FicWad

I didn't pay attention to how long I sat there staring at the rest of the discarded clothes, but all I knew was that I needed to get away- far away.

I heard the distant sounds of a shower going and bit my lip, quickly and quietly dressing and finding my purse and tote bag, stuffing some of my necessities in there. I called a cab, and slipped down the stairs sighing as a door opened behind me.

"Wait," I bit my lip, slowing down only slightly before shaking my head and speeding up, practically running towards the front door and out into the yard.

Both Hemingway and Pandora ran on the fence that penned them in, as if to follow me while I walked away.

"Ev...Evie!" I didn't turn around.

In fact I sped up, finding that my breath was leaving my existence, and pretty much everything else was too. I was on the verge of a breakdown, and I knew it.

"Don't run away," I had almost reached the corner. "That all you ever do. Run away,"

I stopped, and heard the footsteps slow down. I whipped around and knitted my eyebrows together.

"I don't get you," I paused and bit my lip hard for a moment. "You just can't fucking make up your mind," Pete's hands trembled, and I put my defenses up.

"What do you mean?" he asked and I felt my shoulder rise slightly.

"Do you love me, or not?" I asked.

Pete's lips parted a couple times before he closed them, dropping his head down. I winced and he coughed.

"...No," he said in a low voice, one almost inaudible.

It was all it took for my feet to step backwards and my systems break down, probably making me highly vulnerable at the moment.

I stepped back further and saw Pete look up, the guilt glazing his eyes. I felt tears prickling my eyelids and blinked, feeling them fall and trickle down my cheek.

Pete took a half step.

"Ev," he reached out and his fingers brushed against my arm. I shook my head and felt my lips trembling. I pulled back sharply as I saw the cab coming up the street.

"I hate you, Pete," I whispered and he sighed, defeated. I shook my head again and poised my hand over the handle as the Taxi stopped conveniently right next to me. "I hate you," I repeated and didn't bother to look at him as I slipped in the back seat and let my shoulders fall along with my dignity, defenses and heart.

"Where to miss?"

I bit my lip and thought of the first thing that came to mind.

----------

I swallowed a large lump in my throat while my finger poised over the buzzer. For god's sake, I didn't want to do this, and I sure as hell didn't want him to think of me as a re-bound.

Without thinking, my finger twitched on me and pushed the button, my eyes widening as I heard a voice moments later.

"Hello?" I bit my lip and sniffed.

"Andy? You think I can come up?" I heard shuffling.

"Evie? What's going on?" he asked and I sighed, closing my eyes.

"It's a long story...just," I heard the click and smiled. "Thanks,"

I made my way up the flights of stairs until I found his apartment door, practically completely wasted by the time I got there. I knocked sloppily and sighed again, feeling my heart drop lower into my stomach.

The door creaked open and within a matter of seconds, I'm sure Andy read what was going on.

"That son of a bitch," he paused and swept me in, his arm around my shoulder as he led me towards the couch. "I swear I'm going to kick his ass,"

I shook my head as he locked the door, crossing back over to sit next to me. He looked at me and nodded firmly.

"Andy, I...I just need a place to stay until I can get a new apartment...that or I can get a hold of my dad...I mean...he's on," I paused and shifted my eyes. "Business," Andy sighed and cupped my hand firmly in his.

"What happened with Pete, we trusted him to keep you at his house," I looked away.

"He...he just knows how to mess with a girl's emotions, you know?" I looked back and saw a frown.

"Did you guys...errm," I gulped and sighed. Andy choked slightly. "Whoa, ok...um," I placed a finger over his lips, shaking my head.

"Not all the way, I mean...we were and...and..." I bit my lip and let my hand drop. "I told him I loved him," Andy closed his eyes knowingly.

"And he freaked, right?" I let my head drop.

"I don't know what's wrong with me," I whispered. Andy sighed, annoyed with the situation.

"I hate his way of thoughts...one moment he's telling me that your pretty much his everything and the next moment when he has you he decides he's not in for it for love," I looked at Andy's profile.

"I'm starting to think you letting me go was a bad idea," I think that caught Andy of guard for a moment.

