Prestigious Ways Too: College Years

Maria

"I can't believe you would do this!" she yelled. "I don't know what you're talking about darling. Please just-" "No, no Ethan! Do not f**k with me on this! You cheated on me, just admit it!!" she screamed and looked at me, her eyes glaring into mine. "I didn't cheat on you!" "Yes you did!" "With who?!" "With EMMA! That, that stupid whore," "That's very harsh-" "Oh shut up Ethan! What the hell would you know?!" she yelled and slapped me across the face. I sighed shakily and looked at her, backing away slowly. "What is, going on with you...?" I asked, holding back tears She's never been this mad at me before. Especially for something I didn't do. "You know what Ethan? I knew it. I knew you were an ass the second I walked in that door. I can't believe I ever told you I loved you!" she screamed and pushed me into the shelf with the wine glasses and they all came crashing down on me. Okay that hurt. She stormed off in tears and I breathed out, tears starting to run down my face. Shakily dialing Dylan's number on my phone, I whimpered when she slammed the door."Ethan, man, you need to talk to her." Dylan sighed once he answered and I told him what happened. "I know I know, but what if she doesn't mean what she's doing?" "And what if she does? Ethan, I know it'll be hard but you have to stand up to her!" "Okay, okay! I will. Tonight I promise."

"E-Ethan?" she whimpered, rolling around in bed. "What are you dreaming about darling?" I whispered, stroking her forehead as she slept. She had been tossing and turning and mumbling my name for hours, and from the looks on her face it was most likely the worst nightmare ever.

"And where were you?" "I um, I was with Dylan." I gulped. "Really? You sure you weren't with that slut Emma!?" she yelled and pushed past me. "No, no I promise you I wasn't with her!" "Stop lying to me Ethan!" she screeched, pushing me into the wall. "God, you're just like all the rest you know that? Every guy in this world is worthless and selfish! But you know who isn't? Calum wasn't!" she said turning to me. Her eyes were glowing a dark red and I blinked back tears, remembering the bruises she gave me the last time I cried in front of her because I wasn't being "a real man." "Calum wasn't selfish or worthless like you are! God why the hell can't you be more like him??!?!?!" "I-I'm sorry..." "You should be! You're such an a**hole! You know you don't even deserve me! I don't even know why I'm with you!" "I, I-I can be b-better-" "No! You know what?" she yelled and slapped me across the face, making me fall to my knees and start crying. "You're such a baby! Get up and fight back like a real man!" she screamed and started kicking me repeatedly. "Please, please stop!" I begged. "Get up and fight back!!!" 

All of a sudden she woke up and screamed, breathing out heavily. "Princess? Princess what's wrong?" I gasped frantically. She looked around and saw me, her eyes exploding with tears and she shook her head, running off into the bathroom. She shut the door and locked it, and I could feel her body sliding down the other side. "Princess? Baby please let me in!" I pleaded. "G-go away Ethan!" she wailed. "Baby, I just wanna help you!" "I don't need your help!" "You may not think you do, but you do. Love please, just open the door!" This went on for what felt like days until the door finally opened, and she crawled across the floor, back into bed. I followed her under the sheets and sighed as I watched her hold her pillow to her chest and whimper. "Please, please let me comfort you." I sighed. "I-I'm f-fine." she winced.  "Please, please! I just wanna help you through this. You've been crying like this for days and you won't tell me what's wrong. I just want to make you feel better. Please?" I begged and she sighed, looking up at me. "R-remember a few weeks ago when we helped Annabelle's friend out of an abusive relationship that she was in?" she breathed out. "Yes...?" "And you know that I was an a few...abusive relationships." "Yes, I do know that." "I um, I used to go to counseling for that stuff, and I stopped when I met Calum. But after he um...dumped me I felt kind of  alone and scared, and betrayed. And I really thought he was the one for me so when he left it kind pulled me back to the dark place I was in before...counseling. And then I came here and met you. And um, I stopped thinking about all of the bad things that I've been through because you took such good care of me. And this whole um...dynamic, that we have, that makes it a lot better. But after Maria's situation, it kinda brought back old memories. And I um, I realized that..." she explained but stopped, tears brimming her eyes again. "Sh, sh, darling keep going." I smiled weakly, taking her hand in mine. "I, I realized that. I trust you." "You trust me, is that a bad thing?" "No it's just, I trust you a lot. A lot more than I've ever trusted anyone. Maybe it's because I feel like I know you a lot better than I think I do? Or just because you're my boyfriend, but I do really really trust you. Just like the way I trusted um...others, but more than that. And it's just scary Ethan. It's really really scary. The last time I trusted someone as much as I trust you I got hurt. Really badly. And that can happen again, easily. And I'll never know when you'll have too many drinks, or get too angry at me, or just snap. I'll never ever know. And that terrifies me. The fact that you could just randomly starting beating me everyday and I couldn't do anything about it because I love you so much. Because I've given my everything to you. Because it's like you have full ownership of me and that's something that can never be taken away. And I've been so distant lately, just because I'm trying not to trust you as much as I do but it's not working. And lately all these memories have been coming back to me and I keep having nightmares about you abusing me except this time it was one about me abusing you and I didn't realize how much it hurt and how terrible it was and I just hate myself for falling so in love with you but I just can't help it Ethan! It's all too much for me!" she sobbed and crawled into my arms. I had absolutely no idea what to do. She was crying in my arms because she just told me that she hates herself for being too in love with me and she's constantly afraid that I'm going to abuse her. How in the hell can you comfort someone in this situation? I still don't know how it happened, but in that moment I knew exactly what to say. "Shh darling listen to me okay? Listen to my voice. I love you no matter what. And I am not going to promise you that I won't ever abuse you because even I'll never know when I'll snap or have too many drinks. But I want you to know that I will try. I'm only human, and there are days when I can't control my emotions or actions, but I can try. I can try to be the man that you need, the caretaker, the protector, and the lover that you want. I can try not to ever hurt you, even though there will be days when I can't handle whatever is being thrown at me. And if I could got back in time and save you from all of the suffering you were put through I would. But I can't, and we both have to accept that. So I want you to let me hold you, and comfort you, and I will promise to try and be the person that you need. Okay? Look at me princess." I said and she sat up looking into my eyes, searching for the emotions she wanted. I wiped away her tears with my thumbs ad she smiled, obviously finding whats she was looking for, and she gave me a kiss. It was nothing but a small, slightly long peck on the lips, but it was one of the most amazing kisses I had ever experienced. That small, 5 second kiss held so much passion and love and every single word found in a Nicholas Sparks novel combined. It was one of the most important moments we would ever share. And once this mind blowing, memorizing kiss was over, her soft, pink lips twitched into a smile. "Darling, I don't want you to be scared to be in love with me. Or to be in love with anybody. I want you to fall hopelessly in love with me just like I have with you. Because you can fall as hard as you want, and I'll be right here waiting to catch you in my arms." she and kissed her nose. "I love you Ethan." "I love you too my princess. Now come on, my little girl looks sleepy." I smiled and she blushed, nodding her head. "I am sleepy Daddy." "Well then let's go to sleep. After all, it's past your bedtime."