Roses || durm

.sechs.

.sechs.

The next night, Arabella knew she wouldn't even have to ask the children to get ready for bed. As soon as the clock hit eight thirty, they were already upstairs, changing into their pajamas and brushing their teeth. By nine, they were already under the covers.

On that day, Erik was at home and wanted to listen to the story. Though this particular part was not his favorite. 

"When I returned to my dad's house after my separation from your papa, my dad was surprisingly understanding..."

-

It was raining on the night that Erik told Arabella he wanted to end their relationship. And she hadn't even gotten to tell him the good news that their first child was on the way. Given the fact that he had someone else now, Arabella doubted he would even care about the news. 

She drove to her father's house which was a few blocks away and parked her car on the street in front. Arabella ran up to the front gate, the pouring rain water soaking through her clothes. She hadn't had the time to really taking anything with her, much less a sweater, since she wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. The only thing she felt would shatter her heart worse than his words was seeing him actually walk away from her. Arabella could not bear to see that, so she was the one to leave first.

Her father came to the front in a couple of minutes, but was quicker to open the door when he saw it was his daughter.

"What are you doing out here in the pouring rain, Arabella?" He asked her, concern in his eyes.

Arabella tried to hold back her sobs, but she was unable to, and she broke down before her father. "You were right about everything." She cried, and when he pulled her into his arms, her sobs became more uncontrollable. "Erik left me for someone else."

"Everything's going to be okay." He assured her. "Come in so you can change into something warm."

"Its not okay." Arabella shook her head frantically. "I love him."

Her father led her into the house and out of the rain. "He doesn't deserve you." He told her. He never thought anyone was good enough for his daughter, much less a footballer. He knew the rumors that went around. Most of them were never faithful.

Arabella changed into warm clothes and her father brought her something warm to drink while she explained everything to him. 

But Jurgen hated Erik now, and he was out to make him pay.

-

"Those were the darkest days of my life." Arabella sighed as she paused in her story for a moment.

Erik frowned. "And I feel really bad about it, Bella."

"I know you do." She said, cupping his face in her soft hands. "You always apologize to me when I tell the story, or when someone brings it up. I told you I forgave you a long time ago, Erik." With those words, she brought her lips to his. The kids covered their eyes with their small hands and laughed.

"Mommy," Anneliese whined. "Keep telling the story!"

Arabella scooted closer to Erik and continued speaking, "Your grandfather made your dad's life hell on the team. It got so bad that he thought I was behind it. He thought I had asked your grandfather to mistreat him out of revenge for what he did."

-

Arabella turned up the volume on her television when she heard that they would be talking about Erik Durm. Even after everything, she still found herself missing him. And she still watched all his matches on television, as well as all his interviews.

The sports show was talking about Borussia Dortmund and how Erik had been separated from the rest of the team because of an indiscipline. But Arabella knew better. It was probably her father's way of punishing him for what her did to her. And though Arabella was still hurt about it, she didn't want his career to be tarnished for something he did off the pitch.

Before the reporter could go into detail, she heard the doorbell ring.

It was the rainy season in Germany, and it was also pouring outside. Arabella had decided to remain inside because of it.

She got up off the couch and went to open the door. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw it was Erik. "Arabella, I knew you would be staying here." He started, looking a bit upset. "We need to talk. Can I come in?"

Arabella shook her head. "We have nothing to talk about."

And she started closing the door, but he pushed it back gently. "This is important."

"Fine," She finally sighed. And stepping to the side, she told him, "Come in."

He stepped inside her father's house and they stood by the door. She expected the conversation to be short. He quickly began to speak, "Did you tell your dad to execute some childish revenge plot against me, Bella?" The day he left, she had asked him to stop calling her that, but he couldn't seem to stop doing that. It was the name he fondly referred to her as since she was a little girl.

Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "I just found out about that today. I had nothing to do with it."

"He sent me to train with the youth team!" He told her, outraged. "Our separation was between the two of us. Please tell your father to stay out of it. He's out to ruin my career."

Arabella replied innocently, "Maybe he sent you to the youth division because your skills aren't as great as you thought." She agreed with Erik that what her father was doing was wrong. But she was going to make Erik believe she was on her father's side. 

"I'm not going to reply to that because I know you're still hurt." He said. "But tell your dad he needs to stay out of our business."

But she didn't want him to see how much it still affected her. With a shrug of her shoulders, she told him, "If it matters so much to you, why don't you tell him that yourself?"

"He won't listen to me." Erik said, frustrated.

"There's nothing I can do for you." She sighed.

"Bella--"

"Don't call me Bella." She swallowed the lump in her throat. If he were to call her that one more time, she felt she would have an emotional breakdown. 

"Please talk to your father." He begged.

"Why don't you ask Ursula to talk to him?" Arabella asked him. "She works for the coaching staff."

"She doesn't want to get her personal relationship with me mixed into her job." He replied with a shrug of his shoulders. 

"Well I don't want my relationship with my dad mixed in with his job." She said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have things to do." 

Arabella walked past him and opened the front door, holding it open for him.

Erik left, giving a disappointed shake of his head.

And Arabella let the tears spill once she heard his car speed off down the street.

-

here's a little update for you all. thank you so much for reading and supporting. that means so much to me. no long author's note because i have nothing to say right now. haha.

i love youuuu.

-clary xx