When Tomorrow Never Comes (11 page)

I only hoped that they wouldn’t be too harsh on me.

Dear Diary,

Why can’t the past just stay in the past? Haven’t I suffered enough? Why do you keep invading my life in the worst possible ways? Don’t I deserve to be happy...?

“Eve, we just need to make sure you’re okay. This has gone a little too far with this boy.” Matt begins our conversation as we sit together in the living room.

“I don’t know how to make him stop, he’s relentless.” I reply softly.

“We know that, and that’s why I called the police this time. Maybe it will get the point across.” Eric grunts as he crosses his arms over his chest.

I nod in agreement.

Silence surrounds us for a moment until Eric speaks again. “What was the kiss between you and Jayce? I know you two are nowhere near that stage yet. The two of you are still just friends, aren’t you?”

“I just did it to hurt Liam. Jayce and I are still friends.” I answer truthfully.

“You better make certain that he knows that.” Eric replies. “He might see that kiss as something more than what you intended.”

Again, I nod in agreement.

“We don’t want you to get hurt, Eve.” Matt sighs softly.

“I know, but I swear every time I feel like I’m finally getting past Cole that’s when something crawls out of my past to pull me back into it.” I whimper.

“What happened tonight, what did Liam say to you at the dance to pull you back into it?” Matt questions gently.

Bowing my head I lean forward, placing my elbows on my knees before scrubbing my hands over my face.

After a moment I look up at Matt. “He admitted that Cole had found out about our secret. He told me that it was why Cole had killed himself.” I begin.

“I killed him, all because I selfishly wanted someone I should have stayed far away from.” I begin to cry lightly. “I shouldn’t have acted on my feelings.”

“You didn’t kill him, Eve. What Cole did was selfish. He should have confronted you about what happened instead of doing something so reckless.” Matt insists.

“You were both in the wrong, Eve.” Eric chimes in. “You shouldn’t have slept with his brother and he shouldn’t have reacted so harshly.”

“Do you still care about Liam, Eve?” Matt then asks.

I shake my head. “I hate him.”

It was a lie.

My heart knew that I could never fully come to hate Liam as much as I really wanted to. For some strange reason no matter what he did he still had a strong hold on my heart.

I was beginning to think that I was going crazy.

“Tomorrow I want you to talk with Jayce, Eve. You need to let him know how you feel about him and where you two stand after that kiss, okay.” Eric grunts.

I nod. “I’ll talk to him, but what if I want more? Should I just take the next step?” I ask.

Matt answers me this time. “That’s all up to you, but if you start dating him some of the rules around here will change.”

I nod again in understanding.

“Be careful, Eve.” Eric states and then stands to his feet before leaving the room abruptly.

I raise my brow to Matt. “What was that?”

“That’s Eric when he’s mad. He bottles it up. He’ll be fine in a few days.” Matt reassures.

Just knowing that Eric was mad was enough to make me kick myself internally. I doubted Eric and Matt would have wanted all of this drama in their lives.

I was going to have to be better at this.

I was going to have to be the daughter that they deserved.

“Go to bed, Eve, tomorrow will be a new day.” Matt then states as he stands to his feet before walking away, after Eric.

Sighing roughly I close my eyes for a moment before standing to my feet.

Making my way to my room slowly I think of all the ways that I could make this better.

I think about how I could make things better between me and Eric too. I didn’t want him disappointed in me. It was the worst feeling in the world.

Once I reach my room I shut the door quietly and then move over to my bed before falling back on it.

Sighing I close my eyes and allow myself to slip into what I hoped would be a deep uneventful sleep.

Waking up the next morning I lay in bed. I didn’t want to move from my comfortable spot, especially not when I wasn’t ready to face anyone.

I had a lot to do today, a lot of people to talk to.

Without warning the door to my room opens and Ben bounces in.

“Ah, good, you’re awake.” He grins. “Come on, we’re going to go out for a bit.”

“I don’t know if I can.” I sigh.

“Matt and Eric already said that you could come with us.” Ben replies.

“Who’s all coming along?” I ask next.

“It’s just going to be me, Maggie, and Jayce.” Ben answers.

“Okay, I’ll go. I need to talk with Jayce anyway.” I sigh and then groan before rolling to get out of bed.

“Yeah, he was saying something about that last night before bed.” Ben states as he watches me stand to my feet.

I groan again as I amble my way over to my dresser.

Pausing I glance over to Ben. “What exactly should I wear?”

“Wear something sexy, but comfortable.” Ben smirks.

I laugh out abruptly and then grab the first thing from my open drawer to throw at him.

Unfortunately for me the drawer I had opened had been my underwear drawer and what I had ended up throwing at him was a lace bra.

Ben gasps dramatically as he catches the bra and then holds it up into the air.

My cheeks heat as I cover my face in embarrassment.

“Definitely wear this, Eve.” Ben chuckles as he tosses the bra back to me.

I snort and then point towards the door. “Go, Ben, I’ll be ready in just a few minutes.”

