The Cycle Repeats

Chapter 6: Aftershocks

Harper’s POV

Meanwhile, Harper’s situation right now wasn’t good because she was sick.

She was burning with fever and alone in her condo. She couldn’t even muster the energy to get some medicine because the room was spinning every time she tried to sit up.

Her phone was dead and that was the only thing she needed at that time. She let out a frustrated sigh and closed her eyes, feeling the weight of her fever bearing down on her body. Just then, she heard a knock on the door. She wasn’t expecting anyone to come home, but she expected that it might be her mom she had called earlier that morning.

It was already 12 a.m.

She pulled herself up to stand up and staggered to the door, her surroundings were spinning. She reached the door, but hesitated for a moment wondering who could it be.

“Who is it?” Her voice was a little faint because of the fever.

There was no answer, so she decided to open the door widely. Her body was weak at that time and she didn’t recognize the man in front of her.

It was Elijah caught her as she fell, holding her upright in his arms. He felt the burning heat of Harper’s fever.

Even though Elijah had drunk and was full of anger towards Harper, he felt concerned and panicked at that time but his anger triggered himself to pull Harper’s body with his two hands and hold her.

“Why did you do that, Harper!” he was shaking the body of Harper, looking for an answer.

On the other side, Swyne followed Elijah and hid on the edge of others condo’s entrance. He saw Elijah shaking Harper’s body harshly so he rushed towards Elijah and shouted,

“Stop it, Elijah! You’re hurting her. W-wait why Harper’s burning with fever? f**k. Let go of her! I will bring her to the hospital, “ he said angrily.

But Elijah was stone hearted now; he was looking at Swyne eyes greedily and pulled back Harper’s body and shook her again to ask questions.

“Answer me! Why did you do that f*****g things to me, Harper!”

But Swyne’s anger exploded, and he punched Elijah’s face. Because Elijah was drunk, he had trouble standing up, and Swyne held Harper’s body and carried her to go inside the elevator and to go to Swyne’s car.

But he dropped his car key on the front door of Harper’s condo, that’s why Elijah went towards them and followed them in the elevator, holding the car key of Swyne.

“You, f*****g man. Why did you punch me?”

Elijah’s eyes blazed with anger as he glared at Swyne his face still hurting from the punch.

Suddenly, Harper’s eyes opened a little.

“What will you do t-to me... ”

She faded again, Swyne panicked and also Elijah did too, but he didn't want to show Elijah's concern for Harper, but deep inside he wanted to carry her by himself when no one was around Harper.

As they went outside the high-rise building, Elijah started to open his car's door.

“Go inside.” he commanded Swyne.

“Don’t do anything bad to this woman, Elijah.” Swyne.

“Go inside! You f*****g, your car key is in me. I will drive her to the hospital, keep your mouth shut i’m so pissed off. ”

They entered to Elijah’s car, and Elijah started the engine.

The next day, 8 a.m., at Elijah’s condo..

Elijah’s POV

“My head hurts,” he said to himself while holding his head.

Elijah winced as he slowly got out of bed, his head throbbing with every movement. He was trying to remember all the events that had happened the night before, and flashbacks came flooding back, even the punches he received the night before— the argument with Swyne. He rubbed his temples, trying to massage away the pain.

As he went to the kitchen, he saw Swyne and Duke sprawled out on his couches, fast asleep. He felt a bit irritated that they were still at his condo, especially Swyne, considering their argument the day before.

He walked over to the coffee maker and started brewing a fresh pot, hoping that the caffeine would help reduce his hangover.

As the aroma filled the air, Swyne and Duke began to stir.

Swyne sat up, caught up Elijah’s gaze while rubbing his eyes. He also had punches in his face and even Duke.

“Where is she?” he asked Swyne seriously.

“You don’t have to ask that, her mother was taking care of her.”

Swyne held his face that has punched.

“Morning, dudes. Enough the tension, ” Duke said, he sat up and went to Elijah and take his brewed coffee. But Elijah stopped his hand.

“You think?” he replied dryly.

Swyne stood up, his eyes still locked on Elijah’s. “We should talk,” Swyne’s voice low.

“Later,” he said. Elijah sat on the chair at the kitchen.

“Do you remember what happened to both of you a earlier... around 3 a.m.?” Duke said while making his coffee.

“What? I remember it,” Elijah said, pointing his eyes angrily at Swyne.

“Those bastards were haunting me, so I called Swyne and went to your place... do you remember that?” Duke seriously talking.

“What?” Elijah asked Duke.

“They followed me to the hospital and you guys rushed outside the hospital, and we punched those idiots I had encountered at the bar.”

Elijah’s eyes squinted as he listened to Duke’s words. He remembered the fight now and how they had taken care of those guys who were bothering Duke. He looked at Swyne who was still watching him with an intense gaze.

“But we need to talk about most important thing right now,” Elijah said.

“About the punch I gave you?” Swyne’s smirked.

“Do you have feelings for Harper?” Elijah said it directly at Swyne eyes.

“I don’t, it’s just that you’re too much dude. Do you even know what you did to her?”

Duke looked at them vice versa, like he is curious about what they were talking about.

“The one we planned last night?” Elijah said.

“The one you did, because I know you wouldn’t ruin her reputation.”

The silence came after Swyne said those words.

“What did I miss, dudes?”

Duke said with confusion.

“Aftershocks!” Elijah and Swyne said it together.

“Like earthquakes? What’s going on?”

Elijah and Swyne exchanged a look, and for a moment, the tension between them calmed.

“Hey, did you guys have a fight or something?”

Swyne raised an eyebrow.

“Or something.”

Duke nodded thoughtfully.

“Okay, got it. That’s the thing Phoebe asked about me last night at the bar.”

“Phoebe is there?” Elijah said with a little curiosity.

“Yes,” said Duke.

“Just that she was looking for you guys, she seemed a bit worried about something.”

Elijah nodded, but he was still curious about why Phoebe went on the bar, and he remember what Phoebe said to him last night. He knows Phoebe attitude and behavior when something bad happened to her because they we’re close with each other when they were in college.

“I think her parents argued again, that’s why she was at the bar last night.”

“I don’t think so, she looked so happy last night,” Duke said.

“That's the mask she’s wearing when she’s upset, I guess.” Swyne said.

Elijah sat on his couch, his mind racing with memories of the previous night, and about Phoebe’s words.

“You’re right,” Elijah said, nodding.

“Maybe she’s trying to hide her true feelings.” Duke added.

They think separately about what happened, and suddenly Swyne’s phone buzzed.

Auntie Olivia’s incoming call

He froze on the couch, looking at his phone screen, he felt a bit of nervousness.

“Who is it? Why are you look so pale?”

Elijah stood and look at Swyne phone screen.

“Why do you have number of Harper’s mother?”

Swyne didn’t answer Elijah. Instead he answer the call of mother of Harper.

“Yes, auntie?” he answered her at the other side of the phone’s call.

“No worries, auntie. She needs to rest first.” Swyne added.

“Yes, we’re here,” he stared at Elijah.

“W-what happened?” he looked shocked and panicked, he dropped his phone, his face pale.

Elijah quickly picked up the phone, concern etched on his face.

The phone call’s ended.

Swyne’s face contorted in anger. He held the collar of Elijah as he tried to punch him again, but Duke rushed stood up and went to Swyne and Elijah.

“Calm, man. What happened?” Duke said,

Swyne let go of Elijah’s collar.

“Let’s go to Harper’s house. Including you, Elijah!” Swyne shouted in anger.