THE BIG BAD WOLF.

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STARCROSSED (book one).
°•        CHAPTER THREE        •°

"        GET AWAY FROM MY BROTHER
YOU PIECE OF SHIT!       "

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FAMILY COULD MAJORLY SUCK. Don't get Elijah wrong, he loves both Nevaeh and Tobia Wolfhart more than anything in this life and there is nothing he wouldn't sacrifice for them. He would jump in the line of fire for both of them. But sometimes, some days, his small family could really get on his nerves. Elijah treasures his baby sister and happily beat the hell out of the boy who got her hooked on drugs. But the drugs were what he had an issue with. He also appreciates every little thing their father does for them, but the endless work he did was the other problem. They were faults. Everyone had them, even Elijah. He was aware his temper and stubbornness were what got on their nerves. But he didn't care. The only thing he cared about was when he saw Nevaeh on the floor.

And he used to feel the same about Steve Harrington. Steve had his faults. And, well, those faults grew when he rose by dragging Elijah down. He could keep up the lie to everyone around him that he didn't give a shit anymore about that Harrington boy, but deep down, the child in him missed his long term best friend more than anything in this world. But those were faults that couldn't be fixed. So it was easier for Elijah to pretend he didn't give a damn anymore, besides, he valued his sister's wellbeing more than his own.

He prioritized his father's, too, as his eyes glaze over Tobia in a close study. He looks exhausted. Elijah feels a twinge of sadness at the sight of his shoulders hunched, dark bags under his eyes so deep they look sunken into his skull, his fingers anxiously tapping over the kitchen's table, possibly because of the amount of coffee he drinks to keep himself awake. Elijah wishes he could drag his father to bed and force him to sleep, but the stubbornness in their family started with Tobia Wolfhart. He could never force him to do something, even if it was the right thing to do. He was tired too, after all, having to carry his family like this. He was just a kid.

The two Wolfhart men jerk in surprise when they hear Nevaeh make her way to them. Elijah hates he knows the storm coming as soon as he looks at her. She looks a little more stable, so that brings him some ease, but he knows it's only going to be ruined soon. Because Tobia was not here, missing extra time at work, for fun. Nothing about this was funny. Elijah actually thought walking through Hell would have been easier.

Part of Elijah felt awful for sharing with their father what happened after Nevaeh clutched at him and begged him not to do so. But then he knew he had to. Not telling Tobia wasn't even an option for him to consider. This was something serious, something scary, and he'd be an accomplice if anything happened to Nevaeh by keeping it to himself. That guilt would lead to Elijah never being able to forgive himself, but it didn't stop the very same emotion course through him as soon as he sees her. Because she knows.

However, all Nevaeh utters is a low, tired, "What?" Like sleeping drained her instead of making her less exhausted. Plus, the sight of her father actually home was pretty special since it was a rare occasion for both of the Wolfhart siblings.

"You already know what," Elijah replies strictly. He regretted it a second later when realizing he didn't sound any better than a parent and it only makes his sister put the pieces together that much easier. But this was what's best, to do so when she's sober, and not under the influence.

"You told." It wasn't a question, it wasn't a knowing statement, one of shock and hurt, and because she was stung by it, Nevaeh wanted Elijah to hurt as badly as she was. "How could you? You think I would go up to Steve or even Dad and tell them how many times I saw you come out of the shower with your eyes still bloodshot from crying, or the boxes of cigarettes disappearing a little too quickly - "

"Shut up," Elijah snarled back. Those were his secrets. They weren't for her to tell. They belonged to no one but him. They told stories of his own pain that he never wanted to share. They weren't made for anyone else to know or tell, and they weren't life threatening. And Elijah knew from the beginning that telling Tobia was going to anger her, but there was no other route to take, no other option to consider. Because he wanted to save her life and the cost of her being furious or feeling like she hated his guts would be worth it if it meant she'd stop using.

Nevaeh scoffs and shakes her head. "Fine. Then, what, is this some intervention?"

"Yes." Tobia finally looks up, stunning his daughter into silence from the agreement she didn't expect before he pushes himself away from the table to stand. "Because you are my child, and I've loved you more than my life since I first held you. Eli never told me to hurt you. All we want to do is help you."