He nods with a smirk before thankfully leaving me in my room alone.

Shaking my head I look down to the bra in my hands before deciding to wear it anyway. I just needed to find the matching panties and I would be ready to go.

After slipping on a pair of skinny jeans and a deep purple tee shirt I sit on the edge of my bed to slip on my favorite knee high black boots.

Once they’re on I quickly brush my hair before tying it back in a high ponytail.

Approving my look in my mirror I smile and then head downstairs.

I’m greeted by Jayce at the bottom of the stairs and before I can react he pulls me into his arms before leaning his head down to plant his lips firmly against mine.

When he leans back I catch Eric glaring at me from over Jayce’s shoulder.

Grabbing Jayce’s hand I sigh. “Can I talk to you outside for a minute?”

Jayce nods and I lead him through the house and into the backyard where we could be alone while we talked this all through.

Letting his hand free I take a few steps away from him, turning my back to him.

Breathing in deeply I turn back around to face Jayce.

“Jayce…what do you want from me?” I blurt.

It wasn’t what I had initially wanted to say but it was all out there now. The ball was in his court, so to speak.

He takes a step closer to me as he gazes into my eyes. “I want to be more than just friends, Eve.”

That’s what I had figured.

“Kissing you last night was amazing. I wish it would have been under different circumstances but it made me want more.” Jayce explains.

“If we do anything we have to take it slow, okay. I still have lingering feelings for Liam.” I confess as I step closer to Jayce.

“You do?” He asks.

I nod and bow my head. “I have a history with him. It may not be much but there was something between us.”

He nods and glances away from me for a moment before turning his attention back to me. “Before we go anywhere with this you need to end things once and for all with him. I’m not going to be strung along until you figure out what, or who, you want or don’t want.”

I nod my head. “Can you tell Ben and Maggie I won’t be coming along then?”

“Yeah, I’ll tell them.” Jayce grunts before leaving me alone in the back yard.

After only a few minutes of standing outside alone, Eric joins me before wrapping his arm around my shoulder.

“What happened?” He asks gently.

“I decided that I wanted something with Jayce but then I confessed to still having feelings for Liam. Jayce left. He doesn’t want anything until I end things with Liam completely.” I answer honestly.

“So, you still do have feelings for Liam.” Eric grunts.

“I need to end them so I can move on.” I sigh. “I’m going to talk to him now, if you don’t mind that is.”

“I don’t mind, Eve, but you need to be careful around him.” Eric replies.

“I will be.” I reassure.

“How about you bring him here instead of going over to his house?” Eric suggests.

Nodding my head I sigh. “That would probably be best. I don’t think I could actually walk into his house without being overwhelmed with images of Cole.”

Patting my shoulder Eric walks back into the house.

Sighing I will my legs to begin moving. Unfortunately they decide to stay firmly planted in place. I wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

I was a bundle of mixed up emotions.

“Come on, Eve, you can do this. You can face him.” I coax myself.

After a few more minutes of coaching myself silently my legs finally listen to my demands and begin moving.

I walk into the house and through the front door before walking down the sidewalk and then across the street towards Liam’s house.

My hands shake the closer I get.

My nerves were getting the better of me, plus I was fighting off the memories that just walking towards this house brought.

I had spent nearly three years walking to this house just to see Cole.

He would have met me halfway on his front lawn if he was still alive.

When we had been together he would always rush from his front door to greet me with a long kiss before he would spin me around in his arms.

I missed that.

Stopping for a moment I allow the impact of that memory slam into me.

My heart thumps against my ribs as pain suddenly slices through my chest.

Closing my eyes I let out a shaky breath before gaining enough strength to move on towards the front door.

Once I’m standing in front of the dark wooden door I raise my hand to ring the doorbell.

It chimes inside the house.

It takes a few minutes but the front door opens to reveal Amy wearing nothing but one of Liam’s shirts.

She instantly places her hand on her hip as she glares at me. “What are you doing here?”

I laugh abruptly and then shake my head.

I really was a fool to think that Liam would have ended what he was doing with her in order to get me back.

“I’m an idiot. I honestly…” I trail off as Liam suddenly steps up behind Amy wearing just his jeans ridding low on his hips.

“What’s going on? Why are you here, Eve?” Liam questions with a raised brow as he gently pushes his way past Amy.

I don’t say a word, my voice was long gone.

Sighing Liam turns to Amy. “Babe, can you go back upstairs. I’ll be back up in a minute.”

She nods but sends a glare my way before turning with a huff and a hair toss.

When she disappears from view Liam turns his full attention towards me as he places one of his hands on the door frame above his head.

“Why did you come over here, Eve?” He questions again, softly this time.

Bowing my head I find my voice. “I wanted to talk with you.” Raising my face I motion past him. “But it looks like you’re busy so I’ll just go.”

Without another word I turn my back to him and begin walking away.

“Come on, Eve, we can talk.” Liam calls out from his position still in his doorway.