"I'm starting to think so too," I frowned, letting my eyebrows crease together.

"Then..." I paused and turned more towards him. "Then why did you?" I asked. Andy frowned and shook his head. I looked back down at my lap.

"I didn't want you to be miserable," I blinked and turned my head finding him already looking. I gave him a blank stare.

"Do I look happy?" I asked. Andy bit his lip and slipped his fingers through mine.

"I'm sorry, Ev," I sighed and fell back against the couch, my eyelids heavy.

"My heart broke today, Andy. And I'm not sure if Chicago has much to offer a vulnerable girl like me," I felt my body shift into his arms for a sideways hug.

"The world is yours, Ev," he paused and kissed my temple. "You just need to find the strength to hold it in your hands," I glanced at him.

"And where do I find that strength," He picked my hand up and placed it over my chest.

"In your heart,"

----------

I inhaled deeply while I leaned against the roof wall, my heart beating wildly at the fast paced scene below me. I head the stairwell doors close and heard some shuffling until I hand came in front of me, a carton of cigarettes there.

I turned to see Joe with one already poised on his lips and an eyebrow raised.

"Come on Ev," he mumbled and I sighed, taking one and letting it dangle on my lips until he lighted it. I took a long drag.

"Life sucks," Joe nudged me.

"No, Pete sucks," I looked at him.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Joe narrowed his eyes.

"Real mature, Ev," I rolled my eyes and took another drag.

"Joe, what am I going to do?" I asked. Joe looked at me again, taking his own drag.

"What did you do last time?" he asked. I turned my head to see his profile and blinked.

"I ran away," Joe shrugged.

"Did it work?" he asked and I knitted my eyebrows together.

"Are you pushing me away?" I asked and Joe shook his head.

"Answer me," he paused. "Did it work?" I bit my lip and shook my head slowly.

"I ended up back here," Joe smiled.

"See? Take a different approach," I dropped my shoulders.

"I asked for advice and all you just did was put me back in the same spot," Joe smirked lightly.

"I have a tendency to do that," I nodded.

"That or ruining moments," I paused. "And if not that, you put a damper on already drama filled lives," Joe pointed at me.

"That reminds me," he smiled. "Did you know Andy still loves you?"

I chocked on the smoke and dropped it to the ground, putting it out and at the same time, closing my eyes with my mouth poised over my mouth. Joe laughed slightly and I smacked him.

"Joe!" I shrieked and frowned, placing my hands over my face. "That's for making my situation /worse/," Joe shrugged.

"You know," he paused when I looked up. "The only way to make a boy guilty and get revenge is to, well, get them jealous," I bit my lip.

"Joe, I'm not a whore," he titled his head to one side.

"But you still like Andy," I blinked at him, and empty expression.

"How do you know?" I asked. Joe shrugged.

"You just told me?" even though it sounded more like a question, I sighed and looked away.

"You know what?" I looked at Joe and he smiled.

"What?" he asked and I smacked his arm.

"I hate you," I paused and rolled my eyes, sighing deeply. "But I hate Pete more," Joe picked me off the ground and spun me around in a hug. He placed me down and squeezed my shoulders.

"I love this evil conniving bitch side of you," I rolled my eyes and stole his cigarette, placing it on my own lips.

"And I love this..." I raised a hand to his hair and wiggled my hair through the growing fro. "Afro," Joe narrowed his eyes and picked me up, throwing me over his shoulder. The cigarette fell from my lips and I yelped.

"BITCH!" Joe yelled as I fumbled with the pack in his back pocket, slipping my hands into pockets to find the lighter.

Joe twirled me around and I laughed. I patted his back as he placed me down, my head dizzy and vision blurry. Joe stole the pack and his lighter back and I took the cigarette from my lips, blowing it in his face.

"You whore," I snickered and kissed his nose.

"I know," I smiled and Joe rolled his eyes before stealing the cigarette like I did to him earlier. He raised his eyebrows.

"Just like you know /Pete/," I glared and smacked him. Hard.

"Jew," I muttered and Joe stuck out his tongue.

"At least I'm not a whore," I smiled and patted his cheek.

"You could be,"