Owen Cavalier; Wattpad Version

Chapter 41; The Last Aftermath

Alyssa got back to her house through the rift, carrying Matthew over her shoulder. It was night out, but she felt awake. She put him to rest on her bed, then walked into the kitchen. The granite counter was cold, but she imagined the floor beneath her shoes was colder. 

Then she heard a groan from the living room, and her whole body tensed up. She clenched her hand into fists, and slowly tip toed towards the couch.

A familiar mess of dark hair tossed and turned.

She let out a sigh of relief, and laughed a little. She walked to the other side of the couch, and crouched down. She cupped Owen's cheek.

"Hey, Owen?" She gently woke him.

"Hmmmmm?" Owen murmured as he groggily opened his eyes.

"Is it just the two of us?"

"Yeah. Morgan went home because his arm is spazzing out and Daveigh has family drama to deal with. So you and Matthew. What is up with that?" Owen asked.

"He was a friend, and then one day he started having feelings for me and I just never felt the same way about him. I like Matty and all but I didn't wanna get trapped in something just because it was comfortable. The people I'm with I'm usually with because there's something, there's this intense feeling I get when I'm with them. I just didn't have that with Matty."

"Makes sense. Can't help but feel a little bad for the guy though."

"Yeah? Would you believe me if I told you I called him? Before I came to Thornville. I'd been running from Drake for a while and I found one of his less clever aliases in the phonebook. I was with a guy named John Nixon at the time. But the past caught up with me and then I had to book it. And I was so scared and lonely that I called Matty hoping we could run away together."

"So why didn't you?"

"As soon as he picked up I couldn't bring myself to actually ask him to do it. I pretty much called, cried into the phone for about three minutes and hung up. Was one of the shittier things I've done to him but I suppose if I lost sleep over every shitty thing I've ever done, I'd still have a few lifetime's worth of insomnia ahead of me."

"And Drake?"

"He's not dead. But neither am I so I can chalk that up to a win." 

"When I was stuck in that room with him, he went on a tangent about Michael. Who is also Daveigh's ex. And yours." Owen sat upright. "He also told me he had a wife and a daughter."

"That he did. Well, as recent events have unfolded, he still has a daughter. Riley's alive. But Dee is very definitely dead."

"He blames you."

"And I deserve it."

"Oh."

"Did you stay here despite that, or to confirm it?" Alyssa asked.

"A bit of both. I don't think it was directly your fault, Alyssa."

"I know. But it really feels like it is, and I didn't think I could ever fuck up that badly again. But I let you die too. And I should have protected you from my brother."

"It was my choice to come for you. I don't want other people to take responsibility for my actions. But I'm not gonna lie, I don't know why you called me that night."

"I just wanted to hear your voice one more time."

"You called my last name ridiculous. That was rude."

"I'm sorry, but it is!" She laughed. "I suppose I should tell you my side. Michael never loved me. I tried my hardest to be a perfect little angel for him. I wore really girly dresses, and caked on make-up, and I changed the way I laughed and spoke and walked and changed my whole identity just so he would notice me. But I was beyond revolting to him. And then one day suddenly I was his one true love, his only. And I took him home, because imagine my big brother's surprise when he found out that I also got an angel to fall in love with me. Should have known something was up, and because I didn't, he slit Delilah's throat one night and never saw what he even did to the baby. We went into the room and there was just blood everywhere. Like Riley had just... Exploded. I was careless. I was a kid who fucked up. Not like the totalled your mom's car kind of fuck up. Like let a serial killer into the house. Then I fucked up with you. You came for me anyway. That's the part I can't even understand."

"You know, whenever I'm sad or confused, I go visit Lisa. And I'll tell her about my problems. I know she's too dead to respond, but I always feel a little better keeping her in my life, knowing she'd want me to tell her stuff like that. And if she were still here, she would hate me for dying, but I'd hate myself a whole lot more if I let you die too. I can't lose anyone else. I'd rather get run through a million times than watch more people I care about die."

"You know what I said on the phone?"

"Yeah."

"I lied."

"You did?"

"I've been in love with you for a while now."

"Oh."

"And I still think your last name is stupid. Owen?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for everything, Owen." She smiled.

"Hey, I'm proud of you. For not killing Drake."

"Why does it feel so wrong? I was the bigger person. I didn't kill Drake. I walked away."

"Because he deserved worse. But you were better than that. You will always be better than that."

"After all this, he doesn't get any punishment. Drake simply walks away. It's wrong. It's wrong, Owen. I feel like I should have done it. I feel like I should have killed him. I feel like I'm allowing a monster to walk the earth and hurt so many more people."

"You aren't allowing that to happen. You spared your brother's life. You're saving the person that might still be in there somewhere, the person you loved. The person the world is worse without."

"What if he isn't in there? Because my brother was dead when he was hurting me. And he hurt me really badly. I'm never going to ever look at him the same again."

"And I would have killed him for far less. Any lesser person would have. But unlike so many people, Alyssa, at your core, you are a good person. One of the best I've ever known. And I think this proves neither Michael nor Drake could have ever taken that from you."

She was quiet for a bit, but then her eyes hardened And Owen found it almost unsettling. He didn't know how to comfort her, he didn't even know if he could. But she finally spoke, after a while.

"I'm really glad I met you."

"And so help me, you are going to enjoy just how goddamn boring this town is."

Alyssa sat down next to Owen. She rested her head on his shoulder. They sat together in silence for a while. Neither of them could figure out anything to say for a while. Owen's phone rang. It was Daveigh calling.

"Hey." He answered.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"That's the first bit of good news I've heard today."

"So what's up? Everything okay?"

"Not really. Julie told me everything. She's my half-sister."

"I'm sorry, I think. But you two have kinda been just like sisters."

"Yeah, I know. But I guess it means my dad was an asshole. Or my aunt was. Or both."

"Oh."

"I know you just got her back, but can we just... Speak or something. Please. I really need you right now. And we really need to talk about Michael."

"Okay, yeah. I'll come to your house in about fifteen minutes."

"Thanks. It's just... I'm a bit of a mess."

"I'll see you in fifteen, Daveigh. Love you."

"I love you, Owen."

Alyssa smiled affectionately. "You can go if you need to, Owen. I don't think anyone is coming after me for a while."

"You okay?"

"Yeah." She looked terribly sombre at this point. Owen smiled, then sighed pointedly.

Alyssa caught Owen's hand as he was about to leave. She hugged him tightly and he closed his arms around her waist.