Chapter Four

Once we're out of eyesight he holds his arm out to stop me. I give him a " what the hell " glare and he takes a good look at me. His eyes rake up and down my body causing heat to fill my cheeks under his gaze.

" Do you have something you want to say? " I ask looking away in embarrassment.

He gives me a look that's usually reserved for the 09ers. " Do you? I reached out to you and you completely blew me off. "

" You wish. " I mumble, kicking the sand.

I should know better. I really should.

" Fine. I should have listened to my instincts when they told me you were just like the others. " He says.

I watch him for a second before realizing what he just said. " Oh hell no! You do not get to give me the " I know you were like them " speech. " I yell making him stop in his tracks.

" YOU were the one that ditched me as soon as Lily Kane came into the picture. " Low blow I know, but he just pissed me off.

Eli flinches at my words and turns around. " I don't know what you're talking about. "

" Lying doesn't become you, Eli. I saw it with my own eyes. An image I'd rather forget but can't. So don't you come at me like I'm in the wrong for keeping my distance. I'd rather not let you hurt me a second time. " I say wiping the tears from my face.

For a second he doesn't say anything. The wheels in his head are spinning at full speed as he processes my words. Taking a step towards me he goes to take my hand but I won't let him.

" I don't know what to say. " He says lowly.

I wipe my eyes furiously. " Then don't say anything! Just don't make it seem like I was the one that cut you off when it was the other way around. I was your friend and you dropped me like a bad habit. "

I then turn and walk back towards the beach. He stays a little behind me the whole time letting me know that he has nothing else to say which is perfectly fine by me.

Later that night Veronica comes into my room as I'm doing my homework. Without knocking I might add. She sits down next to me on my bed and I continue to do my work like she isn't there.

After a few minutes, she sighs. " Look I know we aren't on good terms right now but we are sisters Tori. "

" So now we're sisters? " I ask not looking up from my history book.

I know how Veronica gets and if she thinks that the whole " come on we're sisters " thing will make up for everything she is sorely mistaken.

" Yeah, we are. " She says with the famous Mars attitude. " It seems like you forgot that. "

Oh no she didn't. I set my book down and get up so I can leave if I need to. " Excuse me? Did I forget? No, you forgot we were sisters the day you met Lily. "

Damn, why does everything always have to come back to her?

Veronica stands and I prepare for a shouting match because let's face it, we're both hard-headed and never back down.

" Where were you? She died and you never asked if I was okay and then you left for Australia as if you didn't have a care in the world! You left and I had to deal with mom leaving all by myself! " She yells as tears flow down her face.

I can't believe this. Are she and Eli really this self-centered? " Why would I care Veronica?! You were supposed to be my sister and then made a rich girlfriend and cut me out! What was I supposed to do? Come back and cry about mom leaving? It wouldn't have brought her back! "

" We needed you here Vick! Dad was a wreck and I needed my sister! " She continues without a beat.

I shake my head refusing to cry. " I talked to dad every day! Ninth and tenth grade I needed you and you were nowhere to be found. You stood by and let your best friend treat and talk to me like garbage. You're not perfect Veronica don't pretend to be. Don't judge me for dealing with the fallout the only way I knew how. "

Dad rushes into the room and stands between us. Lord knows he doesn't want the great hair pulling war of nineteen ninety-nine to start again.

" What is going on in here? " He asks calmly.

I look from him to Veronica who looks back at me with guilt in her eyes. " Nothing. " I say walking out into the living room and grabbing my keys. A drive is just what I need to calm down.

I leave my phone in my room so my dad can't track it and lift my hood to temporarily disable the tracker in my car as well. I don't need to talk about what happened. I don't even know what I need at this point.

Not heading in any particular direction I end up in the last place I thought I want to be. Eli's neighborhood. Parking behind his bike on the street I rest my head against the steering wheel. He probably doesn't even want to see me but I honestly have nowhere else to go and I don't want to be alone.

A couple of minutes later I decide that I'm being stalkerish so I go to turn the key over when the passenger side door opened suddenly and in came Eli. He shuts the door and gives me a look.

I look back at him and every wall I have built over the past year and a half comes crashing down. Embarrassed that I'm now crying in front of him for the second time today I hide my face in my hands as sobs wrack my body.

The next thing I know I'm straddling his lap and he's holding me. His warm hands move in soothing circles on my back and he just lets me cry it all out.

" Please don't tell me I caused this. " He whispers.

I try my best to get the words out but I can't so I shake my head into his shirt. The door opens and the next thing I know I was being lifted up. Eli carries me into his house and sits with me on the couch.

" Mi'jo is that Tori? " Letty, his grandmother asks.

I feel him nod cus I don't hear him saying anything.

" I'll go make some tea. " I hear her say.

Eli makes sure both of us are comfortable on the couch and then continues to rub my back. " Feeling better? "

I nod into his neck making him chuckle. " Good. "

" Mi'ja I brought you some tea with honey. " Comes his grandmother's voice.

I lift my head to reveal my red face. I'm all over her grandson right in front of her. Slowly I dismount him and sit upright on the couch. Taking the cup I thank her. The hot tea really makes me feel a hundred times better.

A knock sounds at the front door and I know that it's my super sleuth father and so does Eli. He gets up and opens the door slowly.

" Eli. " My dad says looking at me from the doorway.

He steps aside to let him in. " Sheriff. " He greets.

" Leticia, how are things? " He asked.

" The same as usual sheriff. " She replies.

I finish my tea and stand up eager to get him out of here. " I think I'm okay now. Thank you for letting me stay Mrs. Navarro. "

The older woman gives me a genuine smile. " Any time mi'ja you know you're always welcome. "

I look at Eli who is still standing by the door. " I'll see you at school? "

He looks at my dad who doesn't look happy but doesn't say anything. " If that's what you want. "

My dad nudges me out of the door with a wave to both Eli and his grandmother.

" So you're friends with him now? " He asks trying to hold in the sheriff's side of him.

I sigh and look away from him.

" When we get home we are having a serious talk. " He says pointing at me.

Sighing again I nod. " Fine. "

" You go straight there and I mean it. " He says with bass in his tone.

Yup, I'm in for it now.