I laugh it off, shaking my head. “I can’t, my boyfriend’s right over there.”
“Damn, lucky guy,” he says, sliding two wristbands across the counter. “If you get bored with him, I’m here till midnight.”
“Thanks,” I murmur, quickly tucking the bands into my dress pocket and turning away.
I don’t get far before Eli grabs my arm, not jerking me, but still digging his fingers into my skin so hard that I try to pull them off.
“What the hell, Eli?”
“That’s what I should be asking you, Lydia. Why the fuck do you think it’s okay to flirt with guys right in front of my face?”
“Flirt?” I ask, trying to keep my voice low. “I didn’t flirt with him…I just got our tickets.”
“You literally couldn’t stop smiling and staring at him. I watched you.”
“I was being polite,” I say, trying not to sound nervous so he doesn’t take my panic as guilt. “He asked for my name, I paid, that’s it.”
“Do I not give you enough attention, Lyd? You have to go get it from random guys, too?”
The accusation pisses me off. I didn’t do anything wrong. “I told him I had a boyfriend. That’s not flirting.”
He scoffs, stepping closer. Carnival noises swallow most of our conversation, but the anger in his whisper is loud and clear. “So hewasflirting with you, and youenjoyedit. ‘Cause that’s sure as hell what the grin on your fucking face said. You basically told him he had a chance with you looking at him like that.”
Eli looks around at the people passing by and then starts to guide me over to a wall hidden next to one of the rides, where nobody is. Tears sting behind my eyes. Fear and irritation start to tangle inside my brain, fighting for which one to react with.
“I wish you would stop being so insecure. I’ve never even looked at another guy the way I look at you, but you always accuse me of doing something I’m not!”
“Stop trying to play me like I’m stupid.”
“I’m not doing anything! You’re the one being crazy!”
Eli’s hand is on my throat, pushing me back into the wall behind us. My shoulders scrape against the brick, and I can’t breathe. I’m grabbing at his arm, but he doesn’t let up.
“E-li,” I choke out.
“Shut the fuck up, Lydia. What do I need to do to make you realize that you belong to me andonlyme? You keep doing this stupid shit to make me jealous. It’s like you enjoy seeing me angry.”
I feel like I’m going to pass out if he doesn’t let go. Panic grips me, and I know I need to get him off of me.
“You do know that you’re mine, right?”
The tone he uses scares me, but I nod, desperately needing him to let go.
“Pl-ease,” I beg.
He finally releases me and steps back. I quickly let out a breath and place my hands over my throat, trying to soothe the pain.
Eli still looks pissed. “Fuck this. We’re going back home.”
“What?”
“I don’t want to be here anymore. I’m leaving. So either you’re coming with me, or you can stay here and get one of these guys to take you home. I’m sure any of them would be more than happy to.”
“Eli—”
He just walks away, back into the crowd of people. I don’t think; I just follow him.
Everything scares me—him leaving me, him hurting me, him being mad at me. I need it all to stop. This isn’t how today was supposed to go.
