Hatred With Benefits

S I X T Y - F O U R

EMERSON.

I'm quick to raise my head from the steering wheel at the vibration of my phone, and I move over the

divider to grab it; the previous disappointment washing through me when I see it's a text from Hanna,

and not who I expected.

"Where are you, Eva? Please, don't do this to me. " I mumble under my breath as I scroll to the last text

I sent her. Delivered, but left unread.

DIVA: You're making me fucking worried about you. You can't just do this, Carson. Just come back,

please. I'll head out if you want me to; I just need to make sure you're safe.

I hit send before my eyes drift to the time and it reads eleven.

"Maybe she went back home. " I give into that thought, and throw my phone to the side to start the

engine as I drive in the direction of home.

I almost trip over my seatbelt as I attempt to climb out of the car. With a sound of frustration, I unfasten

the seatbelt and make my way to the front door.

"Eva!" I shout as I walk inside the house, to be met with total silence.

"Eva, are you back?" I call again, but the echoes I get back are only that of my voice.

My chest falls in a sigh as I close the door behind me and slide back against it, my hands moving to my

hair. "Please. Please, don't do this to me. "

When I lift my head, my eyes catch the sight of her bag by my side, and I grab it; the knowledge that

she left without it settling within me.

I look through her bag, and there's no sight of her phone so she left with it. And I have no fucking idea

where she is.

"I'm so sorry, Diva. I'm so fucking sorry for not listening to you. It won't happen again; just, please.

Come back home. I won't be at rest until I know you're fine. I can't. " I bury my face in the bag and take

in several breathes of the smell attached to it. Her typical intoxicating fragrance only makes my heart

arch more.

After several minutes of sitting there with the bag clutched to my chest, I move to my feet and make my

way toward her room.

It's unlocked and I easily slip inside, the familiarity of her softness welcoming me as I stride towards her

bed. I fall on it with my chest to the bed and the bag in between, letting my legs dangle off the edge.

"Eva, " I let out a call of her name as I spread my hands across the sheets, knowing she should be

here. We should be in this bed together with our bodies tangled as I perform one of my favourite

routines of getting her to sleep. Her warmth should be around me, her touches should be on my skin

and my chest should be glued to hers; not the bag.

The look of pure horridness that's always present on her face whenever she wakes up in the middle of

the night without me by her side crosses my mind and that coupled with the thought that something

terrible could happen to her because I was foolish enough to let this situation arrive, make me rise to

my feet. I leave the bag behind and make my way out of her room, grabbing my keys in the living room This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.

as I walk out of my house to continue my search for my woman.

I won't come back without her. I won't stop until I find her; I can't. Not when she's out there in the middle

of nowhere, all alone.

EVA.

"I can't believe you won't go home to take your stuff. How about what you'd use for today's classes?"

Aliya asks as she walks inside the room, returning from her bath.

"I'll use yours. We're already running late. " I tell her as I turn away from her to grab my phone, the only

device that I managed to take with me, and solely because it was in my pants pocket. Not that it's of

any use if it's dead.

"And you're putting on your clothes from last night?" She points out as she strides to her dressing table

and I gaze down at my body before I hum, "I don't see anything wrong with it. It's only been worn once.

"

"You could take my clothes, you know. " She says as she turns back in her seat to point to her closet

and I shake my head, "You're like the twice of me?"

A frown covers her face. "Are you trying to say I'm fat?"

"I'm not trying to say you're fat. I'm saying you're fat. " I tell her with a raise of my shoulder and she

says, "Bitch, we're literally of the same weight! How the fuck am I fat?"

"You've gained weight, Lia. How has that gone past your notice?" I let out a chuckle and her frown

deepens as she turns to the mirror in front of her, her hands sliding down her arms to the sides before

she turns back to me and mutters, "I'm not fat. "

"Oh, yes you are baby. " I tease her with a hint of a smile playing by the corners of my lips and Aliya

grabs the top on the table. I dodge just in time to miss it as she aims it at me and I let out a laugh as I

straighten up again.

