Thin Lines

Eva

Xela

Telling Ryder wasn't easy, but I knew that I should tell him the truth. He would find out sooner or later, plus, I trust him.

Although, now that I told him, he is refusing to let me go anywhere by myself. "Ryder can you just wait in the car?" I ask him. We are in the grocery store parking lot and he insists he needs to come inside with me.

"No." Is all he says, walking with me into the store. I roll my eyes and walk down the isles, him close behind me. I walk to the feminine product isle, and laugh when Ryder becomes nervous.

"You didn't want to leave my side, right?" I ask him, pretending to look around. "I'm gonna go get some snacks" he tells me, leaving. I laugh, it's so funny how weird men are about periods.

I look around the store, careful not to run into Ryder. I heard someone call my name being called. I turn an isle to become face to face with Jay.

"Xela!" He says, not shocked one bit. I backed up, "Get away from me" I say to him, but he just walks towards me. "I won't let you go again, sweetheart"

I turned and bolted, trying to get away from him. I ran through a door, hoping to lose him, but he was right behind me.

I'm like the main character in a horror movie, why the hell did I run through a door that leads into a empty ass employee room where nobody will be able to see me?

"Stay away!" I scream at him, throwing the nearest object, which is a tissue box at him. I miss him by a foot.

"You're acting crazy, Xela" he snaps at me, lunging towards me. I fall back onto my butt and curl up into a ball, feeling completely defeated. I can't even look at him without shaking.

He starts screaming again, telling me how useless I am. I just cry. Pathetic.

Suddenly arms wrap around me and I open my teary eyes to see Ryder, on the floor, hugging me.

"Shhh you're okay" he whispers into my ear. I shove him off, "Ryder he is—

I look around the room. Nobody else is here.

I stand up, and so does Ryder. "He was right here!" I scream, holding my head with my hands.

Ryder looks at me, confused. "Xela nobody is here" he tells me.

"I thought I saw him" I said, feeling like an absolute idiot. He steps close to me and embraces me into a hug.

"Do I need to take you somewhere?" He asks, genuinely. I shake my head, "I already got medicine, I just forgot to take it the past few nights."

It was true, I just completely forgot about it before bed each night.

He glares at me, "You're fine on your own yeah?" He says sarcastically, mocking me from earlier. I shove him, sniffling and wiping my eyes, "Shut up." I smile at him taking my hand in his. We leave the employee room and are back in the grocery store.

We check out with a whole bunch of snacks, then I sing to Taylor Swift the whole ride to the penthouse. He tells me he hates it but I know he doesn't.

"When did everyone say they were getting home?" I ask when we walk into the penthouse. Ryder sets the grocery bags on the kitchen table, "They we're supposed to get home this morning, but their flight got delayed."

We decided on making pizza for dinner, which was surprisingly hard. It probably would have been easier if Ryder hadn't flicked flour on my face every two seconds, or if I could make a stupid circle out of dough. Instead I made a weird oval, but it was better than Ryder's practical rectangle.

"What even is that?!" I laughed at him. He raised an eyebrow and looked at my pizza shape, "What was that?" He picked up my oval and messed up the shape. "You're such an asshole!" I yelled, picking up his pizza and throwing it at his face.

the dough stretched down his face, making me laugh. He ripped a tear across his face and glared at me.

He grabbed a handful of flour and threw it at my face.

He looked like he was about to retaliate when the doorbell rang. We both froze and looked at each other, "They don't get back until tomorrow right?" I asked, not knowing who else it would be.

Ryder shrugged and ran his fingers through his hair, shaking out pieces of dough. I shook my hair out to get flour out, and wiped my face on my sleeve.

"You look like a clown" Ryder commented, I made a face at him.

We walked to the door and Ryder opened it, revealing a girl I haven't seen in years. Eva.

She stood there with a backpack slung across her back and a huge suitcase at her feet. She had a big smile on her face, but it faded when she saw me.

"Eva what are you doing here?" Ryder asked, he looked nervous.

Eva glared at me then smiled and looked to Ryder, "We agreed that I would come up to help you after I settled the Chicago case, remember?"

Ryder's jaw was clenched, I had no idea what was happening, but the way Ryder fiddled with his hands made me terrified.

Eva walked inside, handing her backpack to Ryder for him to carry. Ryder and I made eye contact for a brief moment. "What is she doing her?" Eva snarled at me. I crossed my arms, feeling completely uncomfortable. Something was wrong, Ryder was being weird.

"You should go unpack. There's an open room down the hall." Ryder tells her. She stays put, looking  at Ryder expectantly. "I should go shower" I say, just wanting to be out of the room. I practically ran into my bedroom and threw myself on my bed, hugging Mr Bear to my chest.

Ryder

I was shitting myself.

I completely forgot that Eva was coming here, since the plan was made before I knew Xela was here, or would be staying with me.

Eva was the one who told me what Xela did to my dad five years ago. She said she overheard Xela and Nikos talking about it. I didn't believe her at first, but I just had to ask Xela about it, and that's how I found out.

Since then, Eva and I have been somewhat friends with benefits. I guess I was lonely at first, and it just continued for the past few years.

"You have explaining to do." Eva glared at me, her arms crossed over her chest. She wore tight leather pants and an extremely low cut red top.

"Do I need to remind you who you are talking to?" I say, growing irritated with her.

"Do I need to remind you what she did? How did you even run into her?!"

"I don't answer to you, now go to your room before I kick you out." I really didn't want her staying here, but she didn't have anywhere else since we agreed for her to stay here days ago.

She put her hands on her hips and let out a deep sigh, "I'm just confused, Ryder. I thought you hated her. I hate her for what she did to you" Eva steps closer and puts her hands around my neck.

I shove her off, "My life is none of your business" I said, leaving and going to Xela's room.