He's a Cheater ✔️

4 - DRAFT TWO

4
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My phone rang, illuminating the darkness of the hotel room.

"Hello?" I called out sluggishly, reaching aimlessly for the light switch.

The other end of the line remained quiet, until I was met by a string of aggressive beeps. As my fingers found the switch, I checked the caller ID in confusion.

Mary

I immediately called her back, my fingers shaky as they dialed the appropriate numbers. The phone rang for a few minutes, before cutting off immediately. My heart sank as quickly as it had risen, deluded by false hope.

I fell asleep again eventually, my phone cradled near my chest, where Mary's head had been resting just a night ago.

➸

I woke up again a few hours later, my phone telling me it was nearing noon. Mary was usually in her apartment at this time, researching different artists and galleries. Every time I thought of her, I felt as if my heart was wrenched out of my chest, leaving behind a gaping emptiness, bleeding out my will to exist.

The morning must've slanted my thoughts, because a few minutes later, I found myself in my car, heading back to Mary's apartment. Our apartment.

I knew that I would regret not trying to get her back for the rest of my life. I knew that I could barely survive without her in my life. I knew that I needed her.

I just wish I would've figured that out before I had cheated on her.

➸

My knocks cut through the silence of the hallway, and I waited outside her door as nauseousness rolled over my body. As I heard the gentle padding of Mary's feet against the wooden floor, I almost ran back to my car in terror and shame.

"Jake?" she questioned cautiously. My eyes found her face in desperation, her cracked voice sending a deep pain through my heart. Her eyes were drooping, and I could smell alcohol on her skin.

"Mary," I whispered, her name coming out as a deep sigh of relief. I watched her sluggish movements with guilt, knowing that I had done this to her. "I'm so fucking sorry."

"That's," she paused, looking away, "that's just not good enough."

"Mary, I love you - "

"Really?" she cut me off, anger burning behind her eyes. "You've done nothing to show me that."

"I'll change. I regret everything I did, and you won't ever know how sorry I am," I rambled, watching her expression carefully.

"Look, Jake. I know you're sorry right now, but what happens a few months down the line when all that guilt's faded away? What happens when you're in the same situation craving the same things?" Mary snapped. Her words were even, but her impatience was perceptively increasing.

"I can't change what I did before, but Mary, I love you. I can change for you. I will change for you," I pressed, taking a step towards her. I saw her grip on the doorknob tighten, so I stopped my advance.

"You know," Mary began, looking up as if she were suppressing tears, "when I found out you cheated on me, I thought I did something wrong. I thought it was because I stopped giving you as much attention. Or because I worked a lot of late nights."

I opened my mouth to interrupt her, but she raised her hand to stop me.

"No, let me continue. But now I realize that it's not my fault. In a healthy relationship, both people are supposed to be open about their feelings. And they're supposed to understand each other's commitments. You didn't do either. You cheating on me was not my fault. It was yours.

"Jake, I'll probably forgive you someday. I'll understand that you couldn't control your emotions. But I need to be with someone who's more mature. Who can understand what I need and tell me what they need. I can't be with you Jake." Her voice broke as she finished, and her face turned into a mere silhouette as tears blurred my vision.

"I'm so sorry," I mumbled pathetically.

"I know you are. But I need more," Mary gold me firmly, before shutting the door with a loud thud.

My composure completely fell apart then, and I broke down into sobs, the tears streaking messily across my face.

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A STILL-SMALL BUT SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER AUTHOR's RAMBLING (note)

I think we're done?
We're done.
OMG WE'RE DONE.

Thanks so much to everyone who read this draft of He's a Cheater, and endured my incredibly slow and sporadic updates. Rewriting this story meant a lot to me as a writer, as I got to understand what it really means to deconstruct and add dimension to characters. I changed a lot from the first draft, but tried to stay true to the original vision I had for most of the characters. I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Honestly, one of my main goals as a writer is to make someone feel something through my words, whether it be happiness, fear, or sadness. I just want to have an impact on someone else's life, however small that impact might be. Knowing I have support means more to me than you guys will ever know.

Please don't forget to comment, vote, and share this story with your friends and/or fellow wattpaders!

:)