Eva's POV

I woke up to my dad yelling into the phone downstairs. I wondered what got him so mad this early. He never was this loud, least I never heard him so angry. He was the peacemaker.

After I got ready for the day, showered, all the jazz I found him barely able to sit down, his face was red from shouting. I decided to make myself breakfast and avoid any backlash from this. It had nothing to do with me and I didn't want to make him angry at me.

I silently did what I could and just made a light breakfast when my dad carried the heated phone altercation outside. I didn't want to hear it but I did. I turned on the radio to morning Top40 to drown out the clutter.

I took the food over to the TV and sat down while I ate. I flipped on the TV, checking the weather but barely paid any attention. I forced myself to eat bits and pieces of my bacon and eggs. I burned it a little and cringed when my teeth crunched on the bacon strips. I was terrible at this. Dad was perfection at cooking. He'd always tell me, "Evie, marry a man who can cook for you because I will not be here forever. I want you to be taken care of." I know dad, I know.

Getting married is so far removed from my head right now. I just wanna survive senior year without asshole clogging it up. Maybe it's just wishful thinking but hey, a girl can dream.

It hurt me when my dad was agitated. I couldn't look at him as he paced back and forth.

I focused back on finishing my breakfast. I stood up and went to go clean the kitchen up. I left my dad some remaining of what I made on a plate and covered it.

I gulped down my OJ, fixing my denim jacket and dusted off any crumbs from my shirt. I knew I had two options, get out or have my dad explain why he was being so brash. I opted for the less traumatizing option and just left a short note for him. It was like he didn't know I was around. He was so into the yelling match, I could have been wearing an S&M bondage outfit and he still wouldn't have noticed me.

But I got it. The last thing I needed personally is more stress, especially in the morning. I jogged up to my room, grabbing my favorite charm bracelet necklace and tucked it in my long sleeve. I pulled my hair over my shoulders. I closed one eye, looking in the mirror. The number one enemy is this daft invention. Terrible.

I sighed and walked downstairs to find my dad still on the phone, pissed off. OK, time to just play it safe and bolt. I grabbed up my bag, sunglasses and house keys.

I walked outside and stopped in my tracks when I saw Harry leaning against the side of his car. He seemed all ready to go like he'd been waiting there for a while. I truly didn't care to be around him right now but I knew my dad would make trouble if I put up a fight. I walked stiffly to him and stopped before he looked up from his phone.

"Morning." He greeted, smiling slightly, putting his phone away in his back pocket.

"Good morning Harry." I said quickly, not intending to.

"You alright then?"

"I'm fine. Um, let's go." I moved to the door he was leaning on and he moved, trying to look at me.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Can we get going?" I avoided his eyes on purpose.

He sighed, prying off his body, which smelled amazing where I stood, and jogged around the corner to the driver's seat, getting in.

I opened the door, threw my bag in and folded my arms. For some reason, I was thinking about my mom. I wish I knew why she left me. I wish I had a real family. I wish I could talk about all this with someone I trusted.

I buckled and leaned against the car window as Harry started the engine.

I felt my hand being held and picked my head up.

"What's wrong Eva?"

"I said nothing." I pulled out of his hold but he pulled me back, making my body sit up straight. "Harry stop."

"No. Tell me what's wrong?"

I bit my lip, still not looking at him. "It's nothing. D-drive us to school."

I once again tried to pull away but he pulled harder. "Did someone hurt you?" His voice barely above a whisper.

He gripped me tighter. "You're hurting me. Let go." He loosened but still had a grip on me, keeping me attached to him.

I sighed. "I don't want to talk about it. Just drive me to school or I'll walk."

"Fine." He let me go all the way and pulled out of the neighborhood, driving away silently.

He cleared his throat when the car stopped at a stop light.

"I'm scared Eva."

That made me look at him. "What?"

"We're going to have to control…this. I can't be so intense around you anymore. We need to forget what happened between us."

I was shocked he brought it up so bluntly. "I want to forget too."

"Right then. It's forgotten. Let's start over. Think we can?" He asked me, it sounded like he was unsure himself.

"Yeah, we can." Can we? I can try. I'll try my hardest to push what we did away like it was nothing, which it was. Louis can help. I nearly forgot about tonight. Shit.

"Good. I'm glad."

Something about how he said that sounded so off. Why was I feeling worse about it? So we really did have fun on that day. He's right, it means nothing.

