Forgetting Roman

{forty-six}

{forty-six}

                “Aspen? What happened to you?” Declan repeated his question as he pushed down my hoodie sleeve all the way down to my elbow. The white bandages covered the length from my wrist up until a little bit above the crease of my elbow. It was hard not to notice them.

                “Nothing,” I answered, surprisingly calm. Inside however I was freaking out. He saw them. Declan saw them. There was no way around this. I had to tell him now- whether I was ready or not I had to tell him.

                “This doesn’t look like ‘nothing’.” He said looking down at me.

                I silently closed my eyes and slowly pulled away from him. After sitting up and pulling my knees to my chest, I pulled down my sleeve and wrapped both arms around my knees tightly. I couldn’t look him in the eyes.

                Should I try to lie? Try to find some way out of this situation? Squeezing my eyes shut and shook my head and rested my forehead on the top of my knees. I couldn’t lie to him. He deserves to know. Parker’s words echoed again in my head.

                “Aspen?” Declan said, worry in his voice.

                “Fuck,” I gasped out before I raised my head and met his gaze. I felt something wet roll down my cheek. Declan’s eyes opened wide, surprised to find me crying. Yet he didn’t make a move to comfort me and for that I was grateful. I wasn’t sure if I could handle his embrace at this point. I was getting ready to tell him what I hoped to never reveal to someone ever again. Yet, here I was. Preparing myself to reveal every ugly, dark, secret I had.

                “I need to tell you something,” I told him.

                “Okay,” he nodded. “But why are you crying?”

                “Because after I tell you what I have to tell you, you’ll never see me the same.”