Page 11

Eve

"And you said yes?!" Katie exclaims, bouncing onto her bed as I cover my face with my hands.

"I didn't mean to say yes! It just...happened." I cringe, slipping on my socks. I got myself into this situation this morning when I was walking out of class and just so happened to pass Alex, he was one of those guys who were..fine, nice enough, decent in class, but not someone I paid much attention to.

"He was standing there so awkwardly for like ten seconds, and froze. So I panicked and now I can't back out without looking like a total jerk." I groan mentally slapping myself for saying yes to this date.

"Does Carson know?" My hand freezes mid-reach to the dorm keys, damn it.

"No, and I have no idea what he has to do with this." I mutter, ignoring the uncomfortable twist in my stomach. Carson is a friend.

"Right and I shit rainbows." Katies sarcasm stings, I turn away from her, heading for the door.

She follows, her steps soft but insistent. "Eve," she says gently, placing a hand on my shoulder. I tense at the unexpected touch, but thankfully, she doesn't notice. "I know you like him."

"Katie-"

"What's holding you back?" She says, her tone softer than I've ever heard It. Everything, I want to shout. The danger it could bring him. The chaos of my life.

"I'll see you later." I say instead, brushing her off.

"Eve! Fine, keep living in denial!"- I roll my eyes -"Text me if you need a jailbreak! Love you."

Thirty minutes later, I'm standing outside the diner, feeling more nervous than I'd care to admit. Alex is already there, waiting awkwardly by the entrance. He grins when he sees me, but something about his expression feels... off. His eyes linger too long, and I can't shake the instinctive warning blaring in my head.

"Wow Eve, you look great!" Alex greets me with a hug that lats too long.

"Thanks, you look good too." With his dirty blonde hair that fell to around his ears paired with his brown eyes, se's not unattractive, with his dirty blond hair and brown eyes, but I can't help comparing him to someone else. Someone whose stormy gray eyes are so much kinder, so much... safer.

I ignore my inner turmoil as we step into the diner, the smell of grease and oil filling my senses. A blonde hostess, whom Alex is clearly checking out, seats us in a corner booth with a clear view of the entrance. By the time Alex has finished rambling about himself, the hostess returns., "What would you guys like?"

"Um can I have-"

"She'll have a water and a Cesar salad and can I have a cheeseburger and beer?" Alex interrupts, looking up at her like he's done me a favor. My brain is in shock as I process what this jerk just did, I stare at him open mouthed.

"No, actually." I say, faking a sweet smile. "I'll have a beer and a cheeseburger." I don't even like beer, but I'll be damned if I let him control my order.

Alex's eyes widen in surprise. "Oh. Uh, okay." He recovers quickly. "Do you do any sport?"

"I dance." I reply curtly.

"Oh wow that's cool, so like can you do Lap dances?" He snickers at his own joke.

I glare at him. "Yeah, all the time." I deadpan.

My sharp tone flies over his head as his gaze drifts toward the door. Out of reflex, I follow his line of sight—and freeze.

Not here. Please, not here.

I sink back into my seat, cursing under my breath. Alex doesn't notice my distress, but his next words make me bristle.

Obviously Alex doesn't get the hint of my dire stress as he turns to me with a newfound grimace on his face.

"Oh here we go, the high lords of campus." He rolls his eyes, his tone filled with disdain. Something in me roars to life.

"You know them?" I ask, my voice tight.

"I know Carson Blake. All that you need to know is that he's a bitch." I'm about to respond to him, about to go off on him for calling Carson a bitch, but a deep familiar voice stops me.

"A bitch, huh?" Carson stands there, towering over the booth, his jaw clenched. His eyes flick to Alex, then soften slightly when they land on me.

Holy fuck, I practically have to stop myself from gawking like an idiot just looking at him. He's hot, and he knows it.

"Friend?" he asks, nodding toward Alex, who looks like he's seen a ghost.

"Carson." I whisper, my resolve cracking. His presence feels like a lifeline, even as it sends my thoughts spiraling. I want to lean in to him, to put my weight on him for just one moment, just one moment of selfishness.

Carson doesn't miss a beat, but before he can speak, TK strides up behind him. "Eve!" he calls out, his grin mischievous.

"Don't." Carson growls, shooting him a glare.

"Hi TK." I wave, flustered.

"Well this looks cozy." TK winks at me, ignoring the tension that's brewing.

"Cap!" I look behind TK to see a group of football players, crowding around a table.

Oh my god, kill me now.

"Well if you could excuse us we are currently on a date." Mortified, I look over at Alex whose receiving the glares of every single football player in this room.

