When Tomorrow Never Comes

by Raven K. Asher

  I deserved a whole lot worse actually.

  After a few minutes Ben rushes out. “Maggie, take my car and drive Eve home. I’m going to take Jayce home and I’ll drive you home after, okay.”

  “Okay, Ben.” Maggie replies.

  “Eve, look at me, Sweetheart. Maggie is going to take you home. As soon as I get Jayce home and calmed down I’ll come over to check on you.” Ben states as he takes my face into his hands.

  I could barely see him through my tears.

  With a rough sigh he grabs my hands before pulling me up to stand on my feet.

  He then hands me over to Maggie and she wraps her arm around my waist before leading me off towards the parking lot.

  Sobs continue to leave my lips even as we get into Ben’s car and drive off down the road.

  My heart was broken.

  Chapter 13

  Dear Diary,

  I’m so sorry…I’m so, so, sorry… God, I’m the worst person in the world. I can’t take back what I did. I’m sorry…

  “What happened?” Eric questions frantically as Maggie walks me into my house while Eric steps out of our way.

  “Jayce got into a fight with someone. I didn’t wait to see who. Ben gave me his keys and told me to bring her home.” Maggie explains quickly.

  “Let’s get her up to her room.” Eric then states motioning for Maggie to lead me upstairs.

  Once we’re inside Maggie takes me over to my bed where I sit and then fall to my side, curling into a ball as I continue to cry.

  “I have to get Matt. Can you watch her for a few more minutes…?” Eric trails off for a moment.

  “It’s Maggie, and yes I’ll watch over her.” Maggie fills in his blank.

  I listen to his footsteps on the floor as he leaves my room and then rushes down the stairs calling out for Matt along the way.

  Before Eric and Matt come the front door opens and then shuts before Ben rushes into the room with us.

  He kneels down by the bed. “Are you alright, Eve? No one hurt you did they?”

  I shake my head and choke on a sob.

  Ben breathes out a small sigh of relief as he closes his eyes for a brief moment. “What did Liam say to you?”

  Again, I shake my head as I close my eyes tightly in hopes to shut out the world around me.

  Unfortunately, it doesn’t work.

  “What happened at the dance, Ben?” Eric questions as he joins us in my room again.

  “Jayce got into a fight with Liam. He said that Liam told her the truth about something. Jayce never gave Liam a chance to tell him what he had said to Eve though.” Ben explains.

  “Did Jayce at least hit the guy?” Eric grunts.

  “Jayce knocked him out cold.” Ben answers with a light laugh.

  “That’s good. I only wish I could have seen it. Liam has been nothing but a problem.” Eric replies.

  Matt chimes in next. “Was anyone seriously hurt, is Jayce going to get into any trouble over this?”

  “No one was hurt badly and by the time Liam recovered he refused for Jayce to get into any kind of trouble. He only said that he deserved what had happened.” Ben replies.

  “Thank god.” Matt whispers.

  Silence spins its way around the room until Eric breaks it. “You two can go home. She’ll be alright with us.”

  “If you don’t mind I’d like to stay with her for the night. She might need a girl here for her.” Maggie states softly.

  If I wouldn’t have been lost in my pit of sorrow I would have hugged her. She was being so sweet to me even though I barely knew her.

  “We don’t mind that at all, Maggie.” Eric replies, surprising me.

  Out of the two I didn’t figure Eric would allow someone he had just met to stay with me.

  Touching Maggie’s shoulder briefly Ben sighs. “I’ll only be a call away if you need anything, Mag.”

  “I’ll be fine, Ben.” Maggie reassures.

  After a moment Ben leaves the room, the soft tap of his footsteps fading down the stairs.

  “You two can go to if you want. I doubt much will change for the night and the second it does I’ll yell for you.” Maggie insists Matt and Eric gently.

  Eric and Matt must reply to her wordlessly because I listen as their footsteps leave the room next.

  The bed dips down behind me after a moment and an arm surrounds me as I whimper.

  “I know how you feel, Eve. It killed me when Cole left us.” Maggie whispers.

  Her words confused me.

  Sucking back my sobs I turn under her arm so I could look up at her. “What do you mean?” I ask softly.

  She smiles sadly. “You weren’t the only one who loved him. Before you came along I had been his girl. I had loved him with all of my heart.”

  Sighing softly she closes her eyes. “He left me for you, you know. It wasn’t until he had already been with you though.”

  I was speechless.

  That was something I had never known.

  Chuckling softly she opens her eyes again. “I knew I had lost him the first time I had caught him looking at you. You had him the first day you had walked through the door into our first period class at school.”

  “Now I feel even worse.” I groan softly.

  “Don’t feel bad. What happened is in the past now.” She then grins. “I think I might have something with Ben now and that’s what I’m going to focus on.”

  “He’s a really great guy.” I reply.

  She nods in agreement. “I know he is, and so is Jayce.”

  I nod and then sigh. “Liam told me that Cole killed himself because we had slept together.”

  My confession was heavy in the air.

  “It happens.” Maggie sighs roughly. “He shouldn’t have taken it to that extreme but then again Cole always did have strong emotions.”

