Ellie’s POV.
Ever since what happened at the mall, I’d locked myself in my room like a prisoner. I barely left my bed. It felt like the only safe place in the world. I felt like if I stayed under the covers, it would shield me from everything, especially my own feelings.
The seven and I were on good terms now. But that didn’t make it easier. If anything, it made things worse. Because deep down, I knew exactly why I was hiding, the ones I had been trying so hard to ignore.
I was avoiding the truth. I was avoiding him.
Every time he was near me, I felt this strange feeling in the pit of my stomach. My thoughts would get all mixed up, my heart would beat faster, and I didn’t know what to do with myself. It was unfamiliar. It was scary in a way I didn’t want to admit.
I didn’t want to fe