"A date?" Carson asks, I don't look at him, I can't. Instead I replace every single memory I have of him with the image of him bloody on the floor with my father looking over him. My throat constricts painfully.

I'm not afraid.

"Yes, a date. Could you guys please leave." I say, not once taking my eyes off the salt shakers in the middle of the table.

"Look at me, Eve." Carson whispers.

I can't, I want to scream.

"Please." With a final sigh Carson nods his head, walking in the direction of the football table, TK following his trail.

"You know them?" Alex asks, sitting up straighter.

"Yeah, some of my friends." I nod absentmindedly, ignoring the pang in my chest.

Twenty minutes go by and the urge to maim and strangle Carson Blake grows stronger. Every single time Alex tries to speak he is cut off by loud laughter from the football table, and every single time I can feel the heat of someone's stare on my cheek.

"And then-"

"Very funny!" TK shouts, right there is my final straw I aggressively shove myself out of the booth and stride over to the football table that silences when I arrive. Carson is leaning against his chair, his posture relaxed and a deep scowl on his face.

"A word Carson?" I tilt my head, with nothing more than a nod he gets to his feet. Making sure he doesnt run away -which I doubt he would- I hook my fingers between his belt hoops on his jeans earning hollers from the table, my face feels warm but I ignore the feeling and keep striding ahead.

"You're acting like a dog Cap!" One of the players shout, I squint my eyes and vaguely recognise him as Kade from when Katie and I went to the football game.

"Woof!" I whip my head around at Carsons response, his shit eating grin greeting me.

Bursting through the diners doors we finally make it outside, shoving him I say "What the hell is your problem?!"

"My problem? Easy, you're on a date." His honesty catches me off guard for a moment.

"No I'm not on a date-" I say but cut myself off "Yes, I'm on a date!Why do you care?" I shout

"Oh you can't be fucking serious Eve. I like you, a fucking lot apparently." He groans.

"Carson."

"Yes or no eve?"

"What?" I stare at him.

"You have to feel something too." He says stepping closer to me, tucking a strand of my brown hair behind my ear. His vulnerability makes me slowly nod my head, all I'm able to give him right now.

"That's it, that's all you have to do. Let me take you away from here, from him-"

He gets cut off by the door of the diner bursting open, Alex storms out of the threshold.

"What's going on here?" He demands.

"Look Alex-" I start but get cut off as Carson looms over me from behind.

"Go home, man. I'm taking my girl home." I glare at him over my shoulder, no way in hell am I going home with him tonight, my head is too chaotic.

"What the fuck!" Alex takes a step towards me, Carsons hand clamp onto my waist pulling me back into his chest, warmth fills my stomach.

"Take one more step towards her and your going to get real familiar with what my fist feels like." Carson warns, my elbow pushes into his stomach and he groans at the impact.

"Fuck this!" With one last look Alex departs from the scene leaving me in Carsons hold.

He doesn't turn me around, instead he keeps me in his arms leaning his head down so it rests on top of my head.

"Eve, I'm begging you to come back with me. Let me drop you home." The softness in his voice makes me close me eyes briefly, imagining what it would feel like if I took him up on his offer, a smile tugs on the corners of my lips before it vanishes as quickly as it appeared.

"I can't." I admit, turning around to look at him.

"Eve-"

"Carson, let's go!" A car honks from the other side of the road, it's barely dark outside but I can see the sun begin to set in the horizon.

"Give me a fucking second, Kade!" Carson curses, never taking his eyes off of me. I can see the emotions leak from behind his eyes, I mentally slap myself for the second time today for ever stepping foot into his life.

"Look at what I'm doing to you Carson, I mean we're arguing outside a diner for christ sake!"

"I don't care."

"Carson."

"I swear to god Eve, I'm never going to stop. I'm never going to stop wanting you." He whispers against my forehead, the car honks again but louder this time.

"Fucks sake." Carson mummers, I smile up at him one of the only smiles I've had today. Carson looks down at me a glint in his eyes, and a soft smile to match my own on his face.

"Let's go!"

"Go." I shove him away, obviously he hates it from the scowl that plasters on his face.

"I'm not leaving until I know your safe first."

"Carson. The sun is still out and there is no danger here, it a main road." I huff out.

"Still." He says unmoving, ignoring the honks and shouts from his friends in the car.

"My uber is two minutes away." I lie.

"Are you sure-"

"I swear to god Carson, get in that car right now." I cut him off, matching his scowl with a one of my own.

"Fine. Text me when you're home." He says as he walks towards the car, I turn around walking back towards the diner.

"You look adorable when you try and scowl!" I whip my head around and glare at Carsons smirk as he gets into the passenger seat of the car and drives off.

Me: Jailbreak

Katie: On my way! ;)