  I nod in agreement.

  When Cole was happy he had been ecstatic, and when he was sad it was bordering on depression.

  His emotions had always sent us on a rollercoaster ride.

  “I wish he would have talked to me about it at least. It was a moment of weakness that Liam had taken to his advantage.” I reply quietly.

  “There’s always more to the story, Eve. I think you should really talk to Liam. Find out all of the facts before you allow yourself to follow the same path into despair.” Maggie suggests.

  “Do you really think there’s more to it?” I ask.

  She nods her head. “There always is.”

  “Why don’t you get a shower and then we can talk more. You’ll feel better, okay.” She then suggests.

  I nod. I was already feeling better actually. It felt good to talk to someone about what had happened with Cole and Liam.

  And it was even better that she knew everything about Cole. That was a big help considering not many people ever saw that side of Cole.

  He had been an expert at keeping things hidden.

  Rolling off of the bed I stand to my feet and then move off into the bathroom.

  Shutting the door I lock it and then sigh as I glance at myself in the mirror.

  My makeup was a mess. My eyeliner was smeared under my eyes and there were tears trails running down both of my cheeks.

  “God, I look horrible.” I sigh again before stripping out of my dress.

  A moment later I turn the knobs for the water and then step under the cascade of warm water from the shower faucet.

  I allow the water to run over my hair, ruining the curls that I had painstakingly worked on.

  I wash everything away.

  Once the heavy weight of the night lifts off of my shoulders I turn the water off and then step out of the shower before wrapping a towel around my body.

  I come to a stop at the door when I hear voices talking on the other side of the door.

  “Just leave. She isn’t going to want to talk to you.” Maggie growls out.

  “I need to explain things to her better.” Liam pleads.

  “Lia
m, you’ve done enough damage. You have no clue when to stop. Let the poor girl move on with her life.” Maggie argues.

  With every word she said I was beginning to love her.

  She was standing up for me and that meant the world.

  But this fight was between me and Liam. I needed to be the one to tell him off. I needed to be the one who faced him down.

  With only the towel wrapped around me I open the bathroom door and step out.

  Both Maggie and Liam fall silent.

  “Can you give us a minute?” I ask Maggie.

  At first she shakes her head before she nods and points sternly towards Liam. “I swear to god if she ends up crying again it won’t be Jayce’s fist smashing into your face, it will be my foot slamming into your family jewels, got it?”

  Liam nods and with a narrowed gaze Maggie nods once before turning to leave the room.

  As soon as the door shuts behind her I turn my attention towards Liam.

  “Why are you even here?” I question him.

  “I wanted to talk to you.” He tries as he takes a step closer to me.

  “You had your chance at the dance, Liam. You ruined everything.” I whimper as tears threaten to spill again.

  “What I said was wrong, I was mad because you were there with him. I want you, Eve, you belong with me.” Liam nearly pleads.

  I shake my head. “I don’t want to be with you, Liam. I may have before but this, whatever it was between us, is over.”

  Even as I said the words I felt it in my heart that this wasn’t over.

  I was going to struggle with the feelings I had for him until I moved on for good, but the question of the day was if I would ever be able to let go for good.

  Before Liam can utter another excuse the door to my room bursts open before Jayce storms in with a low growl.

  He points towards Liam. “Get the hell out of her room before I knock you on your ass again.”

  The situation was going to spin out of control.

  “Jayce, he was just leaving.” I state as I step in between them.

  He glances down at me and I take a step towards him before placing my hand against his chest while holding my towel in place with my other hand.

  Leaning up I whisper into his ear. “Please, just go with this, okay.”

  As I lean back he raises his brow in question before I lean back up and close my eyes while pressing my lips against his.

  When I lean back again Jayce grins down at me before glancing over my shoulder towards Liam. “You can leave me and my girl alone anytime now.”

  Grabbing my shoulder Liam pulls me around so that I would have to face him. “Please, don’t do this. I won’t leave you alone with him.”

  “Go, Liam.” I clip out.

  He gives me a desperate look before grabbing me close a moment before his lips crash into mine.

  All of those feelings I had tried to keep from coming out spill into the kiss.

  It takes me a few moments but I snap out of it and shove Liam away before quickly backing up into Jayce’s protective arms.

  I point towards Liam. “Get out of here now before I have Matt call the cops. If you keep this up I will place a restraining order against you.”

  Liam clenches his teeth together before nodding his head stiffly. “Fine, I’ll leave, but this isn’t the end. You’re going to come crawling back to me.”

  “I will never go back to you.” I spit out in disgust before turning my back to him.

  Before anyone can react any further Eric barges into the room with Matt and a cop.

  “That’s him, I’m sick of him sneaking into my daughter’s window.” Eric growls out fiercely as he points Liam out.

  The cop quickly moves over to Liam before roughly grabbing his hands behind his back.

  Eric then points to me sternly. “Get dressed, Eve, we’ll meet downstairs when you’re done. We’ve got a lot we need to talk about.”

  Bowing my head I nod and then move over to my dresser.

  I begin pulling out clothes as Liam passes by with the cop leading him.

