BLOODLINE (Eli "Hawk" Moskowitz)

XVII. Her Worst Nightmare

The sound of the doorbell ringing grated through Eli's ears. He rolled his eyes and continued to eat his breakfast at the table, he was home alone again, and he enjoyed the silence.

But now the doorbell just kept ringing.

Then there were impatient knocks.

"Jesus Christ!" he huffed as he got up, the chair scraped against the floor. He marched towards the front door and pulled it open.

"Sam?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

"I came to talk to you about what happened yesterday," the LaRusso girl said as she crossed her arms.

"About yesterday?" Eli asked.

"Why do you keep upsetting my sister?" she demanded, arms crossed.

"What?" Eli scoffed. "I haven't done anything to her."

"Well, why is she crying all of the time?" Sam asked, lips pursed as she glared at the boy in front of her.

"Oh, I don't know.. Maybe her own guilt is catching up with her!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"What she said to me," Eli said.

"What she said?"

"She didn't tell you?"

Sam shook her head, Eli nodded.

"Makes sense," he sneered. "She always wants everyone to think she's some perfect angel, when in reality she's far from it."

"You don't get to talk about my sister like that!" Sam responded.

"You wanna know what she said? Fine. She said that at least her father is still around... it was a purposeful jab."

Sam's expression softened. "God.. Why would she..."

"She was drunk, but that's no excuse."

"Drunk?" Sam repeated.

"Yeah, like I said - she's no angel."

Sam agreed. "We all have our flaws."

"Flaws? That was out of line."

"No wonder she feels so much guilt over it."

"Well, her guilt won't take back what she said."

"I'm so sorry she spoke to you like that, Eli. It was a really horrible thing to say," Sam admitted. She would always have her sisters back, but not in times when she was wrong or out of line. This was one of those times. "Has she been over here to apologise?"

Eli nodded. "She tried. But words don't fix something like that y'know?"

She nodded. "I get that. I'm sorry." She looked at him for a few moments. And she felt so bad for him. Lainey was definitely out of line with what she said to him, and Sam could see how it was taking its toll on him. "Do you want to come out with Miguel and me today?"

Eli heckled. "Like, third wheel? No thanks."

"Well, the offer is there if you want to come. I think we're going to the cinema."

"To see what?"

"Not sure yet, we get there and choose."

"I could never do that.."

Sam laughed. "Well, I'll see you soon. Thank you for being so honest with me."

"No worries, see you around."

Eli closed the door slowly, for some reason Sam felt and extreme guilt over what her sister had said to Eli, but she also felt bad for Eli for the way he was being so unforgiving. She just knew that Lainey was constantly beating herself up over the situation, especially now she was back at her apartment by herself.