Page 64 of Unspoken Words
Clenching my fists, I was ready to let her have it when Tristan playfully hugged me to his side, restraining me. “Say yes to going to the formal with me.”
I glared at him.
“That’s a great idea! Seeing as your formal and our formal have now merged, maybe Mum could carpool us all in the van, like a double date.” She practically skipped up her driveway. “Nice to see you, Ellieeeeee.”
Hatred crept my spine, and I clawed my fingers by my sides.
“Ignore her,” Tristan said, loosening his grip on my shoulder.
“No. Not this time.” I took a few steps in her direction. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
She turned back, her devilish eyes wide open, her lip quirked. “Excuse me?”
“I know what you’re doing, and it won’t work. Connor and I are ever after. You can’t compete with that.” I laughed, mocking her. “It’s actually quite funny that you’re trying.”
“I’m nottryingto do anything.”
“No, you’re just pathetic, and sad, and I pity you. Connor pities you too, you should know that.” Looking her up and down, I’d said everything I needed to say and continued to walk past her house to mine, stopping when the fence screened me from their view.
My face was hot, my pulse rapid. I’d never done or said anything so cruel, and I didn’t know how I felt about it.
“Are you okay?” Tristan asked, as he casually made his way toward me.
“Yeah, I—I—I’m sorry I said that about your sister.”
“Don’t be. She likes to cause trouble.”
“Still, what I said was—”
“What you needed to say.”
I nodded.
“Anyway, if I don’t see you before the formal tomorrow night—”
“About that,” I interrupted. “I’ve changed mind. I’d love to go with you.”
“Really?” He threw his arms around my body and lifted me off the ground, spinning us around.
“Tristan!” I laughed. “Put me down. We’re going as friends, remember?”
“Of course.” He placed me back down and raised the back of my hand to his lips. “The best of friends.”
I quirked my eyebrow, slid my hand free, and shook my head as I walked up my driveway. “See you tomorrow.”
Tristan disappeared behind the fence, and when I heard the front door of his house swing shut, I slumped to my bum on the backdoor step and pulled Connor’s note out of my pocket, my hand trembling as I unravelled two words that meant more than anyone could ever know.
Ever after
The ink blurred before me, tears streaking down my face. Clearly, ever after really did end.
Chapter Seventeen
Connor
One hundred and sixty-onedays. That was how long it had been since I’d last seen Ellie—on the night of my birthday. When we’d made love right before she walked out of my life for the second time—a bitter fucking sweet birthday present. Against every doubt that stabbed me on the inside, I’d done my best to respect her wish for distance and to focus all energy on studying, but damn it had hurt like hell. Every time I opened my eyes; Hell. Every time I picked up my guitar; Hell. Every goddamn waking minute; Hell.
When she stepped onto the bus yesterday, the sight of her had nearly knocked the wind right out of me. There was so much I’d wanted to ask her and so much I’d wanted to say. I even ran to her house when she didn’t follow me off the bus. I was going to tell her the three words she wanted to hear, even though they didn’t mean as much as what I’d written in the note I gave her. I was going to tell her I was done having a breather, that school was finished, and that I wanted my Ellie back, for good. Forever. But then I saw Tristan hold her in his arms, her eyes sparkling like they’d once done for me, and I realised I’d waited too long.