"Help me what?" Nevaeh asks, her voice breaking. "I'm not some fucking junkie - "

"Watch your language," Tobia warned.

" - That you can just fix! I mean..." Nevaeh stops to inhale multiple times anxiously. "Come on. To spring this on me in the morning, before school?" She shakes her head as if the action will simply deny it, dismiss the truth they've been trying to get her to understand. "I'm... I can't handle this." Nevaeh gives another shake of her head, diving to grab her backpack so she can make a run for it, and that's when Elijah notices her hands trembling. She's already giving up a process she hasn't started yet.

A part of Elijah is afraid that she'll snap on him again. But there's a large part of him that is even more scared of what will happen if he does nothing. And that pain is so unimaginable, something he's felt only when his mother died, and it's still there, waiting to blossom into something more if he was to watch from the sidelines. Elijah couldn't do it.

He manages to catch Nevaeh before she can sprint out of the door and run straight back to drugs. It was such a hard word for him to think of, it hurt to even consider what was the truth. "You have to," he says somberly. "Because we're not giving you another choice."

"Oh, you're not gifting me another choice?" Nevaeh mocks with her hand mimicking a puppet. Elijah has to remind himself this is his sister and he's doing what he thinks is best before his temper spiked. This wasn't a time to get angry or panic. Keeping calm was important. "Lucky me."

"Enough," Tobia steps in firmly. He's already planting himself in between the siblings before the spat can take a turn for the worst, ever the mediator who was never there until now. He gives his daughter a stern look only a father can carry, keeping it held in his stare as he spoke without a waver in his tone, "Your brother has watched over you in ways I should have, I can never thank him enough for it, but... You're still hurting us both. Can't you see that?" Tobia begs in a way he hopes isn't a guilt trip, but the brutal truth, that it pains him and his son to see the last member of their family suffering loudly like this.

Tobia and Elijah were tired in more ways than one, and maybe Nevaeh could finally see that as she pauses her rush to get out and observe the state they're in. Her face pinches as she tries not to cry, but Elijah can see her lower lip tremble and the way her eyes water. She had a soft heart. He's known this since she was eight years old and broke one of his favorite toys, then spent hours trying to tape it back together so her big brother wouldn't be upset. And for Nevaeh to hear her awful actions have caused them pain hurt her, too. She'd give anything to ease it.

Even stop.

Suddenly, Nevaeh looks eight years old again with the broken toy covered in tape in her shaking hands, seconds away from bursting into tears as she questions, "What do I do?"

To ask someone to stop doing something their body craved was like placing a fat steak in front of someone who hasn't eaten in days. Elijah knows he couldn't request for Nevaeh to do such a thing because she couldn't. He's not an expert on drugs or those who use them. Some even said they weren't harmful. But he'd argue with that since he saw her on the floor with her eyes rolled to the back of her head.

"We," Elijah corrects her. "Help you." Because Elijah has loved Nevaeh since their parents posed them on a couch together after bringing her home from the hospital when he was a little over a year old even though he can't truly remember the moment. They were too close in age. They understood each other better than anyone possibly could. And there's nothing Elijah wouldn't do for Nevaeh, to keep her safe.

"But you understand, Nevaeh... It ends here," Tobia pleads because he's desperate to save her the same way Elijah was. Then, "Don't... Don't make me bring you to a doctor."

The suggestion alone is what makes Elijah's blood run cold. He can't imagine sending her away, he doesn't know how much he trusts anyone else to watch and take care of his baby sister other than him. It terrifies him, to give someone, a stranger, no matter how professional, that power over her. For now, Elijah believes he could handle it. He hoped his father felt the same way. They couldn't let school or work get in the way of this.

"Promise me? That you'll try," Elijah asks of her quietly. He has spent all seventeen years of his life taking care of Nevaeh, ensuring she was ready for school, crossing the streets with her much smaller hand in hers, helping her with homework, making her dinner when either parents weren't home, reading her stories until she fell asleep, only to start the same routine the following day. And Elijah never complained. Not once. He never asked for anything in return either because it just always felt like it was his responsibility. A part of him felt selfish to make this single request, but if it meant she'd be safe, he couldn't let himself feel too awful for it.

