The Unexpected Trilogy: Burdened

Apologies

Ch. 6

Bella's POV

"Bells?" says a loving voice. I spin and stare directly at Toby.

"What?" I hiss. "Gonna beg for one more chance? Cuz right now, the chance of me forgiving you seems REALLY slim."

"Bella, just let me explain." prays Toby. "I'm not saying you're stupid or anything, just please-"

Now I've had enough of his bull crap. "No, let ME, explain, Toby!" I spit. "You and I have been together for, what? Like three years now? So, we go to home in our relationship, and you sit through me giving YOUR DAUGHTER life. Suddenly, I find out that Haili and Michael got together and-"

"And there's YOUR mistake, Bella!" Toby shouts. "YOU kiss Michael. YOU got in the crossfire-"

"Which you never should've started."

"And your head happens to hit a vase, which caused the bleeding. It's all your fault for-"

"For what, Toby? For. What?! For being me? For standing up for people who moved on? Yeah, sure, I'M suddenly the bad one!"

"Bella," starts Toby.

"Yet," I go on. "You never should've started ANY of this! But the part that REALLY pisses me off? The fact that YOU responded to Haili's kiss! YOU could've pulled away! YOU could've left it! But NOOOO, my BEST FRIEND apparently drew YOU in, and now from all the groaning and screams I heard last night, I'm not the only one getting child support!"

Toby mutters something hen clenched his fists and winces, like he wishes he'd taken it back.

"What?" I ask, sarcastically holding my ear, as if saying, "Can't hear you, please speak up."

"I said," enunciates Toby. "Shut up."

I stare at him. "Sh-Shut up?" I stammer. "Did you just say 'Shut up'?"

"Bella," he turns and looks at me. "Shut. Up."

"Nobody tells me to shut up, Toby. Nobody. Ask Haili. I PUNCHED the last person who said that to me-" I step up to him, looking directly into his stormy eyes. "-especially someone like you, you ungrateful, unworthy, little piece of ju-"

I'm cut off. Not by a clever comeback, by his lips. His kiss. Lips on mine. I close my eyes and let it soak in. He puts a hand on my cheek and one on my waist. My hands wrap around his neck, and he rests his hands on my hips. Haili always called them "love handles." my fingers run through his hair as he pulls me closer, and my leg slides up his. He leans me against the bar, solid granite, going into the kitchen. I pull away, wondering what he's doing, but then I realize it: he's telling me how sorry he is. I look into his eyes and wince. They're clouded with sorrow, so i drown his sorrows by kissing him again. He doesnt seme as desperate as when we struck home base, but it was still slightly desperate. More gentle than desperate, and as much as I want to forgive him, i know what he did was wrong.

He pulls away, and I open my eyes. "Bella," he whispers. "Come out with me tomorrow night. I have something to tell you."

I nod, and I put my hands down. "I'm gonna go talk to Haili." I murmur. He nods, and I stumble upstairs. Before walking into my room, I go to Alexsi, who is crying very loudly.

I pick her up to soothe her. Once she's quiet and sleeping again, I stride into my room, where Haili was drawing on her arm with a black pen. She looks at me and her eyes grow wide, then her gaze drops to the sheets.

"Hey," i say, trying to be friendly. "I wanna talk to you."

"I didn't mean to!" she bursts, her eyes waterfalling tears. "It was the only way to keep him from hurting you! I'm soo sorry!"

I smile, and my eyes drop from her, to Alexsi, to the floor. I hear One Direction in my head, and I look back at her. "Hail," I whisper.

"I never wanted things to go this way!" she continues. "I tried to stop, but he forced himself on top of me!"

"Haili!" I grimace. "It's okay! I'm not mad, just kinda... shaken." She gives me a look and explains her intentions, not that it'll make a difference. I ask her to come downstairs to help me with dinner, and she agrees halfheartedly. We walk downstairs, where Toby is waiting for us, and we both give him a solid nod. He sighs with relief and flops back on the couch. We get to preparing dinner, and I actually think that everything would be okay. I can't be more wrong.