I Won't Give In (A Denis Stoff Love Story)

Chapter 11: We're done

I cuddled up to Denis on the sofa. I had been released from hospital and my parents were adamant on taking back to California, much to my annoyance, but Denis assured them that he would stay with me in London, whilst I regained my strength.

"Why did you come to the hospital after the way I treated you?" I asked, looking up at him, mesmerised by the stubble on his chiselled jawline. 

"Because you're my best friend and I love you" 

"Denis?"

"What?"

"You don't love me, you love Dasha"

"We're done. Dasha and I, we're over"

"How come?"

"We were drifting apart and we no longer loved each other" 

"Oh" I didn't know how to respond, there was still part of me that thought that I was the reason the broke up.

"No you weren't" Denis said.

"What?"

"You weren't the reason we broke up"

"Wait? Did I?"

"You said it out loud" Denis chuckled. I grabbed a cushion and hid my face, earning a laugh from Denis. I was so embarrassed. 

Denis pulled the cushion away from my face and pulled me in for a hug. 

"I've missed you so much Lex, but we need to talk"

"About what?"

"You know what" 

Yeah I did, he wanted to talk about why I thought it best to take my life and why I was covered in cuts and bruises. 

"His name was Jack and he was so charming when I met him. He spoilt me and treated me like every girl dreams of being treated, like a princess. We had an argument one night and he hit me. I thought it was a one off, but it turns out he got a thrill out of it. He would hit me, leaving me with bruises. Anyway one day, the day I decided to end it all, he left for Australia and he's never coming back. Throughout the whole relationship, I self-harmed and that night after he left, I looked at old photos of me and you Denis, at how happy we were, how much we had both changed, how much we needed each other and I just couldn't take it anymore. I needed to feel numb Denis, I needed to forget, I needed you, I needed my best friend, but I fucked it up by leaving, by cutting off contact because I didn't want to get in between you and Dasha" I didn't realise that I'd started crying, until Denis tilted my head up and wiped away my tears. 

"I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere ever again, I promise" I smiled at his response and in that moment; in that one moment, I realised...

I was completely in love with my best friend.