Page 40 of Running from Drac

“No, I can’t.”

“Then there’s your answer. All I can say is that if you love him, and you think he’s the one, fight for it. Once you give up the fight, any hope for a future between you both is gone. If I had to guess this is your guy’s last shot at making it work.”

Her words hit me hard and sink in just as fast. She’s right this is our last shot, we’re fucking screwed if this doesn’t work out. If we don’t make it to that altar, there will be no more Eddie and Amber.

I just hope he was serious about making a change, because if he goes back to his old ways, there’s no way in hell I’ll ever say I do.

Chapter Twelve

Eddie

Car headlights appear first, followed by a plume of dust and tires screeching to a halt in front of my house. Seconds later, Pippa is out of her car, marching towards me.

Her hand connects with my face, sending me sprawling backwards into my door. “How dare you!” she seethes. Sporadic hits pummel my chest, her sad attempts at kicking the shit out of me thwarted.

Grabbing her hands, I stop her next punch, forcing the psychotic bitch to look me in the face. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” I growl, pushing her away.

“What’s wrong with me? WHAT’S WRONG WITH ME!” Her scream is so loud that my parents appear on their back step, watching the shit show unfold.

Holding up a hand, I let them know everything is okay, but neither of them budge. If I were them, I wouldn’t have movedeither.

“Fuck you, Eddie. Fuck you right to Hell!” she yells. “Was what we had nothing to you?”

I shrug. “There’s nothing between us, Pippa. We fucked once. That’s it. I’m not about to fuck up my relationship, let aloneourfriendship, because of your stupid crush on me.”

“Stupid crush? I’ve literally done everything for you, Eddie. Everything!”

She hits me again, but the second punch is stopped mid swing.

“Calm the fuck down.”

“I won’t calm down!” she bellows. “Not for a minute. Not for a second. You’re supposed to be mine! Not hers!”

She was twoFruit Loopsaway from a looney bin. “Look, Pippa, I’m flattered that you have feelings for me, but I’ve told you before, what happened between us was a mistake. I care about you, I really do, but only as a friend. Don’t throw our friendship away over a silly crush.”

“It’s not a silly crush to me, Eddie! What I feel for you is forged within every vein of my heart, strung together by every invisible thread leading to my soul. You fucking matter to me more than any other man ever has. To lose you to her will surely kill me!”

She falls to her knees, breaking down in emotional sobs. The thought to console her briefly pops in my head, but then I think twice, realizing it will cause even more problems between us.

“Pippa, please. I know you’re hurting right now, but trust me when I say this, I would’ve never done anything with you had I been of sound mine that night. I was drunk, I don’t remember any of what happened, and I’ve spent every day since then wishing I could take it back. End of story.”

She glances up at me, vehemently staring through my soul like she’s shredding it to bits. “Don’t do this,” she begs. “Please. I can’t lose you, Eddie. Not to her. Not again.”

“What are you talking about, Pippa?”

She stands, but has to use the wood of a beam to stay upright. “I’ve loved you since the day I met you, Eddie. I was purposely holding myself back, hoping you would see me and our potential. I waited so long for you to ask me out. It felt like eons, and just when I thought we were getting to a point that felt monumental, she came between us.”

“You’re the one who introduced us, Pippa!”

“And I’ve regretted it every fucking day since, Eddie. Do you know how hard it’s been the last five years, waiting… hoping… wishing… that you two would break up for good and you’d finally see me standing there next to you. Then it finally happens, you guys break up, and BAM we end up together. One breathtaking moment of bliss where I finally had you all to myself, only for you to push me away right after. It’s fucking killing me, Eddie, being without you is fucking killing me.” She makes a desperate grab for my shirt, grasping at the lapels of my flannel like they’re her only lifeline. “Please give me a chance. Let me show you how perfect we can actually be.”

I take a step back, my flannel ripping slightly in her clutches of desperation. She’s refusing to let go—refusing to accept that I don’t want to be with her.

“Pippa, you’re one of my best friends. You’re also Amber’s best friend. I can’t do that to you, to her, or to myself. I refuse to be the reason you two stop being friends, and I’m putting my all into my relationship with her this time. That means nothing, not even you, will stand in my way of showing Amber that she and I are meant to be together.”

Her hand retracts and ricochets off my cheek. “You bastard! You stupid, stupid bastard!” She starts swinging again, butbefore I have a chance to stop her from hitting me, my dad swoops in.

“I think it’s time for you to go, Pippa!” My father never yells, but the way his voice vibrates the beams around my little house, has even me cowering.