Bound to my Enemy

I watch her move around the kitchen, quick and familiar, like she’s done this a thousand times. And for the first time since I stepped back into this house..... i feel something settle. Not everything...especially not the mess in my head about Zane.

But this? This moment?

It feels... good.

"I missed you," I say quietly.

She pauses for a second, then glances back at me with a small, soft smile.

"I missed you more," she replies.

And somehow.... I believe her.

I don’t stay in the kitchen longer than I need to nor because I don’t want to but because if I sit there too long, I’ll start thinking again about Zane and I’m not ready for that spiral.

So after eating.....after Margaret practically watches me finish every last bite like I’m a child she’s nursing back to health....i head upstairs, change into something a little lighter, something that doesn’t cling to me like everything I’ve been through.

Then I leave to go see my girls.....i need something normal. Something that reminds me I’m still... m and there’s only one place I can think of.

The house is the same, with Same warm lighting fr a second, I just stand there, takin king it in.

Then....

"Elaine?!"

My head snaps up to see Tessa.

She’s already halfway out of her seat, eyes wide, hand over her mouth like she’s seeing a ghost and then she’s running.

"Oh my God...."

She crashes into me, arms wrapping around me so tight I stumble a little.

"Where the hell have you been?!" she half-yells, half-crying into my shoulder.

I let out a small breath, hugging her back.

"I’m okay," I say softly.

"You don’t look okay!" she pulls back immediately, hands gripping my arms as she looks me over. "You look...what the hell happened to you?"

Before I can answer....

"El?"

June’s voice this time, it’s quieter but just as shocked.

I turn.

She’s standing now too, eyes scanning me carefully, like she’s piecing things together in her head with Lila right beside her, already frowning.

"What happened?" Lila asks bluntly.

No filter, same as always.

God, I missed that.

"I...." I start, but I don’t even know where to begin.

Tessa grabs my hand and pulls me toward the table.

"Sit first," she says quickly. "You look like you might pass out."

"I’m not going to pass out," I mutter, but I let her pull me anyway.

I sit and they all sit around me.

And suddenly...:.I’m under inspection.

Three pairs of concerned eyes.

"You disappeared," June says gently. "No calls, no messages, no visits. Nothing."

"We thought something happened," Tessa adds quickly. "I went to your room like three times but you weren’t there, I asked around but no one will tell me anything ....." she stops, her face tightening. "Actually... something did happen, didn’t it?"

Silence.

I look down at my hands, at the faint marks still there thn back up at them.

"I got kidnapped," I say.

Just like tht, beecause there’s no easy way to say it.

Their reaction is almost instantly.

"What?" Tessa breathes.

June’s face goes pale as Lila leans back slightly like she needs space to process that.

"Kidnapped?" Lila repeats. "As in....actual kidnapped?"

I nod.

"Yeah."

The table goes quiet.

"What the hell, Elaine..." Tessa whispers, eyes already filling again. "Are you serious right now?"

I give a small, tired nod.

"Yeah."

June reaches across the table slowly, placing her hand over mine.

"Are you okay?" she asks softly.

That question..it always comes back to that.

I paus and Think about it, thn I shrug lightly.

"I’m here," I say.

It’s not really an answe but it’s all I’ve got.

Lila exhales sharply, running a hand through her hair.

"Who did it?" she asks.

I shake my head slightly.

"It’s... complicated."

"That’s not an answer," she presses.

"I know," I reply. "But it’s the only one I have right now."

Tessa looks like she wants to ask a thousand more questions, but she stops herself. Instead, she just reaches for my hand again.

"You scared the hell out of us," she says quietly.

"I know."

"And you didn’t think to call?"

"I couldn’t."

That shuts her up be ecause something in my voice makes it clear...i mean that.

Silence settles again, then Lila leans forward slightly, eyes narrowing just a bit.

"You look different," she says.

I blink.

"What?"

She shrugs.

"Not in a bad way," she adds quickly. "Just... different."

June nods slowly.

"I see it too."

Tessa frowns slightly.

"Different how?"

Lila studies me for a second.

"Like you’ve been through something," she says simply.

I let out a small brea

"Yeah," I murmur. "I think I have."

Another quiet moment then Tessa suddenly straightens.

"Okay," she says, clapping her hands lightly. "We’re not doing this."

