Hatred With Benefits

S E V E N T Y - T W O

EVA.

They are both staring at me with mistrust shining through their eyes and the temperature of the room

has turned a lot hotter.

I try to control my breath and fold my trembling hands into fists as I say, "My roommate. My roommate

wasn't a girl like I was told when I got to my apartment; it was Emerson and we've been living together

for—"

"Enough. I don't want to hear any more. You'll move out of that house and you'll stay away from him. "

Dad orders and I shake my head, "I can't. I'm sorry, dad but I can't listen to you. Not this time. "

He rises from his seat, eyes challenging me as they meet mine. "I'm instructing you and you're

refusing?"

"Dad, please. " I stand up to move in front of him. "I understand how you feel, but you can't blame me

for this. "

"Yes, I can and I fucking do! Why the hell didn't you tell me about this the second you found out he's

your roommate? Why did you stay there? And why the hell did you lie to us about it?" Because I

already had sex with him before I ever found out, and I was stubborn.

I don't say that. That'd make things a lot worse, so I say, "I'm sorry for lying to you. I knew how you feel

about his father, and that's why I didn't reveal the truth. It was never my intention to keep it away from

you, but just because you hate his father doesn't mean you should hate Emerson, father. He's done

nothing wrong for you to feel that way towards him, and that's why I'm asking you to give him a chance.

To give us a chance. Please. " I plead and he looks away from me. I drop my gaze to mom, and she

sighs as she draws closer to her husband, stroking his arm as she speaks, "Matt. You should listen to

your daughter. You shouldn't let your rivalry with Mason stop her from living her life. Love happens

naturally and it isn't her fault for falling for him. You can't put an end to your daughter's love story, just

because you hate the boy's father. "

"The both of you; what is wrong with you?" Dad hisses, jerking mom's hold off him as he takes a step

away. "Do you realize this is Mason Ford you're talking about? That man is the most selfish human I've

ever met. Do you honestly think he would let this happen?"

"We know that, and that's why we're coming to you first. " I tell him and he says, "You're what?"

"Emerson. He'll be here soon. He doesn't care about what you have with his father, dad. He's willing to

take that huge step to be with me, so please, try to understand me. Just let me have this one thing,

dad. I'm in love with him. I can't begin to explain the depth of my love for him, dad so please don't take

that away from me. I'm pleading with you. I'm—" I start to move on my knees before him, but mom

stops me, dragging me up with her.

"What do you think you're doing?" She snaps and I shake my head, wiping my thumb under my eye to

stop the tear that threatens to fall. "I don't care if I have to get on my knees before him; I just need him

to agree with this. You can punish me in any way you want for keeping this away from the both of you

for long, but please– just don't make me lose Emerson. "

"Oh, baby. I understand. I truly do. " She sighs, rubbing my arm before she turns around to meet her

husband. I bite down on my tongue as I watch them converse silently with dad shaking his head along

with mom's words.

My hands are trembling by my sides as I wait and dad finally turns his gaze to me. The frown that

covers his face remains as he speaks, "You truly love this boy?"

"I do. So much. " I respond and he nods. "If you do, then I can't stop you. I'll meet him, but this will only

continue if Mason gives his approval to this relationship. If not, then I cannot support you, Eva. This is

the best I can do for you. "

"He will. " I beam, his words being more than enough. "Mason will! Your approval is the one I need the

most. "

"Alright. Let's meet this boy that's managed to capture your heart then. " He says and I don't hold back

as I close the gap between us and jump into his arms. "Thank you, dad. Thank you so much. " I wrap

my arms around him and he returns the embrace, his hand caressing my hair.

I pull back from his chest when there's a touch on my arm and I twist my head to see my mom smiling

at me.

"Your old woman don't deserve any of your affection?" She jokes and I let out a laugh as I pull her into

the hug, wrapping my arms around the both of them. "You both are the best. I could never ask for

better parents. "

"We love you, baby. "

~

"Where's this boy of yours?" Dad asks from his seat and my eyes go to the phone I have in hand for

the hundredth time in a few minutes. Opening the screen; the messages and calls I left Emerson are

yet to be responded to, and that familiar disappointment hits me.

