Cole was standing near the entrance, when my shift was over. I felt really bad about him waiting and coming all the way just to check on me.

"Are you free for dinner, my treat?" I said to him and he looked a little thoughtful and nodded his head,

"Sure." He smiled. As I was walking in front, I realized he walked a little bit slower and was then left behind.I turned to see him texting someone, so I just shrugged it off.

"Any place in mind?" He asked me.

"You can choose."

"I always wanted to try a noodle place." He said.

"We can go there." I said and he give me his Colgate smile. I looked at my phone, it was almost a habit now to keep checking for any respond from Elliot, but like always it was none.

"Are you waiting for someone to contact you?" He asked.

"No." I said, lying and my left hand in the corner turned into a fist, which I immediately opened after realizing it. The noodle place was very crowded, the server was having a very difficult time to control the crowds that was coming. He looked flustered with the amount of people coming in together.

"Take your time." Cole said to the guy. "We are in no hurry."

He thanked us and asked us to wait for some more time.

"How did you found out about this place?" I asked.

"From social media." He said, shrugging. "There are always some advertisement or videos about places."

I nodded my head, when it was our turn, I realized the reason for it to be famous. The noodles was fresh and delicious. The soup was hearty and good.

When we were done, I paid for our meal.

"What is your plan for Christmas?" He asked as he looked at the lights in the street.

"I really have no idea." Was my respond. "what about you?"

"Traditionally we have family dinner and gifts exchange." He said, rolling his eyes.

"Sounds nice." I said, genuinely.

"It is very nice." He said with sarcasm. "When the adults compare you to other cousins."

"Oh." I said.

"Forget about it. Let's go." He said as he opened the door for me.

He drove me to the familiar neighbourhood and I shake my head at him. "No, He needs space." I said to him and he sighed.

"And he needs some help.You seriously need to check on that lad." As he pulled to the driveway of Elliot's home. He took off his seat belt and opened his door and waited for me to decide.

I walked hesitantly up the stairs and to his home.

"His parents are home?"

"Funny thing is no." He said.

"What is so funny about that?"

"The situation. He obviously needs help and is hesitant to ask for help."

As soon as I walked in, I see Elliot throwing a vase to the ground as it shattered and spread all around and a flower landed near my feet, everyone turned to looked at us. All the workers was hesitant to stand or go near him. He was drunk and angry.

"What is with him?" I whispered, scared.

"He is just angry." Cole said, sadly.

"Is it a good idea for me to interfere? He did not contact me for a reason and you are sending me to him, won't it make him more mad I am here?"

"He will be grateful." Was his reply and just like that he seemed to want to call the wolf for us as he said, "Everly is here."

Elliot's face turned quickly to look at us and he was more than angry than before, if that was possible.

"I told you, he doesn't want me here." I whispered to Cole.

Elliot came towards us and glared at Cole.

"She at least deserve to know why you are being like this, you ignoring her does not make any sense in your relationship."

Elliot looked down as his eyes met mine. The silence followed after that as workers scattered around to start cleaning the mess.

"I liked that vase, that you just broke. Too bad I won't be seeing it again."I said to him and heard him chuckled.

"You liked that one?" He asked, slurring.

"Of course." I said as he hugged me.

"I missed you." He said, "but you shouldn't be here, it is very dangerous here."

"Why is it dangerous?" I asked.

"I am very dangerous." He whispered. "Don't tell Everly that."

"You don't want Everly to know?"

"Yes, or she will be very upset and she will run away." He sighed.

"Why do you think she will run away?"

"Because she will be scared." He slurred, once again.

"Let's go to bed." I said trying to help him walk."

"Hmm." He said as I felt his body pressure on me and Cole came to my rescue once again. It seem like he is rescuing me a lot lately. Elliot was slurring some incoherent things to us.

"Everly, you are so pretty. I wish I would have met your earlier." He said as he give me his signature dimple look.

For the first time, I entered his room. His room was neat and smelled of mint. His wallpaper was black, while the high ceiling was white, all his decorations was of neutral colour. While Cole was helping him on his bed, I see something sticking out of his pillow. My hand moved to the object and I froze as I pulled out my leather diary from his pillow. My hidden secrets and darkness, all along was kept close to him and I did not figure out. So many emotions came to my mind, I stepped back and looked at Elliot, who was asleep and I looked at Cole, who was confused.

"This is my diary, my personal diary." My eyes turned moist.

"Oh." Was the only thing he could have said as he looked at Elliot. "He must have had a reason to had it, right?"

"He does not have the right to read or have it with him." I said as I hugged the diary closed to me. The hints about accepting people's love and other things, he knew all along, but he pretended. He must have known too that I am an adopted child, he knows all my darkest secret, but still pretended that he didn't.

His angelic face looked so calm and beautiful. My heart broke at the sudden betrayal from him, I trusted him.

I shake my head in horror, wondering how long has the diary been with him and is it the reason why he is not contacting me lately? I turned and ran out of the door with Cole calling me back, but I couldn't stop my feet as my heart burnt with the betrayal.

❤️❤️