Since We're Alone |NH|

Chapter 76

Ophelia's POV

"Sweetie, you need to eat something," Tomi whispered to me as I rolled over in my bed.  "It's been three days since you've really eaten anything."

'It's been three days since my heart was broken,' I thought to myself but mumbled an "I'm not hungry," before squeezing my eyes shut only to open them again because I couldn't get that video out of my head.

"I think you'll feel better if you eat something.  Maybe some soup?  Or a small sandwich?  Something?  Please?" Tomi pled quietly from behind her.  She stroked her hair lightly as she spoke.

"I'm not hungry."

I heard her sigh and leave the room.  I closed my eyes and tried to sleep.

There was a soft knock at my door.  I opened my eyes and the room was darker than it had been the last time they were open.

"Ophelia, sweetie, I made you some soup."

I rolled over and faced her.  She looked extra small carrying a tray into my room and setting it down on the floor before turning to me.

"Please eat something, even if it's just a couple of spoonfuls."

I didn't respond to her but I did sit up and allowed her to place the tray across my lap.  She turned on my closet light and came and sat down in front of me as I slowly put a spoon of soup into my mouth.  The warmth of the soup felt good against my sore throat which was dry from not eating or drinking.  My stomach made a strange noise, telling me it was about damn time.

A few mouthfuls in, and Tomi spoke, "I saw Niall today."  I didn't say anything.  "He explained what happened and he explained who Maggie really is and everything she has done to him. And it's a lot."  She paused, watching me digest the information she had just given me. "I believe him Ophelia.  And I think you should let him explain."

"What's there to explain? How he lied to me this whole time?" I said, my voice hoarse from not speaking for several days.

"He didn't lie, per say, but he admits he kept things from you and he knows everything that has happened is his fault. But, he told me Maggie is fully capable of faking things and that's exactly what she did. And I know you know that. I know you know that shit was fake. Despite what you said and how you're feeling right now, you do know him. And you know he isn't that guy."

"Even if the texts were fake, that video wasn't. It was him, having sex with her. And he kissed her. That wasn't fake. There was no lie there, except for his."

Tomi sighed, scooting herself further onto my bed. "No, hun, he didn't, she did.  You can't fault someone for making a stupid little video when he was dating her. And she kissed him, even you said that, you just didn't stick around to see what he did next. And he says he pushed her off of him and then told her to fuck off because he had moved on with someone; with you."

"I can blame him if I want. He may not have technically lied about some things but he kept them a secret," I said, bitterly.

"Is that what you're really upset about? That he kept this from you?"

"No, what I'm upset about is that he kissed his supposed ex at a fucking wedding that he took me to! I'm upset because I saw something that I can't get out of my head. If I listen to him and decide to give him another chance, I don't even know how I would! How could I be in that house knowing she was there before me, doing those things before I was? Just the thought of it makes me sick."

And, as if to prove my point, I dropped my spoon.

"Ophelia, it's pretty fucking stupid to go around believing you're the first girl who has been in his bed."

"I don't think that. But, it's different when you see it. When the same sheets and pillows and fucking wall paint! It just creeps me out now. I can't get it out of my head, Tomi. Every time I close my eyes, it's in my face. I can't seem to erase it from my mind. And I wish I could. I wish he had told me about her. I wish she didn't fucking exist. I wish I had never met him." 

I stopped talking, feeling tears start to well up in my eyes.

"You don't mean that, Ophelia."

"Yes, I do. If I hadn't met him, I wouldn't be here right now."

"Yeah, okay. But you also wouldn't be in love. And with a guy who I think would seriously move mountains for you, if he could. And he wants to move the mountain that's been wedged between you by someone who is only out to hurt him." She paused, hesitating a moment before continuing, "And he is hurting.  When I saw him he looked like shit; like he hasn't slept in days or eaten...much like you. I could see it in his eyes. As he told me everything this witch has done, I could see the pain in his eyes, in his face, in his body. He wasn't lying. And he knows he messed up. He's terrified to think he's lost you."

"He did fuck up," I said, harshly, "And he did lose me."

"I don't think that's true.  And I don't think you think that, either. You love him, Ophelia, you said so yourself. You don't want to throw everything you've built with him away over some bullshit lies someone else spread, do you?  You don't really want to give him the chance to explain; to hear his side of the story?"

"But that's just it, Tomi – a story. It's all a fucking story. None of it is true."

"Well, someone is telling the truth. Either he is or she is. You heard and saw what she had to say.  Now, I think you should hear what he has to say. If you choose to not give him another chance after that, then by all means don't. But, at least, give him a chance to explain. Maybe he doesn't deserve it, but you do. You deserve the opportunity to decide what the truth is. And you can't do that if you don't hear all sides. You would want the same if some crazy ex of yours tried to destroy your new relationship, wouldn't you? Wouldn't you want him to hear you out?"

"I'm not hungry," I said, pushing the tray away from me. 

Tomi picked it up as I laid back down and rolled away from her.  As she left she said, again, "I believe him, Ophelia. He fucked up but he knows that now and he wants the chance to fix it. Trust me when I tell you, Maggie is not to be believed, and somewhere inside you, you already know that because you already suspected it. Otherwise, you wouldn't have done any of the digging that we've done just to turn around and believe her." She stopped, probably waiting on me to respond but I didn't give her one. She sighed, "I shouldn't be the one to tell you this because he should be. In fact, he should've already said this to you, as you should have already said it to him." She paused, again. I have her no response, again. "He loves you. I've never seen someone love someone else as much as he loves you."

With that, she closed the door and left me in the darkness.