𝗠𝗘𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗢𝗜𝗔

18

Ophelia's POV

The locker room, where the hockey team changed into athletic attire, was where Arden took me.

The room was empty when we walked in, and since his teammates had already finished changing, it was a nice setting for a conversation.

Being in the same room with my enemy did not bring me joy. We had the impression that a brawl would break out at any moment.

Arden, however, appeared to have changed somewhat from the man who kicked me in the injured leg weeks before.

He didn't appear interested in fighting me here. This caused me to wonder why he wanted to chat with me at this particular time.

After we entered this room and stood there like fools for five minutes in silence, Arden's first word was "Sorry."

"Sorry? Sorry for what?" I was completely taken aback by what I had just heard him say.

"I apologize, Ophelia. I apologize for hurting you" before saying this, Arden set his hockey bag on the ground and turned to face me.

"Are you serious right now?" I couldn't believe he was apologizing in front of me. This didn't make any sense at all. This man is not Arden who humiliated me for the past few months.

"I'm more than serious, Ophelia" Arden's fixed gaze was on mine. It forced me to stop breathing.

Is he still making fun of me? He may be trying to win my trust before betraying me in order to satisfy himself, but I know him too well to let him do that to me again.

"You should better explain yourself or else I'm just going to leave" I stated.

"No please, don't leave. I was trying to find the right time to do this, so let me explain" he appeared to be expressing some sincerity in the thing he was about to say.

"Okay, I'm all ears" I took a seat on one of the benches standing near the lockers with hockey players' names.

"The thing I want to talk to you about is Jace" Arden cleared his throat before continuing.

"I was wrong for blaming you this whole time" he was strolling around in front of me. My eyes were barely able to catch up with him.

"What made you change your mind? Didn't you say I was the wrong one?" I chuckled. It was ridiculous to hear him say that.

"I heard your conversation with Jace at the party a few days ago" Arden finally stopped moving.

Did he hear me and Jace? How?

"And this is the moment I finally forced myself to hear the truth" Arden took a step closer to me.

"The truth...Do you know how long I've been trying to make it clear to you? It's been fucking months, Arden!" I paused.

"And you're standing right now saying, "Oh, I'm sorry, I was wrong. I have heard the truth". Do you hear yourself? You look really pathetic." I got so upset with him. I couldn't just sit here and listen to him.

"I know, you can be upset at me and scream into my face as much as you can, but listen" Arden wanted to make me listen to him again.

"I know what I've done. Yes, I was an asshole accusing you of my brother's problems. I've hurt you mentally and physically as well. That's why I'm here to apologize and I came here with the mind that you'll never forgive me for what I did" he seemed to be stressed and nervous to tell me this.

"I was fucking humiliating you for all these months in front of everyone. I talked shit about you, made rumors, and even physically hurt you. I thought I was doing great revenge, because my brother was suffering from drugs and told me you were the reason for that" he brushed his hair with his hand. I could see the sweat on his forehead.