Where the fuck is he?

"Eva. Are you sure you both agreed to do this?" Mom's soft voice brings my gaze to her and I hum.

"We did. I don't understand why he isn't here yet. I'll call him again. "

Mom gives me a nod, while dad merely watches me as I raise to my feet, pacing to the other side of the

room as I try Emerson's contact again; ending with the same result for the past minutes.

"What the fuck went wrong with you?" I mumble under my breath as I stare at the screen and watch the

call ends, taking me back to the log.

Taking my bottom lip between my teeth, I tap on his name and try again. And once again, it rings and

ends.

"God, please. This can't be happening. This can't be fucking happening. " I slap a hand over my

forehead as I pace back and forth, my phone glued to my ear with the echoes of my heart thumping in

my chest taking over the vibrations.

"What were you thinking, Eva?" Dad's voice makes me stop on my last step, and I drop the phone from

my ear before I look back at him. He moves from his seat and strides towards me with mom trailing

right after him.

"He isn't showing up, is he?" His face is stoic and his voice is cold as he utters the words, and I'm no

longer able to hold his harsh gaze so I drop it as I nod slowly.

"Of course, he wouldn't. This is Mason's son we're talking about. He's a fucking Ford. "

"He's my boyfriend, and we—"

"God, are you listening to yourself, Eva? How the hell did you end up here? What did he deceive you

with? What words did he say to you that made you turn this stupid?"

"Matt. " Mom's voice follows after his and I keep my gaze glued to the floor. "Go easy on her. This isn't

her fault. "

"It is! I should have known better than to trust you when you said he agreed to come here with you.

He's Mason Ford's son and he knows his father better than anyone. Mason would never let his son be

in a relationship with my daughter, and I should have never listened to you. He isn't here, Eva. And he

wouldn't because he played you. I don't know how long you've been with him, but you need to end that

relationship of yours because nothing good will come out of it. This much should teach you everything

you need to know. "

"Matt!" Mom calls his name again. "You're being harsh on your daughter. "

"Then maybe you should tell your daughter that she made a mistake this time. I'll be in my office. " I

remain glued to the spot as the sound of his loud footsteps fades and there's a touch on my arm.

"Eva, " mom drops her hand to my chin, and lifts my gaze to meet hers. Her eyes are warm and her

voice is soft as she speaks, "I'm so sorry, baby. But there's nothing left to do if he didn't show up as

promised. You have to understand your father. "

When I don't give her a response, she moves closer and pulls me into her chest, giving gentle pats on

my back. "You shouldn't think about his words. You did nothing wrong. "

But I did. I trusted him enough to come here and prove our love to my parents. I trusted Emerson Ford

enough to want to take this risk with him, but he let me down.

He fucking let me down and that realization is enough to make a single tear roll down my cheeks. And

from a single, it turns to a double till I'm holding tight onto my mother as I sob onto her shoulder.

~

"Are you sure you need to leave now, Eva? I think your father would want you to stay and you should

consider how things are at the moment. You know how Matt is when he's furious. " Mom tells me as I

start to head for the door and I turn back to face her, "I know, but I can't stay. I need to head back there Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

and find out what happened to him. "

"You poor thing, " she sighs as he presses her palm to my cheek and I give her a sad smile, "I'll be fine.

"

"Why, Eva?" She asks when she pulls her hand away, and when I raise a confused brow at her, she

continues, "Why him? Why the son of the man your father detests so much? It could have been so

much easier if it were anyone else, but this boy. Why did you have to make things hard for yourself?"

"Because love has no shame. " I let out unhesitatingly. "Because it has no discrimination and it doesn't

matter who you love. As long as you feel, you feel. "

"I've met Mason a few times, and all those times, I've only managed to get something from him: he isn't

the type of man to be told what to do. Mason would never agree to this relationship between you and

his son, and if Mason doesn't; you know your father wouldn't either. "

"I—" I pause, not knowing what to say after those words. "But right there, he was willing to—"

"Your father was willing to listen to you because he loves you, but you also have to understand how he

feels. This thing has been going on for years, and so many times; Mason Ford has caused so much

harm to us. Have you forgotten the fact that we almost lost everything because of him?"

