" Okay so let me just call up Evan and ask if he has some place for us to stay the night, okay? " Ryan said and I gasped, " No Ryan,  no fucking way, we're not dragging your friends into this. Let's just stay here. They won't look here again. At least I hope they won't. "

We were standing in Ryan's messed up kitchen. The utensils were all over the place. Broken pieces of China were scattered around. Some of the bar glasses were shattered too. The broken glass was making me anxious again so I quickly looked away.

" I don't think they'll be watching us right now Evelyn, they'll never know where we are, plus this place is a mess," Ryan said. " Probably, but they will find out that I was there and when they come looking, they'll do just what they did to this place, " I pointed out and Ryan sighed, " Yeah, maybe you're right. "

" Yes, now can you please find me that well hidden box of cereal, I'm starving! " I said trying to change the topic and Ryan chuckled, " Okay, let's go feed the hungry lady in the house, " he winked at me playfully before walking over to the cabinets. I sat down at the table and rested my head in my hands.

" Oh, I found cheese and macaroni and some vegetables, will that do? " Ryan asked. " What, you couldn't find your own cereal? " I said while grinning at him. " Very funny, " Ryan scoffed and I chuckled. " Yeah that would do I guess, let me make a salad, " I said walking over to the counter. " Okay, I'll heat the mac and cheese then. " I shrugged, " Cool. "

I got to work to make a salad with whatever there was in the fridge, which wasn't much, but at least the fridge was still working. " When was the last time you went shopping? " I asked him, only for him to laugh it off. " Ha, I don't know a few weeks ago maybe, " he said and I rolled my eyes at him. " You need to shop for some groceries Ryan, " I said and he saluted the air, " Aye, aye Captain! " I shook my head at him.

We ate dinner in comfortable silence until Ryan broke it. "Do you think we should call the police? " He suddenly asked. " I don't think so, I'm sure Stella would have reported me in the police by now and she obviously knows that I would be on my way to Portland so the cops will recognise me and alert her. We can't afford that, " I said while playing with the macaroni in my plate.

" Who's Stella? " He asked and I sighed defeated, " Stella Johnson is my aunt, the lady who is after me and has sent people out to kill me." Ryan snapped his head up to me, " Why would she want to kill you? "

I hesitated. Talking about Stella never did any good to me except opening up old hidden wounds. However I wanted to get this out of my system. Call me childish but I wanted some one else to hate her too.

All my life I had tried to convince people that she was evil, but nobody listened to me ever. They called me an ungrateful child cause in their eyes she was the kind woman who had taken her brother's only daughter in after he and his wife died. If only they knew who she really was.

I sighed before answering, "Because... well, she's a control freak. Ever since.....ever since my parents died, she has been trying to control me in every way possible. She's a sick bitch who doesn't leave any opportunity to remind me how fucking alone I am, that I have no family. I was so done with her conniving ways that at the night of the release of my album, when she was busy counting the number of copies being sold on the first day sale, I gathered up my things and left. But I didn't know that she had already hired people to actually track me down and kill me. You see if I die, she'll be the only standing member of the family and would automatically get the ownership of everything. But she obviously also wants me back because of the money and fame I bring home, so at the end of the day I really don't know what's gonna happen. "

Ryan's features were twisted in anger by the time I finished. " What a selfish bitch! " He spited out. " Tell me about it? " I sighed.

" What's in Portland? " I looked up at him, " I don't know, but my dad grew up there. He once even told me that he met my mom in Portland. On my 18th birthday I received a phone call from the woman who apparently had been living in the house my parents first lived in and said that she had found some things in the basement that belonged to my parents and she wanted me to have them before she put the house up for sale. I hadn't known that my parents had a house together in Portland before they had me, so I bought the house from the lady and wanted to go see it but Stella never let me. " I told him, tears stinging at the corner of my eyes at the thought of my parents and how little I knew about them. "Why wouldn't she let you go? " Ryan whispered while lightly brushing away some stray tears that had fallen on my cheeks.

I didn't know the answer myself. It was something that had always made me doubt her intentions even more. She never told me anything about my parents. All I had were a few broken memories. I shrugged and Ryan sighed. " We need to go to Portland then. " Ryan said and I shook my head while willing my tears to stop but they didn't, " I don't know Ryan, they know I'm in Seattle because I made the mistake of stoping here and now they will be expecting me in Portland because Stella knows that's the only place I'll go to. I don't know what to do. " I whispered slowly. My head was pounding from all the raw emotions that I was experiencing right now.

