Loud and Clear

8.

Darcy's POV

"Dean I slept with someone else," I blurted out, my hand flying up to my mouth and covering it. It was silent for a minute, nothing but the sound of our heavy breathing. I opened my mouth and closed it so many times, waiting for the words to pour out, but they weren't. They were stuck in the back of my throat along with the lump residing there.

"What?" Dean whispered. His voice was broken and it made my heart ache even worse. It was quiet again, but then a loud crashing sound on the other side of the phone could be heard. I flinched at the sound, not expecting it. I was almost glad Dean wasn't here to throw things around, but I wish I could have told him to his face.

"I'm sorry," I squeaked, my voice betraying me and cracking. I knew this was how it would end up; Dean being pissed at me. "I was just so mad--"

"No! You don't get to justify your reason for sleeping with someone. I planned to tell you last night before you stormed out of the restaurant, but you didn't give me the chance. I looked for you, and I get a call the next morning telling me you slept with someone else, and what? You think it'll be okay just because you were mad and probably drunk? It doesn't work like that, Darcy." I cringed as he yelled at me, my bottom lip trembling, just waiting for the tears to come out, but I wouldn't let them. Not now. "You're impossible," he muttered under his breath, and I could just imagine him running his fingers through his hair over and over again.

"I know. I'm sorry, Dean. I fucked up, and I know I did. I won't justify it because there is no justification. I made a mistake and I'm paying the price for it. I just thought you deserved to know from me before you heard from someone else. I'm sorry, Dean." I didn't wait to hear his reply, too afraid he'd say something crude, so I hung up my phone and turned it off.

With a heavy heart and a clouded mind, I went back into the living room where Uncle Zayn and Aunt Perrie were. They took one glance at me and could tell the conversation didn't go well, and in an instant they were both on their feet and forcing me into a hug. It was then that the tears I desperately tried to hold in fell onto my cheeks. Before I knew it, I was full on sobbing. We stood there in the middle of the room in a huddle while I cried until I could no longer cry no more.

"I feel like someone tore out part of my heart and left an empty void there," I choked out after a minute longer of silence. Aunt Perrie gave Uncle Zayn a look that must have told him to give us some space because after the look he announced he would go make us all a cup of tea.

"What happened exactly?" Aunt Perrie asked while leading me to the couch. I tucked my knees into my chest and pulled my hair out of my face, preparing myself to relive the phone call.

"I called him and he was really happy to hear from me and he tried to tell me what he was supposed to tell me last night, but I didn't want to hear what he had to say. I just wanted him to know, so I blurted it out and it was silent for a minute and then he threw something; and the next thing I know he's yelling at me telling me sorry isn't good enough and that I fucked up. I hung up on him shortly after I told him I knew sorry wasn't good enough." Aunt Perrie frowned, her eyebrows creased together.

"Well, sweetie, he just needs some time, and you have to be sure you give him enough time. Let him sink this in and realize he doesn't have a real reason to be upset. As you had said, you two aren't even going out, so he has no right to be really angry. Time heals all wounds," Aunt Perrie said, finishing with a proud smile at her speech even though it wasn't that great. I did plan on giving Dean space and time, even if it took forever.

"I know. I'm going to go home, though. I just want to talk to Ryker and Uncle Lou. Uncle Zayn?" I called, turning my head to watch him coming into the living room with three cups of tea.