chapter fifty-three

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saturday, september 19
eliana woke up to an empty bed, even though ben had stayed the night in her room earlier. there was a note in place of her boyfriend, scrawled quickly in his messy handwriting.
went out for coffee with a friend, be back soon. i love you
she frowned. who was the friend he kept going out with? her stomach turned as she tried to get up, and she flopped back onto the bed, sighing. eliana turned the tv on and pulled the covers up around her face.
     ben swiped the key to eliana's room.
"hey." her small voice came muffled from under the covers.
"morning." he chuckled. "you alright?"
"my stomach hurts."
ben sighed. "did you eat anything yesterday?"
"yeah."
"today?"
"no." she popped her head out of the covers. "will you come cuddle?"
ben pressed his lips together. "i'm sorry, i kind of have stuff to do right now."
"oh, okay."
"maybe later, yeah?" he checked his watch.
"yeah, um, later."
"okay." ben nodded out the door. "see ya."
the door closed, and eliana frowned. "i love you too."

monday, september 21
eliana dusted her hands off as she walked into the locker room after a long day of practice.
"oh, el!" phoebe tapped her on the shoulder.
"what's up?"
she held out a familiar pair of glasses. "ben left these when we were getting coffee on saturday."
eliana blinked. "what?"
"he left them on the table."
"you're the friend?"
"what do you mean?" phoebe laughed nervously. "he didn't tell you?"
"tell me what?"
"we talk a lot while he's waiting for you. we've gone out for coffee and stuff a few times now."
eliana slowly smiled, took the glasses and nodded. "no, yeah, he told me. sorry, it just...slipped my mind."
"you're cool with that, right?" phoebe smiled sweetly.
"of course i'm cool with it!" eliana lied a little too enthusiastically. "why wouldn't i be?"
"i just wanted to make sure, i mean, i wouldn't want you to be jealous or anything." phoebe rolled her eyes. "that would be so not cool."
"mm, yeah, uh, i have to go, actually." eliana tipped her head towards the door. "i'll see you tomorrow."
she shoved the glasses into her bag, fuming as she hurried back to the hotel.

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