Chapter 25: Midnight

Rage conquered all of my emotions. The entire time I picked the fruit –I said almost nothing-, when Duke offered me the job –I took it, thanked him, and ignored her. The thought of her made me want to spit venom. Eve… Just her name made blood rush to my face.

PITY?! HOW COULD SHE?! HOW DARE SHE?! After all these months, I was the one who brought her home when she was cold and lost on her first day here. Iwas the one who showed her the town when she was afraid to speak up. I was the one who… who… … how could she?

The long tirade in my head seemed to take a toll on me. I breathed heavily, still angered by her… her false generosity. I thought… we were friends. I thought that… she cared. I thought many things, but not that. If anything, that she might be… more than a friend.

I grabbed the nearest rock and threw it at a tree, leaving a mark. I looked at it more closely. It was the tree Donna and I had practiced karate on; my brows furrowed. They would only take her side anyway. I kicked the tree, knocking a few leaves out of its branches' clutches. I panted and then let fury overcome my actions. I kicked, punched, hit; I did anything that seemed to let my anger out. I finally stopped and stared at the tree; it was almost bare.

Once again, I breathed heavily. I sat underneath the tree and stared through its branches at the sky. I whispered. "Please… Harvest Goddess… Why did you make me so easily fooled? After you took my father and mother… my sister you had made vanish before my eyes… and now…" I closed my eyes as a wind blew my face, my long bangs continued to stick to my sweat-covered forehead. My voice shook with antagonism. "W-Why did you m-make me fall in-…"

I couldn't bring myself to say anymore. I got up and ran, not walk, RAN. I ran back to the Inn, where I could drown my sorrows in drinks.

I'm not a drinker, but now must have been an exception. Hour after hour, drink after drink, I flooded my anger, my misery, my hurt in the grape-flavored alcohol. Doug would try to stop me, but I ignored his pleas and swallowed the next shot. Ann had been gone, so I at least heard no criticism from her. At last, I could extinguish the pain I had endured over my three months with her. That Eve.

I looked at the clock, being drunk makes you have to think harder, but I managed to see that it was almost 11. I heard the doors open to the Inn and turned around only to turn back.

What was she doing here? Eve came in, drenched in the rain that had started hours ago. She put her coat on a rack and saw me; I felt her gaze linger on me.

I heard her footsteps come nearer to me. Finally, after what seemed like hours, she stood next to me. "Cliff…?" I furrowed my brow, but she continued to talk. "Cliff, it's obvious something's wrong. Drinking won't help…" I frowned, making the creases in my forehead feel as if they would be there forever.

I didn't look at her; I refused to. Nothing could… I looked. She looked concerned. Doug agreed with Eve. "I think Miss Eve here's got a point, Cliff. I think it's time to call it quits. Go to bed, son."

Eve looped her arms under one of my own, trying to get me up. But, her skinny arms had nothing on me. I got up myself and started to walk up the stairs, swaggering slightly. She followed, wanting to make sure I was okay (pathetic…).

Once we got up and were in front of my door, she gave me a pleading look. "Cliff, please, tell me what's wrong. You can tell me anything." her voice and eyes almost fooled me, but my rage returned.

"What's wrong? What's WRONG?!" I yelled, my voice getting louder. "YOU! YOU ARE THE PROBLEM! I can't TAKE it anymore! Just stop it! STOP IT! Stop following me around as though I can't take care of myself!! I can! I don't need some concerned, phony BITCH to watch my every move! I DON'T CARE WHERE YOU GO, JUST GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!"

I panted, it took every breath I had, but I said it. I looked at Eve. I thought she would be mad… angry… anything! But… nothing. I looked at her eyes. All I saw… was hurt. She looked down and then looked straight at me. "Alright then…" she said in an even tone.

Eve turned around and began to walk down the stairs. I opened my door and slammed it behind me. All of the sudden, it flooded back to me. No… No… NO! I flew the door open and sprinted down the stairs. Gone… she was gone…

I looked at Doug, but he just looked away. He heard everything. I looked at the door, my head begging myself to go. Go find her, go apologize, go tell her… But I stood there. And I kept standing there, until the clock stroke twelve. It was midnight.

I woke up with a hangover. Well, duh, I woke up with a hangover! All that beer… it made me feel even sicker. But, what made me even worse than that… was Eve.

Why? Why?! Why didn't I go to her last night?! I may have shown her the town, but she let me out! Out of the Church where I stayed all day, she brought me back to the real world and away from my thoughts that had blinded me… And I turned her away... Just. Like. That.

Day after day went by, and still nothing can of Eve. Gray ignores me, angry glances come my way on the streets, but Dr. Trent seems to be quite pleased with my new found unpopularity. Every time I saw eve's farm down the road from my job, I could do nothing but stare.

Soon, it was Fall 20th… and still nothing. I continued my job, gaining what I needed for my monthly rent at the Inn. But, it didn't seem worth it anymore… I lay in my bed, doing nothing, saying nothing, even thinking nothing, but just merely existing. Gray came in, a sad look on his face.

"Cliff…" I was surprised to hear my name.

"Yeah?"

Gray sighed and looked at me. "Go see her. Now."

I jumped up and ran. I didn't care if Gray thought I was rude or anything, something was wrong. Before another thought came into my mind, I was in her farm and was about to knock on her door, but it opened before I could tap on it. Eve had her back to me and she was carrying something.

"Eve?" She froze up and turned around. Her eyes dulled and looked hurt still.

"Cliff…"

"W-What are those?" She looked what was in her hands; suitcases.

She sighed and gave me a sad look. "They need me, there are children in Flower Bud and they need a teacher. I'm the only one with a certif-"

"WHAT ARE THEY FOR?" I practically yelled. She winced and looked at the ground.

She said it. The only words that could hurt me anymore that could be uttered from her mouth.

"I'm leaving."

Oh, hell no... CRAP, I'M LOSING MY MAIN CHARACTER!!!! HELP! KIDNAPPING! REDHEAD-NAPPING! CATNAPPING!