Nothing But Bad

Twenty Nine

Arden
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My head is pounding. I sit up from the bed, Will's bed. The memories of what happened earlier hit. Will, Levi, and Christian were all together at the table. Whispering to each other. My heads pounding too much, I can't even focus to hear what they're saying.

Levi is the one to notice me away. "Arden." He says softly. The rest of the boys turn their heads. I notice Christian wince. My eyes must be puffy, my hair in knots.

   "I'm sorry." I whisper. Christian and Levi turn and look at their prince. They were nervous about something.

   "Gwen's alive." Will speaks up, he has no emotion on his face.

I swear I didn't hear that right. I swear that they've told me countless of times she was dead. Lies, lies he's telling me to hurt me. "Stop." I demand standing up. "Don't lie, you're not that cruel."

   "He's not lying." Levi whispers, guilt. He can't meet my eyes.

   "You told me she was dead." I'm too shocked to cry. "That I killed her."

   "She was in a coma." Will says, there's not guilt in his eyes like Levi's. "She had woken a week ago."

   "You said all those things." My voice cracks. "You..." I couldn't seem to get the words out of my mouth.

   "We didn't think she would make it." He says. Still no guilt, no regret, no emotion. I turn my attention away from him and to Christian.

   "I'm..." I stop him with a raise of my hand. I didn't was to hear his apology.

   I turn to Levi. "Look at me." I choke out, he doesn't. "Look at me." I raise my voice, he finally does. Guilt. I used to think he couldn't look at me because what I did. Because I killed her. But that wasn't it. He couldn't meet me in the eyes because of what they were hiding. That I didn't kill her.  "Why?" I whispered.

   "I've been cruel to you Arden." Levi speaks softly. "Made you think all those terrible things, and I'm sorry. Truly, even if you don't think I mean it."

   "Leave." I say to him, then turn and say the same to Christian. They both do.

  Will looks at me, and doesn't say anything for a few moments. "Think of this, as my wedding gift to you." He turns to leave. No, he doesn't get to walk away. I grab him. He stills, looking down at my hand on his.

   "I hate you." I choke out, hitting his chest with my fist. He fully turns, taking in every hit. "I hate you so much." Tears streamed down my face. "I wasn't broken until I met you."

   "I know." He whispers wiping a tear from my cheek.

   "You broke me." I cried, "I hate you."

   "What do you hate about me?"

   His question throws me off. Did I really need to say it? Was it to hurt him or me? "I hate that you would have done the same exact thing I did, but you will never forgive me. I hate that I want to forgive you so easily. I hate..." That I want you. I hated that I still wanted him, and he didn't want me.

   "Do you want to see her?" Will asks.

   "Yes." I breath out, "Please."
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