Eros made no sense. He dragged me out of the house then brought me back. He was nice to me, yet yelled at me. Every time he helped me, he made me feel like it was my fault I was in trouble. I was grateful for all the times he was there. I just wish he wasn't such a jerk to me about it. I never asked him to help me. Somehow, he was just always there and took over when things went badly.
I laid on my bed sighing. I ran through all the encounters we had yesterday and today thinking of how it could have been so different. In my head Eros was my Prince Charming, but I knew it wasn't the real Eros. Sometimes I blurred those lines. Ultimately, I knew he would never be nice to me.
I don't know why I annoyed him so much either. The first words out of his mouth is always something to do with my clothes. It's like he immediately needs to put me down. I shouldn't talk to him, but there was no one else to help me.
I had always tried to avoid running into him. I stayed close by but ran in the other direction if we got too close to each other. I knew he wouldn't say anything kind to me and it would burst my bubble of the fantasy boy I created of him. It also hurt that the only person that stuck up for me also put me down.
I wish I could say it wasn't a big deal. I wish I didn't feel lonely most of the time or get excited that I might make a new friend just to be disappointed at the end of every day.
"What are you doing?" Eros's voice made me jump. I was sprawled out across my entire bed wallowing in self-pity. I didn't even hear him come up the stairs.
"Waiting for you." I shrugged my shoulders at him.
"And there was literally nothing else you could do but lay on your bed for an hour?"
"Nope!" I really didn't have much to do here. I could read a book or watch an episode of TV. My mind was all a mess now that I had spent almost 24 hours straight with Eros in my life.
Usually, I headed to my studio and painted or drew most days. I also had some homework to get done for class. Eros took over my brain though and made me think things I didn't want to.
"Let's go." He sighed like he was annoyed to have to chauffeur me around.
We climbed in his jeep in an awkward silence and he peeled out of the driveway. He seemed more pissed than this morning. I decided it was better to not talk. There was seriously nothing I could do to make him less irritated at me though.
"We're stopping by Seth's house first. He was running some little shit for Jose back in high school and kept in contact with Damien. He might know something."
"Ok." I said ok, but every nerve in my body was being electrocuted and not in the way one would enjoy. Seth was one of the five boys that held me down and tried to rip my clothes off. I guess Eros forgot about that, or just didn't care.
"Ok?"
"Yeah, thank you." I put on my best smile to him and looked back out the window. I really didn't want to go. Eros was helping me get out of my brother's mess though. I wasn't going to cry to him how total fear was taking over my body now.
"You don't have any issues going to Seth's house?"
"A little, but it's fine. If you think he knows something then we should try." Should I say thank you again? Eros only seems to be getting more mad at me.
"Whatever. Stop fidgeting, it's fucking annoying."
"Of course, it is." I whispered looking down at my nails.
"What?"
"Nothing. Thank you again. I appreciate the help." I smiled big hoping he would stop talking or looking at me.
We pulled into an apartment complex and parked in the back with the luxury townhouses. Seth's parents were loaded, like everyone in this town. They bought him a three-story townhouse on the beach for his high school graduation present. A lot of the college girls talk about the parties he threw. Big bon fires on the beach, live DJs, and fire dancing strippers were regular themes at them. I was invited a few times in my freshman year of college but wouldn't dare go to Seth's house. The girls eventually stopped talking to me. They said I was too antisocial.
Eros jumped out of the jeep and began power walking to the front door. He noticed I was just getting out of the jeep when he turned around and glared at me. Great! Now he was pissed I didn't walk fast enough. Excuse me for having short legs.
"Any day now Ella." He snapped at me.
"Stop being a jerk, Eros."
"I'm sorry. Do you want to do this on your own?"
"Maybe, I should." I crossed my arms with tears in my eyes. I really wish I could tell him to go away. We both knew I would be dead by the end of the week. I had no idea how to find this bag.
"Don't fucking cry." His green eyes bore into my skull making everything inside me whirl in fear. He knows that makes me just want to cry more. Why does he torture me like this?
"I'm not. Can we just get this over with? You're making me uncomfortable." I pulled at my sweater not daring to fidget with my nails again. I got yelled at already for that.
"I thought you were actually going to yell at me." He hummed then chuckled before knocking on the door. Was this another way he was messing with me?
"Hey Eros what's up." Seth and him slapped hands and went right into conversation about what they had been up to. I walked in, closing the door as they continued to the living room ignoring the fact I was standing right there. It was ok though. I really didn't want Seth to ever acknowledge I existed again. I didn't like how he talked to me.
"Bro, you need to come out tonight. I have six fire dancers coming and they are fucking hot. Last night, one of them gave me the best blow job of my life. Fuck, those plump juicy lips." Seth leaned his head back with his eyes closed thinking about some prostitute doing things to him. I really wanted to leave.
Eros chuckled at him. "Sounds like fun, but I have some shit to take care of."
Of course Eros would want to come experience that. He wasn't a complete player though. I knew he had many girlfriends but I never heard anyone gossip how he just slept around or used girls.
Chrissy was his current chick and they broke up every other week. I only knew because they usually broke up in his driveway and she sped out of our neighborhood cursing at him. A few times I saw them through my window undressing each other and it scarred me for life. I was sure to keep them closed most of the time now.
I took a seat on the couch figuring their conversation wasn't ending any time soon. I don't know why I had to be here for this.
"Who is the little chick?" Seth finally noticed my existence. It's only been twenty minutes. I looked at him from the corner of my eye.
"Ella. Hi Seth." My voice was so small I hated how I lost all my confidence. I immediately began picking at my nails not caring if annoyed Eros.
"Ella? Oh shit! Little Ella Jones." Seth stood to approach me and everything inside me froze. I really didn't want him near me.
