Hatred With Benefits

S I X T Y - O N E

EVA.

"I told you not to drop me here. " I hiss at Emerson as I unfasten my seatbelt before I turn to grab my

bag from the backseat.

"And who are you trying to hide from?" He queries when I move back to my seat.

"I'm not hiding. It just feels... Weird?" I tell him as I duck my head from his gaze and Emerson drops his

hand to my chin, tipping my head to meet his eyes. "Then you should get real with it because this isn't

a one-time thing. "

"It is. You won't be taking me tomorrow. I don't care what you use. "

"Is that a challenge?" He raises a daring brow, the corners of his lips curving when I hum before I push Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

forward to press my lips to his. "Take it as you feel. " I tell him when I pull back, attempting to move out

but Emerson's hand slides to the back of my neck and he takes my lips in his again, not stopping the

luscious attack of his lips and his tongue till I'm left breathless and gasping for air.

"My eyes are always on you, Diva. " He says when he pulls back and I smile, giving a playful squeeze

to his crotch and jumping out of the car before Emerson can do anything about it.

"I'll get back at you for that, Carson. " He speaks through the window and I throw him a wink before I

turn away.

I instantly cuss under my breath when I catch the sight of Aliya across the field with her eyes on me

and a taunting smile on her lips.

"Oh, God. It just couldn't get any worse, uh?" I keep on a straight face as I make my way toward my

best friend, and she drapes a hand over my shoulder when I'm close.

"So that's why you told me to come on my own? Because your boyfriend was driving you to school?"

She teases and I swat her hand from my shoulder as I adjust my bag. "Let's get to class, please. "

"Bitch, you are not escaping this. " She promises and I groan, "Aliya–"

"Eva–" she calls my name in the same tone, causing us to break into a laugh and I shake my head as

we make our way to class.

EMERSON.

"Why did you ask me to come?" I question as I stride into Paige's room and she lifts her hand from her

phone, her face brightening up at the sight of me.

"Hey, you. You made it. " She smiles as she drops her phone to the side and rises to her feet.

"I told you I was on my way. " I remind her as she edges closer to me with open arms, "I didn't think you

meant it. You rarely listen to me these days. "

When she gives me a pointed look with her head angled to her open arms, I throw her a look of

confusion, "What?"

She sighs and lets her hands fall to her side. "What else would I be spreading my arms for? Give me a

hug. "

"You didn't call me just to get a hug, did you?" I arch an eyebrow and she shakes her head, "I didn't,

but we could start with a hug. "

"Why did you call me, Paige?" I ask her, ignoring her request and she frowns, "You can't hug me now?

First, it was the sex, and now the hug? What's it going to be next? Will you stop me from getting the

slightest touches too?"

"So you called me to waste my time? "

"Are you even listening to what I'm telling you?" Annoyance creeps into her voice.

"I am. I just don't make sense of it. I told you I won't fuck you any longer, and you seemed to

understand so why are you bringing it up again?"

"I understood until you started to pull away from me. It's just a Goddamn hug, Emery. What's so fucking

hard about giving one?" She doesn't tone down her voice and it's starting to irritate me.

When I don't give a response, she proceeds to say, "It's her, isn't it? The chick at your place? You found

a new toy and forget all about me?"

My head snaps to her at the disgust in her voice and I match her frame with a glare as I open my

mouth, "Firstly, she isn't a chick. Her name is Eva, and you'll not speak of her like that. Secondly, she

isn't a toy. She's my fucking woman so you'll treat her as such. "

"Since when do you care about having a woman?" She scoffs, not hiding the irritation in her voice in

the slightest way and I say, "Since I found her. "

"So she's the reason you're pulling away from me? "

"Oh God, " I groan, turning away from her. "We talked about this before, Paige. Why the fuck are you

acting this way? I thought you were mature enough to understand the fucking part in our relationship is

done. It was bound to end one day; one way or the other. "

When I turn back to meet her eyes, she bites the inside of her cheeks before she parts her lips. "I know

that, and I have no problem with it. But it's starting to be more than that. You're pulling away from this

friendship too, and that hurts, Emerson. "

"I'm not pulling away, " I tell her. "I'm putting a distance between the relationship we once had, and the

one we have now. Otherwise, there would be nothing between us. "

"Fine, " she grumbles under her breath as she returns to her seat and I take the chair across from her.

"All these because of one hug?"

"I've missed you. You can't possibly understand how I feel. " She mutters and I clear my throat in an

attempt to dismiss the topic. "Why did you call me here? You said it was urgent. "

"Yeah, " she responds, rubbing her palms against each other. She stares at the floor for a while before

she lifts her head to meet my gaze, "I'm going to visit her tomorrow and I want you to come with me. "

"No. " My response comes quick and sharp, and Paige's face falls.

