This Won't Work

I Like Seeing You Annoyed

"I'm sorry to interrupt. It's just I'm constantly on the cusp of trying to kiss you"

- Arctic Monkeys

"So what have you been doing for all these years, Marissa?" The anger was evident in his voice.

As soon as they returned to the hotel Damien demanded answers. The guilt was unbearable so she told him everything. She told him about the cheating, about how her business failed, about marrying Charles for money.

"I thought you had a reason for leaving Nova and I behind."

"And I did but shit didn't work out!"

"So for four years you haven't been doing anything and you didn't bother to contact me or Nova."

Marissa fought away the sob that was threatening up her throat. "I felt like a complete failure. I didn't want to admit that things hadn't turned out the way I thought they would." Which was the truth.

"I would not have cared if your business failed or not, Marissa. I'm just angry that you didn't tell me the truth."

"I didn't know how to." Her voice was strangled as she tried to hold back tears.

Damien pushed away his anger and grabbed Marissa into his arms. He wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her tight. "I understand that it must have been hard for you to tell me or even accept it yourself. But I wouldn't have cared. I support you through everything Marissa but I can't support you cheating on Charles."

"I know it's fucked up. I don't need you to forgive me or support me. I can't even support myself." A lone tear ran down her cheek and Damien swiped it away.

Sure, what she was doing was wrong but she was still family.

"I need you to trust me, Marissa. You can tell me anything."

Marissa took a deep breath. "I know. It just felt difficult at the time."

"Don't ever hide anything from me again, okay?"

Marissa nodded and pressed her cheek against his chest. She had forgotten what it was like to have a brother there for her. Being in his arms felt like she was back home. It brought her back to when her mother was alive and well as she cooked in the kitchen, and her dad sat in the living room watching football. And there was Damien, always smiling, always laughing, and always making her feel better.

But it was years later and things have changed. Now Marissa was just a complete mess.

Damian caressed her arm. "You should tell Charles. " He whispered.

Marissa backed up and shook her head vigorously. "No, that'd be really bad. I've been using him for years, Damien."

"That's exactly why you have to tell him."

*****

Elana had been thinking about the other night. The other night when she had gotten drunk and said things she most likely wouldn't say sober. She remembered every detail of that night, especially her telling Damien to fuck her.

She was embarrassed yet it made her feel a little lighter letting out the truth.

Neither of them had spoken about it since and Elana appreciated that. But as she lay in her bed facing the ceiling, she wondered how it would feel to say the same things she had but sober.

Letting her restless mind take control, she stepped out of her room in a tank top and PJ shorts.

What the fuck was she doing?