"Yeah. Do you know where my brother hid a bag?" I blurted out. I needed to leave.
"What?" His eyes raked my body and he kneeled down next to my chair.
"My brother stole a bag from Jose. Do you know where he would had hidden it?" My voice was so shaky now.
"Maybe." Seth smiled deviously at me then his knuckle brushed my cheek. My body shivered in revolution and I moved my face away from him. "What are you willing to give me, little Ella, if I tell you?"
My eyebrows scrunched together then I looked to Eros. He looked way more pissed off than before yet just sat there watching us. Was he seriously not going to help?
"I would be grateful if you could help us." I took a hard gulp looking back to Eros pleading with him to do something.
"I would want a little more than just your appreciation." Seth's fingers grazed over my thigh and I jumped out of the chair. Eros stood up and I moved right behind him.
"Enough Seth. You're scaring the little girl." Eros chuckled. His fist was balled at his side though.
"Just having some fun. Little Ella isn't so little anymore. Are you hitting that finally." Seth looked back to me and licked his lips.
"Please! No one is hitting Ella Jones. I don't think she even knows what a man feels like she is so fucking prude." Eros, my great savior, said adjusting his feet some to put me behind him more.
"Hey!" I whispered pinching his back. That was really mean, even for Eros. He turned his head and stared at me like I was about to be beaten. I shrunk behind his back. "Sorry."
"Do you know anything about this mysterious bag Damien took from Jose? He came to my job starting shit."
"I got you bro. Damien used to keep his shit in an airport locker. He had some bitch he fucked around with help move shit for him. She'll probably know where it is."
Seth gave him the name and number of this so-called girlfriend of Damien's and we left right after. Seth insisted for us to come over tonight, but I don't think I'll ever come anywhere near this entire complex ever again in my life. I hated people like Seth and never wanted to be around him again.
———
"You seemed tense at Seth's." Eros smirked at me while I cleaned up my homework from my desk some. He didn't speak to me the whole ride back then just followed me inside.
"He isn't a person I like being around." I smiled then moved my laptop in my bag. I had class first thing tomorrow and I wasn't really a morning person. I always prepared everything the night before so I could run out of my house late.
"I figured that much out."
It got quiet so I went to my closet to pick out my clothes for tomorrow. Eros of course followed me in. He had no respect for personal space.
"No!" He said to my long sleeve shirt with a care bear sliding down a rainbow on it.
"It's for tomorrow at school. Don't worry you won't be seen with me wearing it."
Eros rolled his eyes and started going through my clothes. "What is this?" He held out a red dress.
"You know what that is. Go away, Eros." God, he knew how to make me blush within seconds.
"You should wear that tonight." He stood behind me as I hung the dress back up.
"I'm going to sleep tonight. Why would I wear a dress?"
"We should go to Seth's party. Have a little fun while we are still young." I could tell by his tone he was teasing me. I just didn't understand why.
He was still standing directly behind me so I didn't dare move an inch. If I did, I would rub against his body and that would not be a good idea.
"Ella!" He said my name low and husky. His lips close to my ear fanning his hot breath across my neck. Now it was too late. My body was hot, goosebumps spreading across my neck, and between my legs got that throbbing ache. I want Eros to touch me, kiss me. His body was almost against mine, teasing every nerve in my skin to jump out and feel him.
"Yeah." I said with a shaking breath. My body was going into overdrive. I hated it when Eros did this to me. My knees got weak, my breath became caught in my throat, and my mind went straight to thoughts I didn't need to have about him.
"Party, tonight?" He asked.
I wanted to give him anything he asked for. It was so annoying how he had this effect on me. One thought of Seth's creepy long fingers on my thigh had me shuddering in disgust though.
Eros's hand wrapped around my waist to steady me. "What was that?" His voice was full of concern.
"The thought of being around Seth terrifies me. I don't want to go, Eros." I turned to look at him this time. My eyes were already watery and I begged myself not to cry.
I expected him to yell at me for tearing up, but the look in his eyes was different than I've seen the past two days. A look he rarely gave me, but one I craved. "Ok, we won't go." He smiled, leaning closer. His hand moved from the side of my waist to over my stomach.
He watched my face as pleasure was swarming my insides. I bit my lip trying to steady my body that wanted to crumble under his touch.
"I don't like how he touched you, Ella. Next time fucking smack him or kick him between the legs."
"I really hope there isn't a next time." I took a deep breath as his fingers grazed under my breast. Oh god I wanted him to just grab my body already. Why was he teasing me like this?
His eyes dipped to my lips. "There won't be, but you can't always act like the scared little mouse. The world is filled with people like Seth. Do you know what they want to do to a shy little girl like you?"
My eyes widened at his words. Was this some kind of lesson he was teaching me or was he teasing me because he wanted me? I was so very confused right now. All I knew was I didn't want to ever move or for him to take his hand off my body.
I shook my head no.
He leaned his lips to my neck and I tilted my head so he had better access. God I was completely melting to this man right now. I should tell him to stop, but I can't.
"They want to take this body for themselves." His lips grazed over my skin sending delicious shivers down my spine. "They want to feel every part of you, inside and out." His hand moved over my breast massaging me gently as his lips continued to tease my neck. "The things I want to do, you would never want, Ella." His teeth scraped over my neck and his hand squeezed my breast hard. Then he let go of my body and walked out of my house.
I stood in my closet for a long while trying to catch my breath. What the hell just happened? I swear he loved to send my body into a mess of lust then just leave me. That wasn't the first time he teased me, or kissed me. He has done more than both those things too. I don't know why I gave it to him. Why I let him touch me in ways I didn't want anyone else to. I knew there was no future with Eros yet my body was instantly turned on just at the sight of him.