Moving On

Chapter 9

New chapter! Hope you all had a Happy Holiday and got all you wanted! :) There are more clues in this chapter to what Darren is hiding! I wonder how many of you can guess???

Enjoy!

Darren’s POV

The guilt was consuming me from the inside out. Seeing Carmen trying to make up for something she didn’t have to do was playing on my conscience, I wish I could tell her what was going on but she’d leave me. My thoughts were halted when my phone began ringing,

“Hello?”

“Hello cousin, long time no speak.” Owen’s voice sounded through the receiver making my hands clench in anger, Carmen pulled her hand from my grasp and mouthed an ‘ow.’ I took hold of her hand and apologized reminding myself to keep my anger in check.

“What do you want?”

“Why the hostility, cousin? We are family-“ I cut off Owen’s voice before he could speak further,

“Was there something you needed?” I smiled reassuringly at Carmen, who was giving me a questioning look,

“I think it’s time we met up soon don’t you?” his voice was saturated with amusement but this situation was anything but that.

“I don’t think so.”

“Very well, I’d begin packing your bags ready for when Carmen gets rid of you because of your dirty, little secret.” I took a calming breath before speaking,

“Fine, when?”

“Starbucks on Weisman Street at 5pm, don’t be late cousin.” I hung up the phone, looking at the time I realised I had 15 minutes to meet him, I let out a frustrated sigh again and put my phone away,

“Who was that?” I looked at Carmen’s clueless voice and a pang of guilt and shame hit me as I lied once again,

“It was one of the guys in my class he invited me for a few drinks later.” Carmen let go of my hand as she opened the front door,

“You should go.” She shouted from the bedroom, following her I answered,

“Thanks.” I hugged her before scooping up my keys and grabbing my jacket,

“Don’t wait up for me, I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

Sitting in the booth of the Starbucks I let my eyes wander across the room scanning for Owen, it had been 3 years since I last spoke to him and my mate and I had assumed that high school was the last I’d see of them but fate seemed to have other ideas. My eyes snapped towards the sound of the front door being opened. My whole body tensed as my throat constricted and my hands became clammy as I took in the sight of Clarissa and Owen walking hand in hand. Clarissa looked as beautiful as the day I’d last seen her, golden hair flowing down her back, cool blue eyes that radiated kindness. Our eyes met and my guilt tripled her eyes showed nothing but sadness and hostility. I averted my eye sight to Owen who was walking by her side in smugness even behind his sunglasses I could tell his eyes were silently mocking me. They took their seats opposite me and all I could focus on was Clarissa,

“I’m sorry.” My voice came out broken, I regret hurting her but through all the pain and regret I couldn’t help feel happy thatI had met Carmen.

“I’m so sorry.” My hand reached out to touch hers but she withdrew her hand the last minute,

“I’m sorry.” I looked into her glassy blue eyes before fleeing the café, if I stayed there any longer I would have broken down. Once in my car I began driving to the nearest bar, I needed something to take my mind off the guilt before I went home.

Carmen’s POV

I woke up with a start as I heard the lock being rattled, I got up and stretched. I had fallen asleep waiting for Darren, looking at the clock I was surprised to see it was gone past 3 AM, Darren never stayed out with his friends past 1. I stumbled to the door bleary eyed and opened it, Darren lunged forward nearly crushing me luckily we both landed on the couch with me underneath. My eyes watered and my nose crinkled as the smell of alcohol radiated off his breath, he was drunk, really drunk.

“Ooopsies! Are you alright, Carmen?” Darren stared drunkenly into my eyes; even through the drunken stupor I could tell something was bothering him. He wouldn’t get this drunk for fun, he hardly touched alcohol; it was always me with the hangovers.

“What’s wrong, Darren?” I asked softly,

“I don’t deserve you, that’s what’s wrong! I’m a liar and a bad person you deserve someone better!” I looked on in shock as he burst into tears, Darren had never cried in front of me! He buried his tear-streamed face into my chest and sobbed quietly, all I could do was whisper assuring things into his ear and run my hands through his soft, brown hair.

My body was painfully stiff and hot. I opened my eyes to find Darren still on top of me after last night, shaking him gently to wake him.

“Darren! Wake up!” I relaxed back into the sofa seeing as I was getting nowhere, I tried pushing him off but even with my werewolf strength it wouldn’t work.

Eventually after an hour or so he began to stir, he lifted his head up from my chest and looked me in the eye,

“Carmen?” his usual brown eyes were tinged with red from his hangover,

“Please get off me, Darren?!” almost immediately he jumped off me. Blood rushed through the parts of my body which had gone without blood for the last 6 hours or so, I was suddenly thankful for my werewolf genes because I knew most definitely without it my body would have had some serious problems,

“Are you ok Carmen? I didn’t mean to fall asleep on top of you! Why didn’t you wake me?” Darren ran a hand over his pale looking face,

“Believe me I tried but you were out cold! You came in pissed last night and you were crying talking nonsense about how you didn’t deserve me and that you’re a liar! Is everything alright, Darren?” I watched as his expression morphed into guilt and sadness,

“It’s true. I don’t deserve you.” I walked up to him and kissed him despite his breath smelling like a bar.

“As long as I deserve you it doesn’t matter, I love you.” I knew he was hiding something from me, I wasn’t stupid; whether or not he was cheating or it was something else I would find out eventually but in the mean time I would enjoy our relationship and stay loving Darren before it got destroyed.