Lights, Cameras, Maze Runner! (completed)

seven (part one)

I scream with a mixture of anger and hurt as I throw my phone across the hotel room. I back up against the wall behind me and slide down so I sit on the floor. The anger and despair I feel have completely taken over my mindset. I cry heart-wrenched sobs filled with agony. I don't think I've ever cried harder in my life than I am right now. The betrayal I'm feeling is too much for me to bear. I feel like my world is falling to pieces.

"How could I have been so stupid?" I wail. "How could I have not seen what was happening?"

I sob with my face in my hands for about an hour, just keeping to myself. I can't believe the truth. Now that I know Connor was messing around, I can remember all the times I could've seen it. He made it so obvious, but I was too blind to see the signs. I remember all the times I couldn't find him for hours on end at Cordice parties. All the times he'd grin at his phone when he thought I wasn't looking. How could I not have suspected a thing?

A soft knock comes from the door. "Kelsey?" a voice says softly on the other side.

Thomas.

"I-It's open," I sputter. Even though I'm a total wreck, the only person I want to see right now is Thomas. He walks in, his dirty blonde hair slightly disheveled. He wears a pair of black jeans and a Pink Floyd T-shirt.

"Kelsey," he breathes when he sees me. He rushes over and holds out open arms. I latch on to him and he lifts me up with my arms around his torso. I attempt to help him by wrapping my legs around the small of his back. Thomas carries me to the reclining chair and sits down, turning me so I sit bridal style in his lap. He wraps his arms around me as I sob into his shoulder. He doesn't speak, he just lets me cry. And honestly, that's the best thing he can do for me right now.

I calm down, still slightly crying. "I think I've used all my tears today," I say, cracking a small smile. "I can't get any more out of my eyes."

His face remains stern. "Kelsey, why did I hear you screaming an hour ago and crying? And why is half of your face swollen?"

I'm silent for a minute, trying to collect myself so I don't break down while talking about it. "I'm surprised one of your costars didn't text you the answer to the latter question." That is true. After I told our group of friends what Connor did to me, I expected them to text Thomas and tell him immediately.

I snap back into reality. "I think they wanted you to tell me yourself," he says quietly. "What happened?"

"This morning, after Connor shoved you out, we got into a fight. He accused me of cheating on him with you. Well, things escalated. He punched me in my cheekbone area, and my face is swollen because of it."

Thomas tenses up beneath me. "That bloody jerk, dick..." He proceeds to call Connor every name under the sun.

I rest my hand on his cheek. "Thomas, stop. It's not gonna fix anything."

"That bloody asshole punched you, Kelsey! He can get into some serious legal trouble for that! And he hurt you, love! It's abusive! What kind of monster would hit you? Or anyone, for that matter!"

"I don't know. I have no idea. But then he packed up his stuff and left. He's on the plane to go back home as we speak." I tell Thomas everything, from talking to Will and Kaya to going on my walk and then arguing with Connor on the phone. He's very tense as I tell him my story, but he stays silent for the whole thing.

"Are you okay?" he asks when I finish telling him what happened.

I look deep into his eyes. "I have no idea. I mean, my boyfriend, now ex, punched me this morning and I just found out that he was taking girls to bed for the past two months. But other than that, I've never been better."