She nods, but she doesn't say the words, which only makes Elijah more afraid. Their father finally lets them leave for school then. He feels too sick for breakfast and he imagines Nevaeh does too. He drives them to the building in a car full of silence, almost so unbearable that they both could surely hear his heart beating. Elijah doesn't speak, not until they're parked and leaving the car. Because of his fight with Lewis, he isn't allowed to attend classes until his suspension is lifted, and that won't be for another week or so. But he's walking his sister to the door and he doesn't know, nor care if he's allowed on their property.

Elijah ignores the crowds that surround the outside, swimming anxiously in preparation for the first bell, and slides his arm over Nevaeh's shoulder, keeping her close, so he can walk her to the doors together. He won't admit it out loud, but he's scared of letting her go here, out of his sight where he could keep an eye on her. But Nevaeh wasn't a dog. He'd have to let her eventually. Trust was important.

However, he still tries to make a light joke out of it. "Should I make you pinky promise me?" Elijah questions her once they're there.

Nevaeh gave a wet laugh like she'd been holding back tears since walking into the kitchen that morning. "I haven't pinky promised you anything since I was thirteen and you wanted me to do dishes before seeing my friends."

"Still." Elijah curls his arm around her so he can lightly kiss her temple, causing her curly hair to tickle his skin in return. "You can tell me anything."

She returns the touch by squeezing her brother by the waist. Elijah can feel Nevaeh's muscles tense, her fingers trembling as they twisted the cloth of his shirt. "You too."

Elijah watches the back of his sister's head disappear as she heads to her first class and wonders too many questions that only she could ever know the answer to. And it was up to Nevaeh if Elijah could ever know.

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The end of the day comes fast. Elijah can feel the stress powering its way to his brain and leading to a headache that pounded furiously at his skull with no remorse. He can only feel it calm when he digs in the pocket of his jacket for his box of cigarettes. As soon as the stick is in between his fingers, he's glad. Elijah can already feel the weight lifting the second he lights it and stuck in the space where his lips parted to enclose the filter and suck through. The smoke that he inhales fills his lungs and spreads with a warm feeling that is comforting enough to hug him.

Nevaeh hates the smell of cigarette smoke which is, in his opinion, a little ironic considering her own habit. Elijah's lips twitch into a small smile. He couldn't wait to see her, he's been counting the hours and minutes until he had to pick her up. Nevaeh was different when she was sober. It was like she was a child running on a burst of letting herself be happy again. Being the big brother, there was nothing Elijah loved more than seeing the youngest happy.

Either way, she'll have to suck it up since Elijah won't roll his window down and let the smoke blow into the air. He can see none other than Steve Harrington guiding his friends and another girl he didn't recognize out of the school like the leader of a wolf pack when he of all people knew he wasn't scarier than a small dog with a pink collar that curls on your lap and cries at thunderstorms. Elijah hated when he got nostalgic and tried to defend Steve because there was no excuse for throwing him under the bus and there wasn't anything he could do to make up for it. And he knows he doesn't even want to try.

Elijah's eyebrows furrow when he notices Steve making way to where Jonathan's car was parked. He didn't know his friend was here because the school had granted him permission to miss his classes since Will went missing. Maybe he was printing more pictures to post around town. But that isn't what Elijah cares about. His lower lip is curling as he watches Steve prop his ass on the hood of Jonathan's car through the windshield. Does he think he can do whatever the hell he wants because of his reputation? That playing a sick joke on Jonathan Byers at an awful time like this would be okay?

He can't, Elijah angrily thinks to himself as he jabs the lit end of his cigarette to his steering wheel and listens to it fizzle out. He grabs another for the touch of comfort and tucks it behind his ear. I won't let him. The time of being pushed over was done.

The rest of the cigarette is crushed under the sole of his sneaker when he flicks it to the concrete after stepping out of his vehicle, storming across the short distance and waiting until he was close enough for the group to hear when he snarls in warning, "Get off his fucking car."

