When We Realize (A Sheo Fanfic)

Chapter Fourteen

*Shailene's POV*

After twenty more minutes of crying, I finally picked myself up off the couch. I have to move on and I have to be strong. Everyone goes through pain. I am not the only one. Your happiness depends 1% on the things that happen to you in this world, and 99% on the way that you deal with those situations. This is my life, and I am going to decide to deal with this situation as best as I can. I am not going to feel sorry for myself.

I went to the bathroom to wash my face, because that always makes me feel entirely refreshed. I glanced in the mirror. I still look like hell, but there isn't anything I can do about that. My face is puffy, and instead of a smile, there is a frown in its place. That will also change, I remind myself. My smile will return.

I dial Miles number, because I realize I left his room thirty minutes ago to get my bathing suit from Theo.

"Hello?" He answers.

I decide to lie, even though I hate not being honest with the people that care about me. It is kind of necessary this time though. "Hey Miles. Sorry I took a while, but I got my period, so I'm going to stay home."

"Huh?"

"Menstruation?" I said slowly. "You know... when mother nature decides that-"

"Yeah, yeah... I know what a period is Shai." He says quickly. "Can't you just put a...um..."

"No," I say simply.

"Um, okay? Well can you still come eat dinner?"

"I can't Miles. I'm sorry. I feel really bad, but I'm cramping and I'll throw up if I eat. I gotta go. Bye."

I hung up and sighed. There was a knock at the door. Seriously? Theo again? Nothing he can say will take back what he did, and I honestly do not want to dwell on it anymore. I opened the door.

"Theo," I started to say.

But it wasn't Theo at the door, it was Ruth. It's almost impossible to look at her after what they just did. What does she want?

"What do you want?" I said bluntly.

"Will you just let me explain?" She asked.

"I really don't care. You have the right to do as you please with him."

"Just listen to me," She said, wiping off some tears from her face. "I lied to him. I could see that he was slipping away from me and I told him that I saw you and Miles making out in the hallway. I was pretty convincing and he only had sex with me because I persuaded him to. He... loves you."

My eyes widened. "What?" I glanced down, just noticing the bags at her feet.

"He doesn't love me anymore, and he was going to do everything the right way, but I had to try to get him back one more time... There's no point though. It wouldn't be the same anymore, as much as I wish that it could be."

I started to breathe faster. She lied to him about me and Miles? And that's the reason he slept with her? He... loves me? I put my hand over my mouth in shock, not sure what to do or say.

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked her.

"Because I still love him, and he deserves to be happy. And if he's happy with you, then maybe I can fix things for him."

I reached out and hugged her. I can't believe she lied to him about me, but she braved it all and came to me to tell me this. That is a true women right there... No matter how much she wished she could be in my shoes, she wants him to be happy. And if she hadn't told me, Theo and I might have never made up.

"I'm really sorry all this happened," I said. "I really didn't mean to..."

"Fall in love with him?" She asked.

"Er, yeah."

She glanced at me sadly. "That's not really something you can help." She picked up her bags in her hand. "Just tell him I'm sorry again, will ya?"

I nodded and she gave me a small smile before heading down the hall. When she was no longer in my sight I sprinted down the hall to Theo's apartment. I didn't bother knocking, I just went right in. He is slouched on the couch, staring out the glass wall and not moving.

"Theo," I whispered.

He turned quickly, his lips parting in shock. "Shailene? I-"

"No," I interrupted. "Please just let me talk. Ruth just came to my door, and she told me that she lied to you. She told you that Miles and I were kissing, when we weren't. I thought that you were using that as an excuse, but she persuaded you into having sex with her."

He slowly stood up as I was talking. We stood a few feet away from each other, and I tried to not look at his bare chest, because I would forget everything I want to say to him.

"I didn't know that you actually thought that I did that, and it's okay that you had sex with her. I don't care. I just want to move on from all that. I just want to be happy."

His dark eyes held mine so firmly. "I didn't want to have sex with her. That's all it has been for a while now. Just sex. And I don't want that, I want to make love." My heart started pounding as he continued to speak. "I thought you would never forgive me... I wouldn't be able to stand not being around you. I-I couldn't do it. I like you so much."

I felt a smile stretch across my face. "Ruth said that you loved me." I accused him.

He broke into a smile too. "Okay. Maybe I love you."

I ran to him, removing the few feet of space between us and pressing my lips to his. His strong hands delicately held my face to his, and eventually tangled themselves into my short hair. When I pulled back, we both sighed at the same time. Our bodies are still pressed closely to each other, and our faces are so close we are breathing the same air as we stare at each other.

"This is how it's supposed to be," I whisper.

"This is exactly how I want it to be," He whispers back, before kissing me again.