AMOUR

Chapter 36.

ROYA

I wake up and all the things that happened yesterday hit me as I realize there's only one person sleeping next to me. I'm in Denver's arms this time, my face over his chest as he holds me close. There's no Jordan to hold me to his chest. 

I look at the time and it's 11am. My eyes widen at how late I'm waking up. I try to move but Denver's hold tightens. There's this ache in my heart because Jordan did the same. 

"Denver," I whisper in my morning voice, "it's 11 in the morning," I tell him. 

"I don't give a fuck Roya, stay here," he rasps and pulls me closer, placing his chin over my head. 

I sigh and stop moving. I don't want to go outside. I'll have to deal with Ian and Anna and I need a break from everything. I just wanted to be free in this summer break but it all just collapsed. 

"How are you?" Denver kisses my head and asks. 

I open my mouth to tell him I'm fine but then I think about it. Am I really fine? No.

"I don't know.." I trail off, "I feel empty but I also feel heavy, like someone's putting weight over my heart. Does that make sense?" I scrunch up my nose at the weird explanation I gave and tilt my head to look up at Denver. He's looking at me softly, with all the love he has for me and it makes me smile. 

"It does," he kisses my forehead and moves one of his hands in my hair. 

"We eventually need to go out you know," Denver states after a few minutes of silence. 

"You're the one who stopped me," I scoff, moving out of his hold. 

When I came out of the washroom, Ian was in the kitchen making breakfast. Probably for me and Anna was sitting on the counter, facing me. Ian turned around with a plate of scrambled eggs, hash brown and toast and placed it on the counter for me. I took a seat and Denver joined me, now wearing his clothes from last night. 

I didn't move to eat. No one said anything. A minute later, Ian leaned over the counter, in front of me and I looked up in his eyes. They were concerned and angry. 

"Just give me a name Roya," he asked, his forehead creased in worry.

"Jordan," I said, my voice just over a whisper. 

Ian's eyes widened and he kept looking in between Denver and me. 

"What the fuck did he do?!" he asked, furious and confused and hurt at the same time.

Anna got off the counter and hugged Ian from the side, although she herself was worried, she was trying to calm him and I gave her a thankful look for that. Denver placed his hand on my thigh and I looked at him. He wanted me to tell Ian everything. 

"Remember the bet Ryan made with a bunch of people about cheating on me?" I asked, my voice a little more confident. 

"I don't think I can forget it," Ian scoffed. 

"Jordan was in on it," I say and I watch as Ian's eyes change emotions from disbelief to pain to anger. 

"He betted at the party that I would never find out about Ryan's hookups," I tell him and hold Denver's hand for support. I'm not sure how long I can have my tough exterior on. 

"I'm going to fucking kill him," Ian nearly growls as he rushes to the door. Anna holds him back as I step in front of him. 

"No! No," I tell him, "just- please don't do anything," my voice becomes weaker with each word.