Dare You To Move

Chapter 16 - Heartbreak

They could have heard a pin drop with the silence that spread and consumed the room. Parker's heart was pounding as fast as it ever has while Elli just stood there, staring at him, seemingly emotionless. It's as if everything's just completely frozen in between them. Dead silence and cold tension. Wide eyes full of fear and faces draining of color as their breathing becomes shallow. And it takes what feels likes minutes for Elli to find her voice.

"You....you what?" She asks and her tone alone could shatter the sturdiest glass.

"I, uh," Parker looks to the floor before looking back to her, scrunching his eyebrows with words of honesty. "I'm in love with you, Elli."

Elli knew she'd heard him right but she was praying she hadn't. Where was this confession three years ago when she told him? Where were his words then? Now, of all times, now is when he's going to decide he's in love with her. Elli is beyond flabbergasted and there is this part of her that's ready to blow her top but she doesn't. She remains calm but just shaking her head, not wanting to say anything she'll regret.

"You don't love me." She says and Parker's already opening his mouth but Elli's faster. "You're not. I almost died and it's just a honeymoon phase or whatever. A few weeks will go by and it'll be like it never happened. You're not in love me, you're just afraid I'm gonna die."

Tears. All Parker can feel are tears building behind his eyes. He isn't sure what he expected but it definitely wasn't this and it hurts. He's finally getting a glimpse at how Elli felt when he ignored her words. And it's knocked the breath right out of his lungs.

"That's...that's not it." Parker stutters, trying to push the lump in his throat down. "I've wanted--"

"Parker." Elli's eyes darken as her mouth is pulled into a hard line, warning him. "No."

"Would ya listen, please?" Parker pleads and his voice cracks with the last word making Elli close her eyes. Her blood is boiling but her heart is breaking for the person she calls her best friend. "I do love you, I really do."

Elli grits her teeth, her heart pounding in her chest as her blood rushes through her veins. "If you're so in love with me and it's got nothing to do with me almost dying yesterday, why the fuck didn't you tell me earlier?"

Parker pauses and he knows she has a point. It is the fire that gave him the courage to say it. That should count for something, right? At least he said. It's better than never, isn't that the phrase? But, she is his best friend and as her best friend, he should have been okay to tell her this. He should have been able to just tell her but he didn't and now the only thing between them is fired tension.

Elli sighs and she leans back on her crutches, ready to walk off. "I'm gonna go to bed."

"Wait." Parker says and she looks back at him, eyes annoyed. "I...I just...I thought," He lets his words hang in the air and his heart is completely broken. "I thought you loved me."

Elli's chuckle is dry and humorless. "I do!" She yells but she is still fired up with anger. "I do love you! I told you that and now you're telling me you do? After all this time, now you say it? Now? I fucking love you and you know what, loving you isn't fun."

Parker's face falls and Elli's does the same, immediate regret coming over her but Parker beats her to talking. "What's that supposed mean?"

She licks her lips and shakes her head. "It hurts. I have loved you for years and you? You outright ignored me. You broke my heart." Elli's lip quivers with the last sentence and a tear falls down her cheek. "You broke my heart and I just kept going because we're friends. And friends, they can tell each other things but now suddenly you're saying you're in love with me and I almost died and that shouldn't be what makes you say it!" Her voice gets stronger and louder with every word. "You're scared! That's all it is, okay? I don't need to be broken over you again." Elli turns to go back to her room and Parker is quick to start walking with her.