other time."

As I rummaged through my backpack in search for my house keys Eli trailed behind me like a lost puppy. Even after unlocking my front door he still followed me, tracking puddles of water through the hall.

"I really don't think this should wait. Just sit down and let me explain and I-" His ongoing speech was cut off by a finger to his lips. I scanned the house for any sign of my parents. Their cars weren't in the driveway but that didn't mean they weren't home, I knew from experience. I glanced back at Eli to see a puzzled expression on his face.

Motioning for him to wait I called out, "Mom? Dad?" My voice echoed out throughout the house only to be met with a reassuring dead silence. 

My parents had yet to find out about Eli and they wouldn't for a bit longer. The situation with Justin was traumatizing enough for them but to find my real mate so soon wouldn't sit right with them, not yet.

I dropped my soaked bag in the middle of the hall, a thud indicating that Eli did the same. I made a sharp left turn into my kitchen bee lining to the pantry for a well-deserved snack.

"Brianna I really need you to listen to me. I get why you're upset I just-" For the second time I interrupted him, this time with a plate of cookies and a glass of milk. 

Yes I was mad at Eli but a part of me also wanted to avoid this conversation. I was pissed. I was pissed because I trusted Eli enough to believe he would keep his promise. Because I thought Justin would never keep something this big from us. And because I wasn't ready to confront the fact that my relationship with Justin could be hurting my relationship with Eli. I didn't understand. Did everything I touch just turn to shit or were Justin's action genuinely causing all of this chaos. But it didn't matter now. Playing the blame game wasn't going to reverse the damage that was already done. If I wanted things to work out with Eli and I, I had to be honest with him and myself. I mean, right after I chewed him out for embarrassing me in front of our entire school of course.

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"So...why'd you do it Eli. After I specifically asked you not to do anything rash. You did just that!" I angrily snatched another cookie off the plate.

He watched as I stuffed my fourth cookie into my mouth, a small smile teasing me, "I know it might be hard to believe but I swear I wasn't in total control then. It was like something came over me and all I could see was red. I guess it's true what they say. Your mate will make you do crazy things..."

His jealousy and possessiveness weren't uncommon side affects of the mate bond I had just never experienced it before, not with Justin.

The clank of the glass of milk against the marble counter pulled me out of my thoughts. "Stop. You're doing it again."

"What?" I laughed in attempt to ease the tension, "Thinking?"

"No," He replied in monotone. "Comparing me to him. To Justin."

My immediate impulse was to deny the accusation. "No I wasn't! What made you think-"

"Don't lie to me!" His glass shattered into millions of pieces on the kitchen floor. The milk slowly dripping off the table. "Please. Don't lie to me Brianna. I don't know why you keep denying it but I have to assure you I'm not like him. I'm not going to lie to you or manipulate you. I'm not trying to get something from you, I just want you."

He walked around the kitchen island towards me, the glass crunching underneath his heavy boot. "Whatever happened between you and Justin is in the past. No matter what he said to you I can promise he can't care, comfort or love you the way I do. The way I will."

He grasped my wrists, wiping the crumbs off my palms before interlocking our hands. "You saw what you do to me Brianna. Us? We're for real. Everything you feel. Everything I feel. It's for real. So stop thinking about him. Don't ever talk to him or think about him. Just let Justin go and focus all that energy you wasted worrying about him on me. Please Brianna. I'm not him."

"Do you know what you're asking of me Eli?" I argued, our hands still clasped together. "You're right. I shouldn't always bring Justin up or put him first. I shouldn't question your actions because of what he did to me but...I've known Justin since I was young. You can't ask for me to remove him from my life."

Eli released my hands, his head thrown back in annoyance. "Fine. Then lets come to a mutual understanding."

He walked closer so that we were only inches apart. "If you promise to start our relationship on a clean slate," His hand now twirling a piece of my hair with his eyes boring into mine, "then I promise to not have a problem with Justin. Deal?"

My breath hitched as he took another step towards me. He was so close that a strong gust of wind would have made our lips touch. "Deal."

Immediately he swooped in stealing a soft peck before I could even react. It was faint and I barely had enough time to process that his lips were touching mine. His right hand was still cradling the back of my head when he pulled away only to be guided back to my lips by my left hand. He was so gentle, taking his time, not rushing anything. His lips were soft and plump and I could faintly taste leftover chocolate from the cookies. It was caring and loving just as he had said he would treat me.

The kiss didn't last long yet it said so much. Warmth had spread from my mouth and had taken over my body. For those few seconds my mind went blank, as if there was nothing to worry about, as if I was safe with him. Eli was the one. He always was and it was time for me to let go of whatever Justin and I had and start a new.

Eli rested our foreheads together, our mouths gasping for air. "Brianna, no more secrets okay?"

I laughed, standing on my tippi toes to steal one more peck. "Of course. No more secrets."

A/N: Thanks so much for 11k reads! Sorry if this chapter doesn't seems as good as the others. I can't tell it might be bad lol but I felt it was necessary too. Thanks again!