No one notices the flicker of panic in Steve's eyes because they were taught not to, but Elijah, who had known his past best friend since they were still in diapers, sees right through him. He's still afraid, despite his social status skyrocketing compared to Elijah's, that he can say at any moment that it was Steve who initiated every kiss, not him. That he wasn't any better than Elijah's dirty, flamer thoughts.

But he didn't. Because he could never hurt Steve like that. Because the pain of being betrayed by the one person you thought you could trust more than anyone in the world never stops fucking hurting.

The fear vanishes in his gaze as Steve grins in an attempt to be cunning with his clean sneaker propped on the ledge, arm on his knee, greeting, "Hey there, Eli."

"Don't call me that," Elijah snaps back without missing a beat, a darkness in his tone. "I said to get off his car."

Carol picked at her fingernails like Elijah was nothing but a boring fly buzzing around them. He's been this meaningless in her space since she caught Steve and him swapping spit in secret at the party. "What do you prefer, then?" She drawled out. "Where do I begin? I mean, there's so many other things to call you..."

He can feel his blood pumping like a drumbeat in his ears. Elijah's fists clench into fists at his side. He knows they're seconds away from calling him a slur and that'd be the final nail in their coffin. He can feel his nails biting into the skin of his palms and wonders if they punctured into scratches. The names have never stopped and no one would have known if Steve didn't let his friend out him. Elijah didn't deserve that pain of keeping a secret to spare him of the same hurt he continued to cause him.

"Shut up," is all Elijah can spit at her, seething with the familiar anger that always waited as it brewed, but it's a threat and the very last warning he'll give them.

It all comes to a stop anyway because Jonathan has finally left the building. He was digging in his pockets for his car keys as he crosses the parking lot, head lifting as he stepped over a curb, revealing a puzzled expression. Steve seemed to brighten at the sight of him like this is what he's been waiting for and slides off the car. "Oh, hey, man. Thanks for joining us."

Jonathan's fingers tightened on the strap of his bag nervously, his eyes darting to Elijah. "What's going on?" He asks.

"Nicole here - " Steve cocked her head in the direction of the girl Elijah didn't know. "Was telling us about your work."

"We've heard great things," Carol adds in a fake, sweet voice.

"And we'd just love to take a look. You know, as connoisseurs of art," Steve pressed. "Hey, I know what you're into isn't Eli's thing, but maybe he'll get a kick out of it too."

Elijah knew how much photography meant to Jonathan. He doesn't know what their intentions were, has no clue what Steve wants from him, but the only kick he wants is to be thrown at his stupid, smug face. Elijah wonders if their stars telling their story would look away for a moment so he could. However, Jonathan stiffens like he knows immediately what they're talking about, but denies it anyway by mumbling the opposite, "I don't know what you're talking about," and goes to push past them to his car.

But Tommy raises his eyebrows and seizes the bag hanging from Jonathan's shoulder, ripping it away, startling the other. Elijah is the closest, and as Jonathan pleads for his bag back, he sprung to snatch it back, but he's a second too late. "What the fuck is wrong with you - " He demands, cut off when Tommy plants the palm of his hand on his chest to push him back, and pitched the bag to Steve who was all too happy to catch it.

"Man, he is totally trembling," Steve teases. "He must really have something to hide."

If it was anyone else, Elijah would have snapped again. He would have reacted like he did with Lewis and pummeled at least one of them in the gravel, he was ready to do so to Tommy, but to him, Steve isn't just anyone. He never has been to him. He knows what Steve is doing is cruel, unnecessary, all to someone he cares about, but Elijah doesn't fight him for the bag back. Because despite how much he tells himself he hates Steve Harrington, how badly he wants to, he doesn't.

A stack of pictures is yanked out of the bag. Steve proudly waves them in the air and Elijah can feel his fingers twitch as they fought the urge to tear them back. Those meant a lot to Jonathan and although he'd treat them like they're glass, Steve doesn't. "Here we go!" He exclaims coldly as he started flicking through them, studying each one closely. "Oh, man."

