“Okay. I can do that.” I missed dancing anyways. If I gotta put on more shows than I normally do, I’m not complaining.
She lets out an unamused laugh. “You act like it's no big deal.” She shakes her head.
“Because it’s not. We have more than enough money to keep this place going if we take a dip here and there.”
“Take a dip? When the hell have we ever taken a dip in sales?” She gets up from the desk, walking towards me. “Never, because you’ve never been gone long enough to allow that. They didn't listen to me. They didn't listen to the guys. They took over this place the moment you left, knowing you would never allow anyone to put their hands on them.”
“Well, they’re gone now. I fired them and kicked them out last night,” I say with a shrug.
“Right. I knew you were in last night, wanna know why?”
“Sure...” I say, wondering what she's talking about.
“I went downstairs to make sure everything was ready to go, knowing you would probably want a D-Day soon. With Halloween next weekend and all.”
She's right, Halloween D-Days are my favorite. One time we did a haunted house, and I chased them around, killing them off one by one.It was awesome.
“Even though I’m majorly pissed at you, I still thought about you. But when I went down there, I found the friend you played with last night instead.”
Ah, fuck.I forgot to call my clean-up crew.
I give her a grimace. “Yeah. Almost fucking shit my pants, Harlow!” she shouts. “I’m used to the fucked-up shit you do when you kill, but normally I know when to expect something like that to be lying around. Those hollowed-out eyes, the gaping bloody mouth, and blood soaking the floor; that image is forever burned into my brain.” She closes her eyes, rubbing her temple.
“I’m sorry, E.”
“Stop! Enough with the apologies. I’m sick of hearing them. I just want my best friend back. Since they got here, your whole world has been about them. What about me?!” she shouts, her hand splayed against her chest. “You said it was me and you forever, Low.You saidyou would never leave me, that I could always depend on you to keep me safe.”
“And I have. I’m never gonna leave you.”
“You did!” Tears start to fall down her face, and my heart breaks. “You left me. Sure the note said you were going to come back, but how was I supposed to know if you got yourself killed before that?”
“I’m fine, Evie. And I would never hurt you.It isyou and me forever. Even if I’m with the guys, they will never take that away.”
“They already have,” she sobs. “They took you away from me. I knew I lost any chance I had the moment I saw you and Cass on the roof.”Oh... she saw that?“Seeing how you could be so vulnerable with him after being so closed off for so long was unbearable. Never letting anyone in, at least not like that. Then, all of a sudden, they come back into your life for two months, and you're already opening up to them. How the fuck do you think that makes me feel?”
She's shaking now. I wanna go over there and hug her, hold her, and tell her everything will be alright. But I don’t think she’d let me. I just stand there like an idiot with my hands at my side, not sure what to do with myself.
“Why them? Why not me? Why couldn't you love me like that?"
“I do love you, Evie. Of course, I do.” I go to move towards her, but she takes a step back.
“No. Not like a sister, or a best friend. Why can't you love me like you do them?”
“I'm not understanding,” I tell her, feeling lost in what she's trying to tell me.
“God!” she shouts, gripping handfuls of her hair. “You are one of the smartest, most cunning, fierce, and brilliant women to ever walk the face of this planet.”
Awe, shucks.
“But you can be a real fucking idiot sometimes.”
Ouch.
“What are you talking about?” I ask, giving her a frustrated sigh. “Can you please just tell me what I’m so clearly missing?”
“I’M IN LOVE WITH YOU, YOU DUMB BITCH!” she screams at me.Umm... What?I just blink at her and she keeps going. “Not like a best friend. Not like a sister. I love you like they do. I’m so deeply, and utterly, and madly in love with you, it fucking hurts! But I lived with it because I knew how messed up your heart and head were. How closed off you were. I didn't take offense to it because,hey, if she can't let me in, then she sure as hell won't let anyone else in.But oh, was I fucking wrong.” She lets out a hollow laugh. “So, so fucking wrong. And I can't do this. I can't sit here watching you grow and form a relationship with them. It's too fucking painful.” She starts to walk out of the room, and I grab her arm in a panic. I can't lose her. I would be destroyed. She really is my everything.
“No, Harlow. You need to decide. Can you love me like you love them? Or will weonlyever be what we’ve been up to this point?”