I closed my eyes and leaned back in the seat. My therapist always told me if I experienced rejection, I wouldn't die. As I felt that same pain radiate in my chest and spread to the rest of my body, I might as well have been dying.

Taking deep breaths, I slowly began to remove his sweater. Everywhere the fabric touched my skin was tingling. The blush that usually remained confined to my face had spread, and I wore it like a bruise.

"I've been trying to give myself some time to get back to normal, but I think I just—where are you going?"

I had unfastened the seatbelt and exited the car. My nose wrinkled as I stared at Eli's apartment building. Crossing my arms, I began tapping away on my phone furiously. The next Uber available was twenty minutes away. I balled my fist as it shook. Why wouldn't anything go right for me tonight?

Eli slammed his car door. He approached me silently, as if he was afraid to scare me off. "You told me you'd drive me back to campus." I was exasperated.

"I will, but I think we should talk first." He said slowly as he continued to close the distance between us. "Come inside with me."

"No, I don't want to go anywhere with you." I growled, taking a step away from him as I confirmed my Uber. "Just leave me the fuck alone."

"Okay, I'm going to need you to fix your tone—"

"No, I'm done. You don't want to be friends anymore?" I threw my hands in the air. "Fine. I'll leave you alone." My phone suffered an unwarranted attack from my fingertips as I tried to appear busy.

Who am I to try and revive something that's dead?

"That's literally not what I said at all." He walked up behind me, snatching my phone from my hands. "Why the hell did you call an Uber?"

"I was told that I was going to be given a ride—why am I explaining myself to you?" I vehemently shook my head as I stuck out my hand. "Give me my phone back." I demanded, trying as hard as I could to keep my composure.

"Not until you come inside." He used his height against me by keeping my phone just out of reach.

"Please, we can talk another time. I'm just too tired to fight."

"Rona, I'm not trying to fight." Eli asserted while trying to make eye contact. "How come when I wanna talk you make it an issue?"

I couldn't hold in my tears any longer. The pain in my chest had spread like the blush on my face. My throat went dry as a large lump grew. My shoulders shook as my sobs wracked my body. I could barely get my words out.

"Elijah," I started, making sure sure to give him the eye contact he suddenly wanted. "Everything has been on your terms since I met you."

"What do you mean?" Eli scoffed.

"Like telling me I can't drink coffee," I started.

"Grow up." His eyes rolled in annoyance.

"All those parties I told you I wasn't interested in but I showed up to anyway because you asked?"

"I was trying to get you out of your comfort zone."

"Okay how about that kiss at your little house party? I tried to bail you out but you go all in—"

"It was a dare, Verona!" He shoved my phone into his back pocket as his stance became more defensive.

"Okay, but that kiss after Byron's party was your idea, so why the fuck am I being punished?"

"Because you were doing the most—just please can we go inside?" He grabbed my arm and lightly pulled me, but I was too angry and upset to let him do anything.

I ripped my arm away, almost losing my balance in the process. "Why the fuck would you kiss me when you know I have feelings for you?" I haphazardly rubbed at my face, unfazed by how crazy I appeared with my smeared makeup.

"Why'd you kiss me after everyone left?" His voice faltered as he retorted. "I had already told you that it wasn't the right time."

"I backed off though," I pointed at him, anger bubbling within me again. "Then you kissed me."

"But I get ignored for two weeks, right?" I croaked. "All the times I try to keep you from doing something you might not be into for my sake, you just bulldoze me and keep going, and I'm the one that gets ignored."

Elijah suddenly relaxed his posture. His mouth shut while he listened to me rant. "I told you how I felt about you that night and you rejected me, told me you're dealing with stuff, and went back to your girlfriend or whatever. Next week, you're making out with me in front of all your friends, but get mad when I don't wanna sleep with you."

He leaned against his car and I could tell he was listening to me. "I will admit, it was stupid of me to kiss you that night, or any other night if I'm being honest but you need to recognize the part you've played in this."

By then, the tears had stopped flowing but my face was hot. I've never had to raise my voice at someone like this. "I love—I care about you enough to put aside my feelings for you and be friends, but for you to tell me that we should stop trying honestly breaks my heart more than you rejecting me."

"Verona, I told you that's not what I meant—"

"I don't care anymore. Give me my phone." I held out my palm expectantly, but Eli just shook his head. He chewed on his lip nervously as his sad eyes held my impatient gaze. "Fine."

I stooped down and undid the tiny buckle in each of my shoes. "What are you doing now?" I said nothing as I stepped out of my heels onto the cool pavement. With my shoes in one hand and clutch in the other, I began walking in the direction of campus.

"I said I'd drive you back." He called from behind me. A few seconds later, his footsteps echoed mine as he followed me down the street. "I know your feet hurt."

I kept my eyes forward, but my voice cracked again. "Go back to ignoring me."