"Let me see," Tommy urges and plucked a few from his hands. As soon as his eyes caught sight of the images, he scoffs, "Dude."

"Yeah, this isn't creepy at all," Carol fires at him.

"I was looking for my brother," Jonathan defended quietly.

Steve shook his head. "No, this is called stalking," he corrected after rolling one of the pictures up and pointing the end of it at him.

Inhaling deeply, Elijah calms himself enough to at least question, "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Exactly what he said," Carol responds, repulsed, with another snap of her gum. She takes a picture from Tommy so she could turn it, pressed against her chest, revealing the portrait that answered all of his questions.

It's a dark black and white image of a pool with a gang of teenagers that he barely recognized as Steve, Tommy, Carol, and two other girls. Elijah thinks one of them is Nancy, but he can't be too sure. It doesn't matter, though, because his stomach twists at the sight. He hates how much he agrees with them that it was creepy to photograph a bunch of people in the middle of the night that were unaware of a camera on them. Elijah, pressing his lips together to keep his jaw from dropping, thinks for a split second maybe he can defend it because he's probably done worse things then that himself, but then he can't.

Because Nancy Wheeler approaches with a confused smile. "What's going on?"

She's too innocent for what they know that Elijah and her don't, as Tommy laughs towards her. "Here's the starring lady!" He announces.

The smile on Nancy's face disappears. "What?"

"This creep - " Carol jabbed a slim finger holding a ring towards Jonathan. "Was spying on us last night." Nancy glanced towards Jonathan in disbelief, but Carol isn't done, brandishing one of the photos in her direction. "He was probably gonna save this one for later."

Elijah can see the way Nancy's face completely dropped at the picture in her hands that started to tremble, lowering it enough so he can see. He has to blink a few times in disbelief to be sure what he's seeing is right then glances away just as fast because it felt so wrong to stare at. Then all the earlier comments made sense and click. Elijah had caught the peek of a bare back belonging to a girl who was pulling her shirt off behind an open window. He doesn't have to see her face to know who it is because Nancy's expression said it all. And that's what he discovers he can't defend.

"See, you can tell that he knows it was wrong," Steve states from the ashamed, guilty look Jonathan held. "But, man, that's the thing about perverts. It's hardwired into 'em. You know, they just can't help themselves." Elijah watches as he approaches Jonathan, slow, but his head tilting towards him. "Isn't that right, Eli?"

Elijah's heart clenches. He felt like he was back in the room at the party, alone, listening to the slurs and awful things everyone there had to say about him. He thinks he can finally understand how small Nancy felt, but despite the stars shredding his skin again, Elijah scowls instead and swears in a furiously calm voice, "Fuck you, Steve Harrington."

He can see the flash of hurt in Steve's eyes the same way he could see the anxiety, but he can somehow swallow it with a shake of his head. Tommy is laughing which must urge him on as he continues with, "Guess I hit a sore spot. Shame." Steve's attention averted back to Jonathan. They lock eyes as he starts to rip the picture in his hands into smaller pieces. "I guess we'll have to take away one of the creep's favorite toys."

Elijah's feet felt like the shoes have become part of the cement as Steve retreated to Jonathan's bag who started to panic, pleading, "No, please, not the camera - "

Tommy is faster than him and goes to deliver a harsh shove, but Steve retrieves the camera with one hand and stops him with the other. "No, no, wait, Tommy." To anyone else, his smile would seem maybe genuine, friendly even. But Elijah knows Steve's covering the cruel idea he has tucked under his sleeve as he outstretches it towards it's owner like a peace offering. "Here you go."

Although Elijah's stuck in place, he somehow finds his voice, and can only utter a, "Steve - " before Jonathan reaches for it, only for Steve to let go.

The camera makes an awful, shattering sound as it impacts the ground. Elijah swallows thickly at the broken camera while Jonathan stares at the pieces, heartbroken. He knows how long it took to save up for something so special. Elijah takes one look at his face before his head snaps up. "What the hell is wrong with you?" He demands for the second time but with more anger than last time. "Seriously, I - "

"A pervert defending another," Steve ponders. A piece of his hair falls out of line and sweeps over his forehead when he cocks his head. "You should start a club."