I put my head in my hands as I heard Ryan getting up from his chair. He picked up the half empty plates from the table and placed them in the sink. He then walked up to me and holding my hands in his, urged me to stand up. I quietly followed him as he leads me upstairs. There was shredded glass pieces on the floor that we carefully dodged.

My eyes fell onto the closed door next to Ryan's bedroom and I wondered why it was locked. "It this a guest room? " I asked curiously. Ryan's hand tightened around mine and he came to a sudden halt.

His unexpected move made me crash into his backside. I looked up to see him looking at the door with a clenched jaw. I furrowed my brows, totally confused by his actions. What the fuck was in there?

" I.... I don't want to talk about that Evelyn. Ever. " He said with a weird finality and threat in his voice. "Okay, " I whispered lightly. He was acting weirdly. He looked down at me with glassy eyes as if he was moments away from crying. I reached up and lightly stroked his cheek. " I'm so sorry Ryan. I didn't know or I wouldn't have asked you, " I whispered and Ryan leaned into my hand slightly. He nodded hesitantly.

" Come on, " he said stepping away from me and I could see him slipping back into his careless facade. It was all a mask to hide his hurt from the world. Who could know better than me?

I silently followed him back in his bedroom. Thankfully the bedroom was untouched. Looks like they didn't come upstairs then. Maybe they were in some kind of a rush, but why?

Ryan turned around to face me and fixated his eyes upon mine, " I'm sorry for how I acted in the hallway just now. " I smiled reassuringly. " It's okay, Ryan. It was my fault. I shouldn't have asked. It wasn't my place. "

" No, it wasn't your fault. I just.....it's not something I like to talk about. I'll tell you someday maybe but just not yet, " He sighed heavily. " I'll be here whenever you're ready to tell me, Ryan. " This time he returned my smile.

" Now, about you, I know you think you're putting my life in danger and I know there are people hunting you down and if they get to us, it won't be such a great idea, but Eve I'm your friend. I can't let you put your life in danger by either turning your self in or driving off to Portland all alone in your getaway car when we both know they'll be tailing you." Ryan said, holding my gaze firmly.

" Did you just call my baby a getaway car? " I feigned hurt and Ryan chuckled, " Of all the things that I said. " I grinned at him.

" I know Ryan, but-" I started but he cut me off by lifting up his hand and motioning me to stop, " Nuh uh, you don't get to say anything else, " He said. " I think it has been a fairly long day for the both of us and we should just go to bed. What say? " He asked and I sighed knowing he was right. There was no use beating ourselves over this.

I yawned loudly feeling utterly exhausted. Ryan laughed, " I'll take that as a yes. You take the bed, I'll take the floor. " " Ryan, no it's okay, you've already done enough for me. I'll take the floor and you can take the bed. " I insisted. I didn't want him to feel as if I was using him for my own comfort.

" Eve, I'm not the one who drove all the way from New York to Seattle without taking a break for fourteen days straight. You need a good night's sleep. Take the bed, I'll take the floor, " Ryan said and I didn't protest any further. It was useless, he could be pretty adamant.

" Can I borrow a shirt of yours then? " I asked hesitantly and Ryan's smile turned devilish. "Oh shut up, you Satan's spawn. I don't have any comfortable clothes to sleep in! " I rushed out before he could say something inappropriate.

Ryan burst out laughing. " Yeah okay, Eve. You can have my shirt, here, " and he proceeded to remove the shirt he was wearing and threw it at me.

Oh damn!

I couldn't help but stare at his well defined chest. He clearly worked out, that was for sure. He had a fucking six pack, no kidding! And don't even get me started on the tattoos that were scattered all over his abdomen. It felt as if each one had it's own meaning. I knew I was staring, but I couldn't help myself!

"Done checking me out, Eve? " Ryan chuckled. I scoffed and looked away, with much difficulty might I add, and walked over to the door. " You wish and don't call me that, " I said and Ryan chuckled, " What? Eve? " I nodded and he laughed at my awkwardness. "You are adorable, Johnson. "

"No, I'm not! " I smiled cheekily. Turning away from him, I walked down to the bathroom stopping once to look at the locked door.

Give him time, Evelyn.

********

• Author's note •

Oof! So many secrets ;) Why do you think Ryan reacted the way he did? What could possibly be behind that door? Let me know your theories!

Much love

M :)