The words hit the room like a slap. Her entire body is trembling now, anger and hurt battling for control. I shouldn’t be surprised by the reaction, but some stupid part of me had hoped she’d understand why I need to do this.
My gaze locks on her, and I realize her pupils are blown wide, her eyes glassy and unfocused. She sways slightly where she stands, like she’s struggling to keep still.
It hits me.
“Ella, you’re high right now.”
Her eyes flit to my Coke can sitting on the coffee table before darting back to me. Her hands begin to shake, tears gathering in her eyes.
“This isn’t forever,” I say, keeping my voice as steady as I can. “I just need time. I’m finally starting to feel like myself again, and I can’t risk going backwards.”
A yawn slips out, my eyes watering slightly. My body feels like it’s coming down from the anticipation of talking to her.
Ella doesn’t seem to hear me. Her attention drops to the coffee table. Slowly, she picks up the Coke I’d been drinking and holds it out to me.
I stare at the can for a moment before taking it.
“Finish your drink,” she says softly.
Something about the way she says it sends a chill down my spine.
My grip tightens around the can.
Alarm bells blare in my head as I yawn again. My eyes dart from the Coke, then to Ella’s face that is full of… longing—love?
Motherfucker.
The can falls from my hand, soda splattering the hardwood. I take a large step away from her, my hands coming up to halt her from following.
“What did you put in my drink, Ella?” My pulse is roaring in my ears, sweat breaking out on my brow. So many emotions are riding me hard—confusion, anger, hurt—but the look on Ella’s face makes my stomach twist.
“I just want you to be with me,” she confesses, her smile twisted into something calculating. “If you’d just drink, then you can see how good we could be together.”
My jaw drops open, unable to get out any words.
“I almost had you, you know. At Katie’s party.”
What the actual fuck is happening right now? I slowly back my way towards the door, Ella and her deranged smile following.
“Ella, I’mgay. You know that.” I’m not paying attention to where I’m going, backing right into a corner.
She comes up and grips my shirt, her eyes glassy. “You’ve always been my best friend, but we could be more. I tried to get you loose at the party so you could see that.”
“So Cull was right. Y-you drugged me.”
She giggles, her hands making their way under my shirt. I grab her wrist before she can make contact with my skin, pulling them away from my body.
“It was just a little something to help you relax. If Cullen hadn’t been in the backyard that night, things would have turned out so differently.” She sighs and steps back, giving me a little breathing room.
“Ella?” I move away from the corner, now only a couple of feet from the door. All the red flags are waving at me, and I need this one question answered.
Ella looks at me, tears in her eyes.
“Are you the one who has been stalking me?” I finally ask, my stomach doing somersaults.
Fat tears drip from her cheeks, her expression shocked. “Wh-what?”
“Ella, please. I need to know… is it you?”