The stop light changed and Harry zoomed toward the campus. I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Why did he have to say that? Shit, why do I care so much? Isn't this what I wanted? He's going to forget and so will I.

I am free.

He can't say anything about Louis if he meant this. If he didn't care about me that way then I can be with the one who actually wants me. The one who asked me out and told me he likes me.
Not a coward like Harry.

"Trust me; I am a lot gladder than you." I grumbled. He heard it. I wiped my eyes before anything fell.

Harry turned up the volume on the radio. Punk music. Figures. That's who he really is. A fucking punk. I rolled my eyes and leaned against the window.

Thank god one side of my eyes were hidden so a single tear can trickle down freely.

---

Harry's POV

I had to say it. I'm a mess. I didn't want her to think I wanted more. The more I touched her the more I wanted her. It was the right thing to do. If I just said it, then it's out there and I can't take it back.

She was being quiet and I knew why. I didn't say anything else for the remainder of the ride. She had her sunglasses on so I couldn't see her eyes. Smart. I can't look directly in her eyes right now. I hated myself for hurting her. I had to. I wasn't right for her.

I hit the wheel but she didn't flinch. I lost her. She wasn't mine to start.

I feel like I used her. What the fuck? What has Elena done to me? I didn't want Eva to be a rebound when this was so fresh in my mind.

I couldn't focus on the road suddenly and swerved down an alleyway. Shit. Eva finally looked at me.

What the fuck was happening? This decision should have been so easy.

I put the car in park and buried my head over the wheel, the emotions flowing like a waterfall.

"Harry, look at me." She touched my back. She touched me. I sunk my face on my hands, wiping at my eyes.

"Baby, look at me." She said louder. No, don't call me that.

I'm not yours. I can't be. I won't be. You don't belong to me. Some guy is going to make you so happy, just wait. It's not me.

I'm not ready damn it. Get it together Harry. Fucking get your shit together. You're acting like a pussy. All because of Elena. Eva doesn't know. And she shouldn't. It's not her issue. She's innocent in all this.

"I can't. I said we were going to forget it, so I am."

"Why are you so upset then? Isn't this what we want?" She raised her voice higher this time.

"Yes."

Silence.

"Fuck. No it's not. It's not." I pried my head up, letting her look at me with wide eyes. I couldn't lie to her. Not her.

She looked terrified. "Harry…don't do this. We fucking agreed. Stop doing this."

"I know we agreed, but I don't trust myself around you." I said, the words flying out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"You can't mean that." She said, calming her voice down. "Harry, be real. I've known you for only three days."

"I know." You have no idea how silly that makes everything sound. How can anyone feel this strongly in just three days? "I know you feel it too."

I looked at her, my eyes piercing, knowing hers. She locked my stare but broke it.

"Feel what? I don't feel anything. This is just crazy." She rambled, her hands touching her forehead.

"Yes, but it's also true. I need to control myself around you. I have to." I was trying to convince myself this by saying it aloud. It wasn't working.

She looked around the car, as if she wanted to leave. I wasn't going to let her get the chance. "Three days Harry."

"I fucking know this! I know it." I took a deep breath. "You don't need to remind me when we met."

"Maybe you don't know how crazy you sound. Harry, cut the shit and drive us to school."

I got closer to her face, unable to fight it any longer. Her breath hitched up but I didn't care. My mouth was so close to hers.

"Harry…stop tempting me."

"Make me; you're the one enjoying it. I can't stop. I can't, love…"

She grabbed my face, palms over my heated cheeks. I took her face in my hands, her soft, milky skin falling with my trembling hands. "Try harder."

"I can't…I don't want to." My voice was so soft I wasn't sure if any sound came out. "You don't either."

Her eyes watered and I couldn't bare it. She hung her face down as tears spilled down. She couldn't talk. I just held her. Neither of us was moving a muscle.

She leaned against my chest in silence. I didn't know what was wrong but I wanted to help her. I couldn't ignore this, even though I said otherwise.

She raised her head to meet mine. I look down at her looking at me. She looked like a scared animal in the lost in the woods. The back of my hand brushed her cheek. My knuckles feeling the wet tracks where her tears fell. She closed the space between, giving me a strong, passionate kiss that caused me to close my eyes tightly. I was drowning in the kiss, never wanting it to end.

Notes