Saving the Broken

Chapter 6

so double update in one night yayyy (((: the only reason that happened is because i was going to make 5&6 one chapter but was like nah better not

so i hope this makes you really like eli & i think i cried a little writting this because im a big baby but enjoy <3

They began drinking again, only making small talk. Every so often Eli would glance up to find Harry staring at her. After a while of the talk, Gemma got bored, "I cannnnnn't take this anymore! Let's go dance!! Pleeeeeassseee!"

"I think I'm going to have to take a rain check on that one darling! Sorry!"

"No not this time, sis. I'll just stay here, but thanks."

"Suit yourselves losers! See ya!" with that Gemma walked away toward the dance floor to dance the night away.

"Soooo Elizabeth... where are you fro-" Harry was cut off by the ringing of Eli's phone.

"Excuse me! Hello? Yes hi mom! I'm out with friends. Yes mom I'm okay. Why does she want to talk to me? I can't talk to her yet mom. ......I know how long it's been mom! I don't want to talk about his death! I've got to go mom! I love you too."

By the time the phone call was over, Elizabeth could not stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks, "I- I am truly sorry, Harry but can you tell Gem I had to go? I can't stay."

Elizabeth was almost out the doors of the club when she felt someone grab her wrist, "I can't let you walk home alone, doll. It's late, and someone is going to think you're a prostitute," Harry managed a small smile.

Elizabeth just nodded and let Harry hold the door open for her, and follow her into the street. Elizabeth still couldn't help the tears that were, involuntarily, leaving her eyes.

"I know this great ice cream place a few blocks down. Would you like to go?" Harry asked.

"That would be nice..."

The two walked to the ice cream parlor in a comfortable silence. When they arrived at the small place minutes later, Harry politely asked, "What's your favorite ice cream? Go sit down also, I'll get it!"

"It's cookie dough, but I can't let you do that Harry! I've got it!"

"Just let me do this nice thing please?"

Elizabeth sat down in a corner booth near the back and waited for Harry to come back with the ice creams. When he returned he only had one icecream and a coffee in his hands. "Where's yours at?" Eli asked him finally the tears had stopped.

"I don't even like ice cream. It's just that I like to come here when I need to think. They make great coffee too!" Harry began sipping on the hot beverage, "You know you can tell me what happened back there. I might not look the part, but I'm a trust worthy person."

Maybe it was the alcohol burning through their veins, or just their loneliness finely taking charge, but the two had found themselves doing things they had never done before. Harry have a decent conversation with a girl, and Elizabeth having a real conversation with anyone really.

"It's a long story.."

"I am in no hurry to go anywhere. We have all night."

Elizabeth chuckled, "Well, alright. I've never really told anyone this before, but I guess drinking makes me Honest Abe. I was a sophmore in high school when I met this amazing guy. He always went out of his way to make me happy, and he was always there for me. We started dating, and he never got tired of me. He would listen to my same silly stories over and over again," Elizabeth looked up to see if Harry was still looking and she was relieved to see his eyes alive and listening.

"Then our junior year started, and he wanted to have more fun. Staying sober on the weekends weren't good enough. Just the two of us staying in watching old Disney movies wasn't good enough anymore. I knew it was going to end soon. We both new it wouldn't last much longer, but one night I decided I would go to a party with him. He was supposed to pick me up at 8, but he didn't get there until 9.

"I was so pissed off at him. You have no idea, and when he shows up, he's already drunk. I told him that maybe we should just stay in, that it could be like the old days. He didn't want to though. I told him I wouldn't ride with him while he's drunk."

Elizabeth paused and realized that she had been crying, and Harry's hand brushed against her face. It felt like a beautiful fire against her cold face.

"He drove away that night, and he didn't make it a mile down my road and his truck flipped in a curve. He was going to fast and he was in the wrong lane and he was drunk and it was the last time he ever did anything. It was instant. I loved him. We may have been falling apart, but I didn't want that. God, I never realized how much I loved him until I couldn't love him anymore. My mom didn't even tell me until the next morning. She said, 'I'm so sorry darling. I knew you loved him.' The way she said 'loved'. Like I didn't love him anymore, or that I couldn't love him anymore. She was right in a way. I could never love him the same again. I blamed myself for a while, but then I realized that I couldn't stop that boy from being himself. Then I started blaming him. I was so pissed off at him. I haven't been able to talk to his mom or sisters since his funeral. I haven't even gone to see his grave. I haven't let go, and I sure as hell haven't forget."

By the time Elizabeth was done, Harry was still listening. He was still as alive as he had when she had first started talking, "Harry, thank you. Thank you so much."

"It was my pleasure to listen to you. I am truly sorry that you had to go through such a thing."

"Can you walk me to my apartment please?"

Harry nodded as he picked their trash up. They left the warmth of the building to go onto the cold streets. Elizabeth couldn't bring herself to talk. She was still processing that she had said all of those things to a boy she barely knew. It was so unlike her.

When they had finally arrived at her apartment, Harry walked her up and inside. “Go get changed and let me know you got into bed safe, and I’ll leave,” he politely told her.

So she did as he said partly because she was tired and partly because she was still processing what had happened. She finally slipped into pj’s, and stuck her head of her room to see Harry sitting on her couch like he had done it every day of his life.

"Harry thank you so much for listening and bringing me home and for the icecream and for everything.You're a great friend."

"You're very welcome love! Sleep well!"

With that Elizabeth slipped into bed and fell asleep almost instantly. For the first night in a long time she dreamt of something other than high school.

.

.

Around 2 the next afternoon, Elizabeth finally rolled herself out of bed, and ventured to the kitchen. Then she grabbed a pain reliever and a water bottle from her fridge. She sat down at her kitchen table to find a small hand written note scribled onto a napkin.

"Thank you for the wonderful night. I enjoyed listen to you talk. I really don't know how this whole 'friend' thing is supposed to work, but call me and we could do something. Have a good day love xxx Harry"