Page 116 of Pierce Me

It’s important: I don’t kiss her, even though I’ve lost the war.

“Do what?” Her eyes are huge, made of liquid gold.

I deserve a medal for not kissing the living daylights out of her right now.

“If you make me fall in love with you all over again, I’ll hate you for good,” I think. “I’ll never get over it, never.” Except no, I didn’t just think it, because I hear her inhale sharply and then sort of choke.

Well done, Isaiah.I said it out loud, to her face.

She goes white so abruptly I tighten my arms around her. Her face is drained of color. The rehearsal and the impromptu concert have ended, and the backstage area of the stadium starts flooding with people rushing around us as if we’re in the middle of a human hailstorm.

“Eden?” I whisper, truly scared now. “I didn’t… Breathe, hey, come on.”

She can’t breathe. I recognize the signs immediately. She can’t draw breath, her chest clenching in panic.

“I didn’t mean it, baby,” I say desperately, “please take a breath. It will be ok.”

But it won’t. She’s already twisting in my arms, her slender body tense for flight. I don’t think I will survive if she runs away from me right this second, when I’m at my most vulnerable. But more importantly, I don’t thinkshewill survive it.

I try to stop her, frantic, but she pushes me away.

“What are you, no wait, Eden!”

She’s leaving already. She turns around unsteadily and walks away into the backstage tent. I trip over my feet trying to reach her, overturning a table and a chair. Two stage assistants try to grab me as I nearly fall, yelling for security, but I ignore them.

“Eden!” I scream. “Do you really want to talk about cruelty? Don’t leave right now—What are you doing to me?”

She turns around, freezes. I reach her in my hurry, and stop short before crashing into her, her face just an inch from my chest.

“No,” she says in a choked, breathless voice. I know that voice. She’s about to have a panic attack, isn’t she? It’s hard to breathe, and she doesn’t want me to comfort her. She’s going away to have it as far away from me as possible. “No, I don’t want to talk about cruelty. And especially not with you.”

I don’t try to stop her as she walks straight through the backstage space and out the other side into the night. There is no one around me but guards and assistants, all focused on me. So, I grab my phone and find Jude’s number. It takes me three tries, my fingers are shaking so badly. And for some reason, I can’t see.

Oh. Tears are the reason.

“What.”

“Look, something happened with Eden,” I tell him, my voice thick and unsteady. I cough to make it sound normal. It doesn’t. “She… I’m not sure she’s ok. Just don’t ask any questions, all right? She’s walking out the backstage area right now, running actually, and I think she needs help. Can you…?”

“I’m on it,” he replies and ends the call.

But I heard it in his voice that he was already running, so there will be someone for Eden when she falls apart.

There is no one for me when I do.

My legs fold and I sink to the floor, chest shaking with sobs that don’t make it past my lips.

the Elliot sisters chat room

Eden: I need to talk to you guys.

Eden: This can’t wait any longer.

Eden: When will you both be in the same room so I can call you? I can’t say these things over text. It’s… It’s a long story, and it’s taken far too long already. I need to tell you. Now.

Manuela: I’m walking to Faith’s door as I’m typing this.

Manuela: Can you call in five minutes?

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