Since We're Alone |NH|

Chapter 74

"Niall! Tomi's calling me!" I ran out of my room where I had been changing.

Mully hit the answer button and put her on speaker, "Tomi!"

"Hello," she answered, dryly.

"Okay, you've got to explain this all to me because Niall is saying that none of it is true. I've known him since we were four. He wouldn't cheat on anyone. And he isn't a liar."

We heard Tomi sigh. "All I know is that she said Maggie cornered her in the bathroom and told her to leave Niall alone because they were meant to be or something like that. And then she apparently showed her this entire text message conversation that went back weeks, perhaps even months for all we know, even texts from today. And that there was a video of her and Niall having sex at your house which made her sick. And I don't blame her. We may all be aware that someone else has been in the other's bed but it's a different story actually watching it."

"I have no idea what video she's talking about," I whispered. Mully shooed me away. "Ask her if she's okay?"

"How's she doing?"

"How do you think?" Tomi replied, cynically. "Hold on," she paused and we could hear her shuffling, probably walking down the hallway. A moment later, I heard what sounded like crying. "Ophelia, sweetie? Are you okay? Do you need anything?"

"Tomi..." 

I heard her voice and I broke in half. No matter how this went, I caused this. I hurt her. I let Maggie hurt her. All because I was too much of a chicken shit to be open and honest with her about my past.

"Hold on, let me get you some water, okay? Be right back." There was more silence for a minute before she came back on the line. "Still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here," Mully responded. "Tomi you've got to get her to talk to Niall. She needs to know how much of a manipulative psycho Maggie is."

"Shouldn't she already know that by now?" Tomi retorted. "If he had ever thought this Maggie chick was ever going to cause a problem, shouldn't he have already told her?"

Mully glared at me. 

"Yes, he should have. And I've told him, more than once. Hell, far too many times to count, honestly, to tell her. We've all told him to tell her. But, Tom, he was scared. Maggie really did some shit to him and it's messed him up. And he's been working on it. And, I don't know why he didn't tell her other than that he was scared that maybe she wouldn't understand. Or that she wouldn't want to be the one to deal with it. I don't know. And I know that this may not count for much, but he has been doing better and I know that Ophelia is the main reason for it."

"Hold on." She muffle the phone some but we could hear her say, "Ophelia, I'm gonna put this water right here if you need. I'm going to go clean up and I'll be right back, okay?"

I we could hear was sniffling.

A minute later, Tomi's voice was more clear. 

"Look, Mully, I don't know what happened. But both of us have been wondering if something was wrong. His behavior hasn't gone unnoticed by either of us. We both have felt something was off, from the very beginning. But, and as a testament to her, she didn't want to snoop; she didn't want go into this with any type of prejudice because she knew that Niall probably hardly ever got that anymore. She didn't want to do that to him. She wanted to make sure that everything between them was organic and that she would get to know him how any other couple would get to know each other. She made every effort to make sure he never felt like she was using him."

"And he knows that."

Tomi sighed, "Look, I need to get off the phone. If Niall wants either of us to believe him. And he needs to start with me because I won't let him anywhere near her. But if he wants to be believed then he better come up with some fucking proof because it's hard to stop seeing visual evidence especially her seeing them kiss. Now, I've got to go, my friend is heartbroken and crying in her bed right now. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay, please, Tomi, tell her that Niall can be trusted. He may have messed up by not telling her about Maggie but if she lets him, he'll explain everything to her."

"I'll think about it. Night." And she hung up.

Mully turned to me, "I told you. We all told you to tell her. Now, look what happened. Had you told her about Maggie and all the shit she put you through, she'd be here right now. She wouldn't have believed a word that bitch said and she wouldn't have believed that kiss. You fucked up. And you better pray to whatever you pray to that she fucking believes you. If she gives you the chance to explain. And if this little screw up of yours, damages my relationship with Tomi, you're going to have a whole other problem on your hands."

Mully turned and walked out of the room, shutting the lights off on his way out, leaving me in the dark, in more ways than one.