I blink at her.

"Doing what?"

"Letting you sit there all quiet and traumatized," she says firmly. "Nope. Not happening."

Despite everything.... I almost smile.

"Tessa...."

"No," she cuts me off. "You’re here now. You’re safe. And we’re going to act like normal people for at least one hour."

Lila smirks slightly.

"Good luck with that."

June smiles softly.

"I think it’s a good idea."

Tessa points at me.

"And you.....no more heavy stuff for the next hour. Doctor’s orders."

I raise a brow.

"You’re not a doctor."

"I am today."

I shake my head slightly as something in my chest loosens a little and maybe right now...that’s exactly what I need.

——

The house settles into that quiet, heavy evening calm as Margaret calls from the kitchen that dinner is ready.

I take a breath before standing up, For some reason... my chest feels tight.

I don’t even know why.

It’s just dinner. Just... him.

I walk toward the dining room slowly, my steps quieter than usual, like I don’t want to announce myself.

But the moment I step in..... i see him.

Zane is already seated with his back straight. One hand resting on the table, the other scrolling through his phone. His jaw tight, expression unreadable.

He doesn’t look up when I enter, not immediately.

I hesitate for half a second before pulling out a chair across from him.

"Hi," I say.

My voice comes out softer than I expect.

He looks up then briefly

Our eyes meet and something flickers there.....Something I can’t quite place but it’s gone just as quickly.

He gives me a short nod.

"Elaine."

That’s it.

I swallow slightly and sit down.

Margaret walks in then, placing plates on the table, the smell of food filling the space....but I barely register it. Because the silence between us? It’s loud.

Zane goes back to his phone like I’m not even here. Scrolling and Typing, like this is just another night, like we’re just two people who happen to share a tabl and for some reason.....It makes my stomach twist.

Margaret places my plate in front of me, giving me a small, reassuring glance before leaving.

The moment she’s gone....The silence gets worse.

I pick up my fork, put it down again and glance at him.

He hasn’t looked up since.

I hate this.

I clear my throat lightly....still Nothing.

"...So," I try again, forcing some normalcy into my tone. "I see we’re not talking?"

That gets his attention as Slowly....slowly....he lifts his head and looks at me but there’s something distant in his eyes. Like he’s here....but not fully.

He leans back slightly in his chair, exhaling through his nose.

"I am talking," he says.

"You said hi and I responded."

I blink at him.

"Zane....."

"I’m just busy," he cuts in, glancing briefly at his phone again before setting it down this time. "Preoccupied. That’s all."

His tone is cCareful but I can hear it.....that edge underneath.

I lean forward slightly, studying him.

"Busy with what?" I ask.

He shrugs one shoulder like it’s nothing.

"Work."

"That never stopped you before."

The words slip out before I can stop them.

He stills for a second Then his eyes lift to mine again And this time....There’s something sharper in them.

"You wanted space," he says quietly. "I’m giving it to you."

That hits Harder than I expect.

I sit back slowly.

"That’s not what this is," I mutter.

"Isn’t it?"

His voice is still calm but now there’s something colder threaded through it.

"You left," he continues, eyes steady on mine. "You came back and walked in like nothing happened."

My chest tightens.

"That’s not fair....,"

"Isn’t it?" he repeats, cutting me off again.

I clench my jaw slightly. God, this is going exactly how I didn’t want it to.

"I didn’t walk in like nothing happened," I say, my voice tightening. "You ignored me the second I stepped in."

He lets out a short, humorless breath.

"I didn’t ignore you."

"You walked right past me."

"I didn’t trust myself to stop."

That.....That makes me pause.

"What?" I ask, quieter now.

But he just shakes his head slightly, like he’s already said too much.

"It doesn’t matter," he mutters.

"No, it does matter," I push, leaning forward again. "You don’t get to act like this and then say it doesn’t matter."

He looks at me then And for a second.....

That wall he’s holding up? It cracks a little.

"You came back," he says, voice lower now. "But not for me."

I blink.

"What does that even mean?"

My chest feels tight again.

"I came back," I repeat slowly. "Isn’t that enough?"

"For who?" he asks.

The question hangs there Because I don’t have an answer.

Not a ghood one, not one that won’t open up everything we’re both clearly trying to keep contained.