"And keep him out of it, this time," Tommy recommends like the loyal dog, or bitch, Elijah thinks, he is.

But everything still fucking aches at how Steve acts higher than him, treats him like it was all him, and Elijah just had to take it until he breaks because he was never someone to hide his emotions. There was only one other there for him when Steve broke him, and Elijah hears her before he sees her because the shout is loud enough to reach them, "Hey, get away from my brother, you piece of shit!"

Nevaeh is moving faster than Elijah has ever seen her and he thanks his lucky stars she showed up just in time. All he wants to do now is speed home and get away from this. She's tiny as all hell, barely reaching Steve's chin, but she isn't afraid to jump over the curb and nearly get in his face like she's a shield for her big brother. Nevaeh doesn't even notice the smashed camera at her feet, only firing boldly at him, "You think you're tough, Harrington? You're a pathetic little coward."

If Elijah and Steve were ever best friends, Nevaeh was never left out. Steve didn't have any younger or older siblings of his own so he acted as another substitute big brother to her. Nevaeh adored him as a kid. She was constantly pestering Elijah to tag along with them and Steve never turned her down. He'd even let her climb on his back to carry her. He claimed Nevaeh was like the baby sister he never had to tease her, but anyone could see how much he cared about her too. That bond has been long gone since she held her big brother and let him cry on her shoulder because Steve broke his heart.

Steve has to glance down to actually meet her eyes and a smile tugged on the corners of his lips like this was amusing. "Pipsqueak really has a back bone, yeah?" He responds coolly.

The second Elijah sees his sister's hands shake he reaches out to grab her arm and tug her back because he'll never let Nevaeh stoop to his level just from the nickname Steve used to use on her. If anyone knew the pain Elijah suffered through, it was her, and he knew she was waiting for the moment to slap Steve as hard as she could, feeling as if this was it.

"We're done here," Elijah decides for her and pulls them both away from the scene, ignoring the echoing laughter that follows.

Even when they're settled in his car, Nevaeh is still fuming. "I mean it, he is so unbelievable, acting like he's a king that can do whatever the hell he wants," she rambles as she shakily buckles the seatbelt over her chest. "God, he is such a jerk. I gag every time he's too close - "

"Enough, okay?" Elijah pleads. He can't help cutting her off. His mind is still spinning with everything that happened. He even felt a little sick at the picture of Nancy he saw, not because of his lack of attraction to girls, but because the idea of taking nearly nude pictures of an unsuspecting girl was... Well, disgusting. Elijah would have lost his mind if it was done to Nevaeh. His hands clutch the steering wheel as he takes a few deep breaths that feel sharp. He knows Nevaeh is watching, silent now, so he tries to change the subject. "How was school?"

"Fine." Nevaeh gazes out the window with her chin in her hand as Elijah finally puts the car in drive and starts to pull away. "I didn't see Shane today. I think that's why I snapped so hard when I saw Steve." She pauses. And then a quiet apology, "I'm sorry."

Guilt hit Elijah who shook his head and took his eyes off the road for a second to stare at her. "You don't have anything to apologize for," he dismissed firmly. He even tried to smile, but it was faint, as was hers when she returned it. "Thanks. Really, you're braver than me. I couldn't hurt him if I tried."

Elijah is grateful he returned his view to the road so he doesn't see the pity in Nevaeh's eyes. "But he hurt you," she counters.

Revenge was a terrible, ugly thing. And yet, if anyone else on this planet had forced Elijah out of the closet in the same manner, he'd react. He would get them in the end. He wouldn't be satisfied until he finished it. Elijah would explode, and take them with him, for causing him so much torture that doesn't stop. But Steve... Well, he was once something endlessly special to him, and he truly can't imagine causing him the same horrid feeling.

"It doesn't matter," Elijah denies even though they both know it meant everything to him. But he doesn't want to talk about it anymore because it was like rubbing salt into an open wound. He knows what matters a lot more was Nevaeh, and she wouldn't give him the answers he needed to the questions he had with their father close, so he takes the opportunity to ask them now. "When did you start?"

