Even Heroes Have Scars

[50] Greatest Mistake

*POSSIBLE TRIGGER WARNINGS! BE CAREFUL WHEN READING! I CARE ABOUT YOUR SAFETY!*

"Sounds great," a familiar Latin voice said from the stairs as claps echoed through the basement. "And, would you mind telling me who it's about?"

My lips pulled themselves from Ansley's as I looked over to the steps, staring at Wilmer's silhouette.

Marissa even muttered an "oh shit" under her breath. I returned it with a "ditto."

Wilmer shook his head, staring at the floor for a moment as he lowered himself onto the second to bottom step, head in his hands and his elbows on his knees. An odd sound I'd never heard before left his throat. He wiped his eyes and slightly rocked back and forth. And in front of me, Ansley was staring at him, trying to piece together what he was here for.

"Was I not good enough for you?" He finally looked up to me. "Did the past almost five years mean nothing to you?"

"No, I-" I started, but he didn't let me finish.

"I just wanted you to be happy," he cried, hunched over.

Ansley sniffed and walked around me, toward the stairs.

"Wait, where are you going?" I began to follow her.

She spun around and glared at me. "I'm leaving. We're done."

My nose stung as my chest froze, no oxygen entering my lungs as I tried to process what just happened. I slowly moved to the stairs as she ascended them, and I saw her feet enter the house before she was gone. To my right, Wilmer was sobbing like a fucking baby, and I just wanted to beat the shit out of him and myself.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming back today?" I asked with all the voice I could muster.

His eyes lifted to me and his cheeks were lined with tears, gleaming in the low lighting. "Because I caught an early, unexpected flight around the storm and I wanted to surprise you."

My head bowed in shame.

"Go chase her and explain this to her before you explain it to me. I know that's what you want." He leaned against the stairs railing.

"Will..."

"Go."

Slowly, I followed her up the stairs, watching her as she ran down the stairs with her hairbrush and toothbrush that she left upstairs in my bathroom that morning. She stuffed them into her bag, then speed-walked to the kitchen to get her medicine.

"I can explain..."

"Then do it." She turned to me when she found her pill bottles. "Why did you fucking lie to me? You said that you broke up with him! But what the fuck was that? He's here and you're a fucking cheater!"

Tears trickled down her makeup-less face as her nose turned a bright shade of red and her face darkened. She was sobbing, that was undeniable, and it was my fault.

"Because I wanted to be with you! That's all I've wanted for over a month, and in that moment, I just...I had to." My voice cracked as I cried.

She rose an eyebrow, now more upset than angry. "Really? Really, Demi? You had to? You didn't have to do that!"

I nodded. "I did."

"No. You absolutely did not have to hurt me! You knew my past and you still did it! How can you expect me to forgive you after that? Our falling out last month or whatever it was, that was understandable, but this...God, Demetria!" she screamed at me, her chest rising up and down quickly as she tried to keep her breathing under control. "Forget it."