Intertwined | ✓

| 12 |

Damon was sat in the dimly lit living room, on the floor, with his back leaning against sofa.

He held a glass of his Dad's whiskey in one hand. Every bitter sip he took, and that went down his throat, Damon was reminded of every bitter word he'd said to Raina.

He remembered how he'd told he hated her. How her eyes, the ones he loved so much, glistened with tears because of him. He was the cause of her pain, even when he'd promised to always take it away.

He didn't mean to take things so far, but once he started, he couldn't seem to stop himself.

Holding onto his chain with one hand, Damon closed his eyes and could picture Raina's smile when he'd told her he loved it. She smiled every time she saw him wear the chain. It was part of her, that was with him, and that very part was in pain right now.

"Damon?" Ariel quietly asked as she stepped into the living room.

She had heard all that had happened between Damon and Raina. She, herself, was shocked by all that she'd heard.

Ariel didn't have to hear Raina's voice to know how much pain she must've been feeling. Raina had been in love with him for so long, and to hear him both confess and refuse her love for him, it must've been crushing for her.

Damon heard Ariel's voice, but refused to open his eyes. "Ariel I can't do this right now. Please" he told her.

He fell like he could fall apart at any moment, and he didn't want Ariel to see that.

"I heard everything" Ariel said, stepping further into the room.

Damon then let out a sigh, opening his eyes. "I'm not surprised. Just please, not tonight okay? I don't want to talk" he said, taking a sip of his drink.

Ariel then took a seat on the floor next to Damon. "Then please, just listen" she asked him.

Damon shook his head, "Ariel-" he began to say, but she cut him off.

"Please. I know what video you're talking about" she then said.

This caused Damon to let out an unamused laugh. "Oh great. My little sister has seen the video of her best friend trashing her brother". He then gave her an incredulous look. "You still stayed her friend after that? Have you no sense of loyalty?" He asked.

"You don't have any sense of trust" Ariel retorted.

"What are you talking about?" Damon asked her, with a bewildered look.

"Just listen" Ariel requested. "I was at Raina's house when this video was taken" she began to say.

Damon shook his head. "You're lying. You weren't in it, and you didn't even leave the house then" he said.

He had replayed that video over and over again to will himself to believe what was happening. Every time he watched it was like another thorn embedded in his chest.

"I did leave the house for a little bit" Ariel confessed. "Raina had a book of mine I needed for class, so Mum drove me to hers so I could get it. Raina's Dad let me in, and I was making my way to her room when I heard someone talking. It was Marissa".

Damon was confused. "Whose Marissa?".

Ariel let out a sigh. "It's this girl in my year. I overheard her telling Raina about she also had a crush on you, and she was also at that party and saw the two of you kiss. She also saw you guys going up to a room. Marissa was mad, thinking Raina had stolen you away. What you had heard was taken out of context. Raina did say the words you heard, but she was only repeating what Marissa had said. Those words didn't actually come from Raina" Ariel told him, letting Damon in on the truth he never knew about.