And she knows immediately what he's talking about. Nevaeh avoids even glancing in her brother's direction. She sighs, shakes her head, then says in a guilty mumble, "A few weeks after the party." However, Nevaeh does notice her brother tightening his grip on the steering wheel because he hates himself for not noticing sooner, so she tries to quickly insist, "It wasn't you - I swear, I just, I didn't know what to do after... Everything. Shane found me, said he could help, and..."

One thing led to another, Elijah finishes for her when Nevaeh can't bring herself to. It led them to where they were now. "You scared the shit out of me," is what he says instead. "He didn't give you that shit the day I found you, right?" Because he'll beat the shit out of him again if Lewis gave Nevaeh something dangerously laced. Nevaeh shakes her head so that momentarily eases him. "Then what happened?"

Nevaeh immediately falls into a heavy silence. She started doing her nervous ticks, bouncing her leg, twirling her wavy hair around her finger to tug at it, gnawing at her lower lip, until she can finally muster enough courage to reply. "I found some guy a few streets over."

They're both lucky that a stop sign was in view because Elijah had never kicked his leg out faster to slam on the breaks. Nevaeh shouts in surprise as the seatbelt dug into her neck but she was lucky to wear it, otherwise her head would have surely bounced off the dashboard.

"Are you kidding me?!" Elijah exclaims, louder than he meant. He can't control his outburst or keep it contained. He wasn't angry, well, not at her, but he was afraid. He was terrified that his sister felt alone enough to buy drugs off a random stranger. Nevaeh had grew quiet again, so Elijah has to return to the slow breathing to relax the panic that was growing. He goes for a lecture instead of snapping. "Nevaeh, do you know how dangerous that is? He could have given you anything and you could have - "

"I know," Nevaeh interrupted, stressed, regretful as she repeats more sincerely, "I know."

But because she wanted more, Nevaeh took what she could find. And Elijah knows he could tell her not to do it again, that if she does their father would be forced to intervene, but he doesn't because he knows it'll do nothing but pressure her to do it again. It's difficult to hold back comments like that, but Elijah bears it anyway to spare her. "It was like you were passed out," he remembers quietly. The rumble of the car's motor was somehow louder than him once he starts the gas again. "I would have thought - you know, but you were breathing, and I would have thought you knocked out on the rug if there wasn't a bottle next to you."

"It was like I was dreaming," Nevaeh confessed. It was the first time she felt comfortable enough to be this open with him. "I've never reacted like that to anything. I thought I was living in a nightmare."

There's a beat of silence as Elijah attempts to process this. He can see their house becoming closer so he takes a chance and questions, "What did you see?"

But how does she tell him? Nevaeh wonders how she can be this vulnerable with him because Elijah knows he'll never understand no matter how hard he tries. He's spent his whole life protecting her and she believes she can do the same for him when she shakes her head and whispers, "I don't want to talk about it."

Elijah gets what she means as much as he doesn't want to. He hates it. But there were always going to be some things they couldn't tell one another. This happened to be it.

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author's note:

i love when i write an amazing ending to this chapter and wattpad just deletes it 🤪 just special wattpad tingz!! ✨

i had to rewrite it cause i didn't remember how i finished it so i'm sorry for the awful ending, plus i felt like this chapter was long enough.

lots of important things happened in this chapter. i want y'all to know that i've loved people with drug problems so i'm using my experience with how elijah feels. please know he doesn't know how to help her, doesn't know what to say, but he'd give anything to help his little sister, as would their father. it's something hard to understand.

also, him and jonathan are still friends, and jonathan is probably one of my favorite characters on the show. but i did find it very uncomfortable that he took pictures of nancy stripping without her knowing. i imagine elijah would too.

i have so much planned for eli & steve too, it's gonna be crazy!! more things will be revealed soon i swear it's bout to get insane 🤩

anyway, i think that's it, so thank you for reading!! i'm sorry again that wattpad erased some of this chapter so i had to rewrite it terribly. i'll see you guys soon ❤️

- koda

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