  Once they are out of my room Matt motions for Jayce and Maggie to follow him downstairs.

  Eric remains behind as I pull out my clothes and then turn to face him.

  “Why was he in your room again?” Eric questions.

  “He wanted to try and explain himself after what happened at the dance.” I answer him quietly.

  “And…” Eric pushes.

  “And, I didn’t let him have the chance. I don’t want to hear another word that he has to say. What he said at the dance was enough.” I reply.

  Eric nods and then absently motions around the room. “Just get dressed. I’m going to send Maggie and Jayce home. When you’re ready come downstairs so we can talk.”

  I nod my head and he sighs roughly before turning and leaving the room.

  As the door slams shut with a solid thud I flinch.

  I felt as if I was in some kind of trouble with Eric and Matt, and I felt like I had disappointed them in some way.

  Whatever it was I had never seen Eric look so angry.

  And if I was being honest it hurt.

  I was afraid of what they were going to say to me once I went downstairs.

  Would they change their minds about me? I had been a bit troubling.

  But it didn’t help that I had Liam jumping through my window at all hours of the night. If I could have gotten away from him completely then maybe the past would be able to stay where it was.

  It was Liam who had continued to stir them up.

  He brought forth feelings I no longer wanted.

  It was his fault, not mine.

  With a sigh I begin changing into my clothes for bed. I opt for a pair of black shorts and a white strap tank top.

  Moving over to the door I place my hand on the knob and prepare myself for what was to come.

  I only hoped that they wouldn’t be too harsh on me.

  Chapter 14

  Dear Diary,

  Why can’t the past just stay in the past? Haven’t I suffered enough? Why do you keep invading my life in the worst possible ways? Don’t I deserve to be happy...?

  “Eve, we just need to make sure you’re okay. This has gone a little too far with this boy.” Matt begins our conversation as we sit together in the living room.

  “I don’t know how to make him stop, he’s relentless.” I reply softly.

  “We know that, and that’s why I called the police this time. Maybe it will get the point across.” Eric grunts as he crosses his arms over his chest.

  I nod in agreement.

  Silence surrounds us for a moment until Eric speaks again. “What was the kiss between you and Jayce? I know you two are nowhere near that stage yet. The two of you are still just friends, aren’t you?”

  “I just did it to hurt Liam. Jayce and I are still friends.” I answer truthfully.

  “You better make certain that he knows that.” Eric replies. “He might see that kiss as something more than what you intended.”

  Again, I nod in agreement.

  “We don’t want you to get hurt, Eve.” Matt sighs softly.

  “I know, but I swear every time I feel like I’m finally getting past Cole that’s when something crawls out of my past to pull me back into it.” I whimper.

  “What happened tonight, what did Liam say to you at the dance to pull you back into it?” Matt questions gently.

  Bowing my head I lean forward, placing my elbows on my knees before scrubbing my hands over my face.

  After a moment I look up at Matt. “He admitted that Cole had found out about our secret. He told me that it was why Cole had killed himself.” I begin.

  “I killed him, all because I selfishly wanted someone I should have stayed far away from.” I begin to cry lightly. “I shouldn’t have acted on my feelings.”

  “You didn’t kill him, Eve. What Cole did was selfish. He should have confronted you about what happened instead of doing something
so reckless.” Matt insists.

  “You were both in the wrong, Eve.” Eric chimes in. “You shouldn’t have slept with his brother and he shouldn’t have reacted so harshly.”

  “Do you still care about Liam, Eve?” Matt then asks.

  I shake my head. “I hate him.”

  It was a lie.

  My heart knew that I could never fully come to hate Liam as much as I really wanted to. For some strange reason no matter what he did he still had a strong hold on my heart.

  I was beginning to think that I was going crazy.

  “Tomorrow I want you to talk with Jayce, Eve. You need to let him know how you feel about him and where you two stand after that kiss, okay.” Eric grunts.

  I nod. “I’ll talk to him, but what if I want more? Should I just take the next step?” I ask.

  Matt answers me this time. “That’s all up to you, but if you start dating him some of the rules around here will change.”

  I nod again in understanding.

  “Be careful, Eve.” Eric states and then stands to his feet before leaving the room abruptly.

  I raise my brow to Matt. “What was that?”

  “That’s Eric when he’s mad. He bottles it up. He’ll be fine in a few days.” Matt reassures.

  Just knowing that Eric was mad was enough to make me kick myself internally. I doubted Eric and Matt would have wanted all of this drama in their lives.

  I was going to have to be better at this.

  I was going to have to be the daughter that they deserved.

  “Go to bed, Eve, tomorrow will be a new day.” Matt then states as he stands to his feet before walking away, after Eric.

  Sighing roughly I close my eyes for a moment before standing to my feet.

  Making my way to my room slowly I think of all the ways that I could make this better.

  I think about how I could make things better between me and Eric too. I didn’t want him disappointed in me. It was the worst feeling in the world.

  Once I reach my room I shut the door quietly and then move over to my bed before falling back on it.

  Sighing I close my eyes and allow myself to slip into what I hoped would be a deep uneventful sleep.