If heart ache was a physical pain, I could face it.

Part Four

Tom’s POV

“Shit. Max, I’m...” I stop talking; words fail to come to mind. He wasn’t supposed to find out like this! I look at my best mate. Ex best mate. While his fiancee still lies in my arms, too stunned to move just like he is.  

Anne’s POV

I can’t talk. I can’t move. I can’t even think straight. My body is full of guilt, it’s consuming me and I don’t know what to do. So stupidly I lie in Tom’s arms, making no attempt to move away from him, which doesn’t go unnoticed by Max. But what would be the point in moving anyway? There’s no point running over to him telling him how sorry I am, because that wont make him feel better. And even with Max watching I feel safe in Tom’s arms like everything will be okay in the end, just as long as I don’t leave him.  

Tom’s POV

Anne starts crying and I turn to her to hold her closer to try and comfort her after reaching for my boxers and pulling them on, unable to comprehend what I’m putting the guy who’s been the best mate to me ever through. I drop my head onto Anne’s chest and close my eyes wishing he’s leave instead of just standing there! What does he want to happen? Anne to run up to him beg for his forgiveness tell him it was all a mistake and she loves him? Because it’s not true! And does he really think that would make him feel any better? My wish comes true as suddenly I’m being lifted of off Anne and shoved against the wall. Max suddenly punches me in the face. Hard. Knocking me off my feet. I feel my lip split and spit blood onto the carpet. I could stand up and hit him back, but I deserve this so I just lie on the floor waiting for the next punch to come, but instead I get a kick in the ribs and I curl up in pain, that on hurt. I can hear Anne yelling at him to stop and to my surprise he does. But that just makes me feel even guiltier, he must want to hurt me so bad, but he loves her so much, he’ll stop as soon as she asks, and I’ve taken her away from him.  

Sophie’s POV

Everyone listen’s in shock as we hear a loud thump followed by Anne screaming hysterically at Max to leave Tom alone. I look up at Nath with fear in my eyes, my brain playing through several scenarios in my mind. None of them pretty.  

“Maybe someone should go up there.” I whisper as the screaming stops followed by a deadly silence.  I look around the room at my friends, fear and shock plastered on their faces too, none of us wanting to be the one to go upstairs afraid of what we might see.

“I’ll give it a minuet to calm down up there and then I’ll go up and see what’s happened.” Jay says, and I’m grateful that someone has volunteered.

Max’s POV

I look down at the person I used to call my best mate, at the person I was going to ask to be my best man, the person I just caught sleeping with my fiancee, and the person who is now dead to me. I turn to face Anne to find that she is now wearing Tom’s T-shirt and this hurts me even more, after everything that's happened between us why does she feel the need to hide herself from me; and why choose Tom’s top when there are plenty of mine scattered on the floor? She looks sorry but whether she’s sorry for hurting me or sorry that they got caught, I don’t know.

“How long Anne?”

“Two months. She says. Her eyes never leaving mine, and I’m grateful that she’s not looking at the floor and is facing me; although it does nothing to comfort me. Two fucking months and I had no clue! What an idiot I am. How stupid must I look to them?

“Do you love me or him?” I ask, not able to day his name and unsure if I want to know the answer. But after all she agreed to marry me; surly that counts in my favour?

“I love Tom Max, I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t say you’re sorry! If you cared about me at all you wouldn’t have done this to me!” I shout at her, the only thing stopping me from crying right now is my anger, and I really don’t want to give Tom the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

“Max don’t yell at her.” Tom says now on his feet.

“Don’t you dare talk to me.” I say aggressively never taking my eyes off Anne; and thankfully for him he shuts up.

“Why did you agree to marry me then?”  I ask quietly now, my voice breaking as tears over whelm me.

“I couldn’t find the words to tell you the truth.” She whispers, tears running down her face; and after it all  it still pains me to see her upset. I turn to face the door preparing to walk away from the person that means more than the whole world to me. To walk away from everything I have ever wanted since I first met her two years ago.

“Well I hope he makes you very happy Anne. Happier than I ever could.” I say before leaving the room and closing the door behind me. I begin walking down the stairs as the tears begin to fall, and she doesn’t follow me. That’s the final nail in the coffin for me, because after everything I still thought she might come after me. That she might not be able to bear me walking away; just like I can’t bear to walk away. Stupid me.