"Can I at least explain what I meant?"

"I don't care." Eli's footsteps hastened as he sped to catch up with me. He tugged at my arm until I stopped walking, slowly turning me around so that I faced him.

"Okay, but I do." He placed his hoodie on my head while taking my shoes and clutch from my hands. "Put it on before you get sick." Suddenly, I felt the early winter air settle on my skin. My goosebumps rose to greet the fabric of his sweater.

Once I settled into his warm scent again, I crossed my arms waiting for whatever he would tell me next. "I've been an asshole." Eli started quietly as I quickly nodded in agreement. "I just don't want to force something that's not there anymore."

I pressed my lips into a line as I experienced yet another unwarranted rejection from Elijah. "Cool." I turned away to continue walking back to campus, but he hauled me backwards.

"That came out bad—I've been distancing myself because I wanted to stay friends but I realize that—"

I raised my hand to cut him off. "So, your attempt at staying friends meant ignoring me for two weeks?"

"No, shut up. I like you a lot, but I was just trying to make sure what I was feeling wasn't lust."

"And how did ignoring me help you decide...?" I was perplexed. My anger had receded almost completely.

"Because you were all I could think about." He mumbled while looking down. His ears were tinted a light shade of red. My cheeks flooded as his confession sunk in.

"Since we met, I knew I had some kind of feelings for you." Elijah started his speech as his gaze traveled up my body before settling on my face. "But I thought it might be better to stay friends because I was dealing with a messy break up, but when we kissed that night after my party and after Byron's party...I had to get away from you immediately or I would've tried to fuck you."

"Why not just say that?"

"How does one casually bring up to their friend that they're trying their hardest not to fuck the shit out of them in that moment?" Elijah asked sarcastically. "Plus you turned me down after my party, remember?"

"Well," I coughed, not entirely sure how I could explain that away. "I knew you didn't like me like that, but I wanted to prove that I was a good kisser."

"Whatever, can we go inside please?" He asked as I pushed my clutch under his arm, reaching for my hand again.

I slapped it away, "No, now give me my stuff."

"No." He said defiantly. Clenching my jaw, I stomped away. "I'm pretty sure you need your keys and ID to get back into the building." He called after me.

I stopped in my tracks, cursing under my breath. I turned my head to face Eli, who hadn't moved from his spot. His smug smile was practically begging for me to smack it off his face. I bit my lip as I skulked back over to him.

"You coming?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Only if you give me a piggyback ride." I demanded. I may have lost this battle, but I wouldn't lose the war.

"Whatever." Eli's smile became more genuine as he turned and hunched over. He passed me my clutch and shoes so he could get a better grip on my legs as I climbed on. "You okay?" He grunted as he stood up straight and started walking back to his house.

"Mmm..." I groaned as his grasp tightened on my upper thigh. His breath blew across my hand as they loosely circled his neck. My dress kept riding up and I had to keep myself from moaning every time my pussy felt any friction from his jeans.

I was insanely aroused, despite the fact that I was still angry with Elijah. As we reached the door to the building, I was slightly disappointed that my magical carpet ride was almost over. However, instead of setting me down at the base of the stairs, he carried me all the way back to his apartment.

I pressed my forehead against the back of his neck, begging every fiber of my body to cooperate. My grip tightened around my shoes as my excitement built up. "We're here." I looked up to see that he standing in the doorway of his place.

"Take me to the bathroom." I mumbled in his ear.

Without another word, he walked us over to the bathroom, where he set me down in the tub. I took his sweater off and passed it to him. Taking my shoes and clutch from my hand, he turned to leave before I stopped him.

The aggressive energy I had exposed to Elijah was foreign to me. It left me feeling powerful, even in his presence. It would be best to use it until the feeling wore off.

"I can't shower in this dress." I looked him right in his eyes for a while, then turned as he approached me.

Slowly, Eli unzipped my dress. I shimmied out of the straps, causing it to pool at my feet. The heat rose up to my cheeks as I felt him stare. I stepped away, suddenly feeling his body heat get dangerously close to the back of my legs.

Without turning to look at him, "Get me some clothes, a towel and a shower cap?" Soundlessly, he exited the room and quickly returned with the items I asked for. "Last thing: can you adjust the faucet please? I don't know how to work it."

Pulling me backwards by my waist, I fought to hold in my moans as he traced lines up and down my stomach while adjusting the water for me. "Is this hot enough for you?" He sensually whispered in my ear, sending chills down my spine. I couldn't tell if he meant the water or whatever was happening between us.

I was too stunned to speak. Am I actually doing this? Eli took my hand in his and began to guide me towards the falling water. "Feel." It was perfect.

Removing his hands from me, I stepped forward into the shower. "You can go now." I said while grabbing the soap, "Thank you."

He closed the curtain before exiting without another word.