"See? Too fat to even throw things at me. " I taunt her and she sneers, "Call me fat one more time and

I'll make you pay for it. "

I grab the cloth that's by my side, and take a sniff before I pull it back and throw it at her. It ends up

covering her face and I say, "Fat. "

"Bitch. " She groans as she pulls the cloth from her face, and as she moves from her seat, the door

opens, revealing Maria.

"Hey, Eva, " she greets as she walks in and I throw her a smile, returning the greeting.

"Hey, Ria. I need to ask you something. " I fall back on Aliya's bed with my leg crossed over the other

and a hand on my knee as I watch Aliya stroll to Maria and grab her by the shoulders.

The girl looks stunned by the sudden gesture and her eyes fall to the contact before she looks back at

me. When I lift my shoulders in innocence, she looks back at Aliya and says, "Um... Is something

wrong? You're kind of gripping a bit too tight. "

"Oh, sorry, " Aliya apologizes as she removes her hands. "I want to ask you a question and I need you

to be completely honest with me. "

Once again, Maria looks back at me with a confused expression and I shake my head.

"Sure, what's it?"

"Do you think I'm fat?" Aliya asks and I let out an amused laugh as Maria's eyes move down her body.

"Fat? Why the hell would you think you're fat?"

"Is that a yes or a no?" The impatience and seriousness in Aliya's voice only intrigue me further.

"Of course, it's a no. You aren't fat. Why would you say that? You're far from being fat. "

"Thank you! Looks like someone lost her sense of comparison. " Aliya says as she looks back at me

and I move from the bed, "You think you're fat. Otherwise, you wouldn't panic when I messed with you.

"

"You know, babe. Sometimes, I just want to throw my fist in your face. " She hisses as she moves back

to her table.

"Aww, I love you too, bitch. " I coo and she raises her middle finger over her head before she turns

back to her business.

"Did you spend the night here?" Maria asks, bringing my attention back to her and I nod. "I hope you

don't mind. "

"Of course not. Who am I to stop you?" She jokes and I laugh before I turn back to the bed.

~

"Oh fuck. " Aliya voices out when we reach the entrance of the campus and I raise a brow at her,

"What's it this time?"

"I forgot my phone. " She says with a pout and I mentally facepalm myself. "How dumb are you? We've

gone back at least five times because you keep forgetting things. "

"I wouldn't have if you had allowed me to prepare for class at my normal pace, instead of rushing it!"

She snaps as she pushes her books into my hands. "You can go ahead and I'll go get it. "

"And whatever else you forgot. " I call after her as she strides away and she turns her body in my

direction to glare at me before she walks off.

I shake my head and gather the books properly in my hands before I walk inside the campus and move

in the direction of my first class.

I do it out of consciousness: my eyes move across the field, to where his car is usually parked and

there's no sight of it. Did he stay back today?

I don't let myself dwell further on that wonder as I take the first step that'll lead me to the hallways, only

for a figure to step in front of me.

When I raise my head, my eyes meet the familiar redhead and I grit my teeth at her presence.

"I need to talk to you. " She goes straight to the point as she adjusts the strap of her bag and I say, "I

don't want to talk to you. Move out of my way. "

"Stop being childish and listen to me, blondie. " She says and the tone of her voice only irritates me as

much as her presence. "The only one being childish right now is you; blocking my way and demanding

to speak to me, despite my disapproval. "

"Look–" she starts, taking a step forward. "I don't want to be here either, so make this easy for the both

of us and just follow me. "

"Get out of my way. " I tell her, ignoring her words and she sighs. "You just have to make me do this the

hard way, don't you?"

I open my mouth to speak, but before the words are let out; Paige grabs my arm and drags me along

with her, and I try to jerk her hold off me as I struggle to keep the books in one hand.

She only listens to my demand for her to stop when we're at the back of the building, far from others'

gazes and I throw her a glare. "What the fuck is your problem?"

"We need to talk. It's about Emerson. " She says, and I scoff before I attempt to sidestep her but she's

quick to trudge in front of me. "It's about last night. "

"I don't want to listen to whatever bullshit you have to say about—" the rest of my words comes out in a

gasp when Paige lifts her hand and strikes me across the face.