I shake my head. How could I forget the very first time I saw tears in my father's eyes other than when

he lost his other daughter. But again, "I love him, mom. I don't know what I'd do without him. I don't

know what I'd be without him. I can't possibly start to think about that, because the mere thoughts just

hurt so bad. "

"I really wish there was a way, baby but it all started with Mason Ford and it would never end without

Mason Ford. " She says, palming my cheek again and I nod, "I should start leaving. I need to get to

Emerson. "

"Okay, baby. Call me if anything happens, and I'll try to calm your father. " She says and I give her a

small smile, letting her press her lips to the side of my head before I turn around and walk out of the

house with a heavy heart and bitterness about why Emerson decided to screw it all up at the last

minute.

~

Emerson doesn't respond to my calls or my texts all the way home, and I push through the front door

with a banging heart as I walk inside with a call of his name. "Emerson! Emerson, where are you?"

When I stop in the middle of the living room, I'm met with total silence except for the echoes of my

voices coming back to me, and I furrow my brows as my gazes move across the room. Only when I

calm down do I realize the living room is in the exact order we left it before we headed to school this

morning and I pace to the window by my right, separating the folds with a finger to take a peek outside

the house and there's no car parked in its usual spot.

He isn't here. Emerson isn't home. At that realization, my anger from my discussion with my parents is

quick to turn into worry and panic, and I take out my phone; hands trembling as I tap on his name.

Fixing the phone to my ear, I bite my nails as I pace across the room like I've been doing all day, and

like it was back home– there's no response from the other side.

The thought that something could have happened to him crosses my mind and I shake my head

frantically as I try his contact again.

"No, please. Please, you have to be fine. Just— please. " Where do I look to? What do I do? What

should I— Jaxon. He was with Jaxon when I texted him. The library pops into my mind and I'm rushing

out of the house.

~

After almost getting lost in an attempt to find the library, I finally found it and placed a call to the owner

who gave me Jaxon's number, and I called Jaxon; only for a girl to receive his call.

A tired sigh leaves my mouth as I arrive in front of the house again, and just as I'm about to walk

through the door; my phone vibrates in my hand and I don't think to check the caller before I take the

call.

"Hello?"

There's loud music in the background as a new voice that doesn't belong to Emerson comes from the

other end. "Um, hi. Who's this, please? You called this number?"

I move the phone from my ear a bit to see it's Jaxon's number and a string of relief floods through me

as I proceed to say, "Hi, it's Eva. Can I ask you where Emerson is? I've been trying his contact but

there's been no response and I'm getting worried. "

"Oh, hey, Eva. What the fuck— get the hell out of my face. " He snaps and I flinch slightly, scrunching

my nose at the loudness of his voice mixed with the noises.

"Um, Eva. Give me a minute to get out of here. " He says and I hum, staying on the line as I wait for his

voice to come through and when it does, it's clear, but the words don't help with my worry as he says,

"Emerson left my place hours ago. He said he has to go someplace with you. Did he not show up?"

My heart drops and I answer in a low voice. "He didn't, and he isn't home either. "

"I'm sorry, Eva but I have no idea where he could be. I'm sure he'll be back though. You shouldn't be

worried. If there's any reason he isn't taking your calls, then it must be because he couldn't. Not

because he doesn't want to. " He assures me and I nod, as I stride inside the room. "Thank you, Jaxon.

Enjoy the rest of your party. "

He responds with a goodbye greeting and I drop the phone as the call ends. Clicking on the lock to the

door, I take a glance around me before I stroll in the direction of the rooms, moving into Emerson's

room, instead of mine.

The elegant scent of his room greets me as I walk inside, and I kick off my shoes as I take slow steps

to the bed. Climbing on it, I take one of the pillows and clutch it to my chest as I bury my face in it, tears

burning my eyes as I mumble, "Where are you, Emerson? I badly need you to be with me. "