"No?" She repeats the word, as if she couldn't believe her ears and I nod as another confirmation. "No,

I can't come with you. "

"Why? I need you to—"

"You've never needed me the previous times you went, Paige and you won't start now. And this is

personal. Way too personal. You can't ask me for this. " I shake my head and she smiles, "You honestly

think there's any more personal between the two of us? You know everything, Emerson and I know you

better than anyone. Even more than her. "

The proud smile on Paige's face at the end of her words makes me snort out a laugh. "No, you don't.

You know me, but you don't know me in the way Eva does. "

Paige's smile falls and her frown takes over. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you shouldn't try to compete with her, or you'll end up hurting yourself. "

"You know, for my closest friend; you sure have turned a lot meaner than I remember. " She scowls at

me and I chuckle, looking away from her.

"You honestly won't come with me? It's been long, and I feel like I need someone by my side. That

person has always been you. " She utters in a low voice and I look back at her, "I can't. I'm sorry, but I

can't do this one thing for you. I'll be here to catch you if you need me to, though. "

Paige's smile appears again, and she hums, sinking back into her seat.

"Is that why you called me? You could have asked me over the phone. " I tell her and she says, "I

could, but I wanted to see your face. "

When I pass her a frown, she giggles and says, "Just fúcking with you. I thought I could change your

mind if I see you. I didn't think you would refuse me either way. "

"You should be used to that by now. " I say and she smiles before she takes her gaze from mine.

My eyes roam across her room before it drops back to her. "I don't see your other friend. "

"Out with her girl. Must be fun, don't you think? I can't possibly imagine that. " She pouts and I laugh,

"You could get someone if you wanted to. "

"Right, " she whispers, holding my gaze and when I lift a brow at her, she says, "What's it about her?"

"Uh?" I furrow a brow and she continues, "Eva. What's it about her that you like so much? You weren't

like this before. "

"Everything?" When confusion covers her face, I smile and say, "It's everything about her. "

"So she got you because she's just her? Like every other female in the world?" She raises her brow

and I move to my feet, slipping my hands into my pockets as I stare down at her. "No. I love her

because she's just Eva Carson. Nothing more and nothing less. "

"I refuse to believe that. " She says and I sniffle, "Isn't that just typical of you?"

"Where are you going?" She asks, moving from her seat when I take a step forward.

"Out? I believe we're done with what you called me for?"

"Yes, but I thought you would stay longer. " She proclaims and I say, "When have I ever stayed

longer?"

"There could be a change. " She raises a shoulder, before she moves forward.

"There could, " I agree. "But there isn't. Let me know how it goes tomorrow. " I pat her shoulder before I

turn away and head to the door. When I wrap my hand around the knob, the sound of Paige's voice

behind me stops me and I twist my head to her.

"I want to ask you one last question. " Something tells me I should ignore her and walk through that

door, then she adds, "One. "

With a fall of my chest, I leave the knob and nod for her to continue, folding my arms against my chest

as I lean against the doorframe.

Paige steps forward as she speaks. "I want to know how much it has changed truly. If it were down to

me and her..."

"Paige. " I call, knowing the words that will follow but she doesn't stop. "Who would you choose? I just

want to know. "

"Why does it matter?" I ask her and she responds with, "It matters to me. "

"Paige, " I start with a sigh and she gestures for me to continue. "You're my friend, and like I told you;

I'll always be here if you don't give me a reason not to be, but you can't compare yourself to Eva. Eva

is... She's the woman I'm helplessly in love with, and she'll always matter the most to me. It's always

going to be her. Always. "

"You could have lied for me. " She jokes and I smile. "I thought you wanted the truth. "

"You could have been less brutal. "

"That's your definition of being brutal? What would you call it if I say you mean nothing?" I lift a brow

and she gasps, taking a step back. "Emerson!"

"Yeah, that's the definition of brutal. " I laugh and she shakes her head, slapping my arm.

"You'll be fine. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you. " I assure her and she hums, dropping her gaze

before she raises it again. "You don't think she could have... Forgotten?"

"No, and you shouldn't either. You'll be fine, yeah?" I reassure her and she smiles, "I'll always be with

you by my side. "

I want to tell her that I won't one day. One day when she has everything that was taken from her, and

no longer need me to make it through– I won't be here. But I don't open my mouth for her to withstand

what's coming to her tomorrow.

"Go back. " I tell her, nodding to her seat and she hums, giving me a wave before I turn the knob and

walk out of the room.