The Way We Were (Denis Shaforostov, Asking Alexandria, Denis Stoff)

13. Apologies

Vivian-
The next morning I woke up to an empty condo, I walked out to see that all the aspirin was gone, and the water had been drunk, along with all of their sunglasses missing and my note looked like it had been moved.

I quickly cleaned up their morning mess, chuckling to myself as I did.

I retreated back into the bedroom, getting dressed in a sweatshirt with flowers on it, jeans, boots and a white beanie.

I straightened out my hair and put on a bit of makeup.

Right when I finished I heard the door open and I took a deep breath.

I pulled my sleeve down, careful not to show the bruise Denis left last night when he grabbed my arm so roughly.

Suddenly Denis appeared in the doorway, startling me.

He chuckled.

"Morning."

"You scared me." I stated.

"Clearly, considering you jumped a foot off of the ground."

I smiled.

"Morning."

"So I was thinking that you and I could go out today? I'm sorry yesterday turned into what it did, I remember funneling and then it goes black." He scratched his neck, embarrassed by his actions.

"Yeah you all were a bit intoxicated."

"I'm so sorry."

"Its fine." I said as I walked past him out the door.

He remembered something he had to ask me and reached out grabbing my arm, causing me to wince.

"Hey wait! Did you get-"  he stopped when he realized that I winced.

"What happened?"

"Nothing you startled me."

"Viv, you crinkle your nose when you lie. You have since you were seven years old." He looked at me seriously.

"Nothing Denis. Let go." I didn't want him to see what he had done, knowing Denis he would apologize for weeks.

He rolled up my sleeve, revealing the bruise in the shape of his hand.

"Who the hell did this?" He asked, suddenly furious.

"Denis-"

"Tell me who the hell did this to you. I will rip them apart."

"Denis it's a small bruise." I tried calling him down.

"Viv if you are afraid,  you don't have to be, just tell me so I can make sure it will never happen again."

"You did." I whispered looking at the ground.

His fingers found my chin, guiding it up so I was staring him straight in the eye.

"I did this?" He asked, a sudden softness and regret in his eyes.

I nodded, looking away, ashamed.

He pulled me tightly to his chest, stroking my hair softly, occasionally kissing the top of my head as we just stood there.

"Viv, what else did I do?" He whispered.

"You tried pouring whiskey down my throat, and you tried to kiss me, also your hands roamed a lot."

I could see a blush forming on his cheeks when I said that he tried to kiss me and feel me up.

"I'm sorry beautiful."

"Just don't do it again." I sighed.

"I promise you, with everything I have, that I will never hurt you again."

I kissed his cheek, trying to cheer him up.

"Well are you going to take me out or not Mr. rockstar?"

"Mr. rockstar?" He chuckled.

I nodded, raising my eyebrow.

"I like it." He smiled.

"Well come on, I need someone to drag around." I grabbed his hand, leading him out the door.

He chuckled, letting me drag him out and down the streets of LA, stopping anywhere that interested me.

"Denis you can ask for us to stop too! If you aren't having fun I won't be." I pouted to him.

"I'm having fun watching you." He kissed the tip of my nose gently, immediately making me smile and crinkle up my nose. He was adorable.

"Vivian? Denis?" I heard an all too familiar voice from behind me.

"Denis? Please tell me that that isn't-"

"Your Dad." He finished my sentence, nodding.

I wasn't ready to see him. I never wanted to see him again. Why was fate so cruel.

I turned to see my father, holding the hand of a man standing next to him.

"Vivian!" My dad's eyes welled up with tears.

"Don't you dare cry." I stared at him.

"It's been three years, of course I can cry, give me a hug." He smiled, so happy to see me.

"Don't touch me." I backed up a step.

"Viv-" he sighed as Denis wrapped his hand firmly around my waist.

"Are you two finally together?" My dad asked.

"That's a personal question to asks someone who you didn't care to talk to for years." I glared.

He sighed.

"Vivian, this is my husband."

His husband smiled at me, extending his hand for me to shake.

"I've heard such wonderful things about you." He smiled.

I stared at his hand, Denis shook it, introducing himself.

"Well we must be going." I said quickly, turning away, wanting to be as far away as possible.

"Vivian, if you ever want to talk, call me any hour of the day." My dad said, he looked pained.

I didn't care. He had hurt me so badly by leaving.

I sped walked to the condo, letting go of Denis's hand so he was forced to follow me.

"Vivian!" He called after me repeatedly until I reached the room, sitting down onto the couch.

"Why were you so rude to him?" He asked, chastising me for my behavior.

"You don't know half of what happened Denis. So stay out of it." I glared.

"Then tell me exactly what happened. I will listen to anything you have to say."

"Are you sure? Because when he and my mom divorced, you quit talking to me. And when he got married, you were unreachable. And when my mother stopped caring about meals and cleaning house, causing me to take over for two years, where the hell were you? All I wanted was for you to listen to me, to talk to me. But you were living it up in Ukriane, as I was slowly killing myself all because that man left and broke my home, and now that I found a new family in You, Maddie, and the boys he can't just come waltzing back into my life, it can't work like that."

I hadn't realized that I was crying until Denis was holding me, letting me sob into his chest, occasionally looking up, and him wiping tears from my face.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't there. I was hurting being away from you, and I thought that if I severed ties it would hurt us both less." He said, tears welling up in his eyes as well.

Neither of us dared to say it, but I knew that we both were thinking about the kiss we shared when we were ten, and how it shook our friendship.

I wanted to kiss him for his words. But I couldn't. I was too scared of rejection.

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A/N: yay two chapters in one day! Guys I'm so excited for the next few chapters.