Bed Sheets II

59. I'll Keep Fighting

Eric watched as Draven's spoon dug deeper into the ice cream cup. They had planned to grab ice cream regardless of the outcome, but Draven had been positive that the Chancellor would take him back, that he thought he would be in a better mood. He had not engaged in any conversation ever since they arrived, and whenever Eric asked if he was alright, Draven forced a smile and nodded his head.

He was almost done his ice cream when he glanced upwards to Eric's worried eyebrows raised almost to his hairline, and he chuckled quietly, "I'm fine, Eric."

"You can tell me if you're not—"

"I said I'm fine," his voice had tightened, and he glanced towards Eric, noticing his eyebrows slowly lower. To which he shook his head, "I'm sorry, I just...I don't want to talk about it."

"Don't keep it in, it'll hurt worse in the long run."

Eric was right, and Draven knew he was. He attempted to ignore the stabbing in his heart he continuously felt after he was thrown from the building by the security guards, and ignore the way his stomach tightened abnormally every time he thought about the Chancellor, but he couldn't.

He dug his soon in his ice cream, but did not grab another bite. He simply slowly retrieved it and repeated the same movement. "It's not that I'm upset he didn't take me back," Draven sighed, furrowing his brows and blinking rapidly in hopes to stop the tears from engulfing his eyes, "I just never realized how much I had hurt people without even noticing."

Eric tilted his head, "At least you realized now—"

"I'm a bad guy, Eric."

"You're not a bad guy—"

"Yes, I've taken advantage of the Chancellor without even realizing."

After a pause, Eric shook his head, "People change, Draven."

But Draven seemed to have all his thoughts formed and unable to be changed by anything Eric said, "Even the things I said to you...Eric I told you to go kill yourself. I told someone mentally unstable to go commit suicide; do you know how crazy that is?"

"You said it because you were hurt."

"It doesn't make it alright," Draven stabbed his ice cream, "it doesn't make any of it alright. I told someone I used to love and waited for five years, to go kill themselves." He pushed the ice cream away from him, "There's something wrong with me."

Eric leaned forward, "Draven, I'm still here because I worked hard to only need my own validation. You can't only blame yourself either; I pushed you to saying those things. I hurt you really bad by my words too, so stop only blaming yourself for the whole situation. We hurt each other—"

"No," Draven shook his head and stood from his seat, "we didn't hurt each other. I hurt you with the lowest blows I could ever say."

"Draven, I'm alright—where are you going?"

"Drop me off home, I want to be alone for a bit."

Eric watched as Draven threw the rest of the ice cream in the garbage and left the restaurant. However, the instance Draven stepped outside, he was bombarded with paparazzis and reporters with microphones lifted to his face. Draven had forgotten how this felt, and continued walking towards the car, ignoring them.

"Draven H. Malcom, we heard that you were fired from Waterfalls Agency, do you have anything to say about that?"

"We heard your team was dismissed under your orders—"

"That's not true," Draven mumbled under his breath, continuing to avoid them to head towards the car.

"Malcom," they abruptly rushed in front of him which caused him to stop in his steps, "is it true that you fired your entire team and all your employees?"

"That's not true at all," Draven spat. "I loved my team."

"Then why are we getting information that you chose to dismiss your entire editing team after you became involved with Kyle Merchi?"

Draven's brows furrowed instantly, and Eric who had walked outside, was attempting to reach him before anything he said could make his entire situation worse.

"That's not true at all!" All the reporters fell quiet and gathered tightly around him, noticing that he was seconds from engaging into a long speech. His shoulders has broadened and he started, "I made a mistake and my team left me because of it which I didn't realize at the time. But these people are my family, I'd give my life to any of them. I've hurt all of them really bad, especially my senior editors, secretary and my manager. I used them and didn't give them enough credit for how much they supported me, and I fucked up."

"They continuously helped me through anything I was experiencing and it was wrong of me to disregard their feelings and expect them to stay. I messed up, really really bad. And worst of all, I didn't even realize how much I had hurt them. Miranda, Jason, Hector, and Sophie, if you're watching this, I'm getting you guys back, I'm getting you all back. I'll work hard until I can prove myself, and I'll keep fighting until you can trust me again, because you guys are my—" he felt his throat become strained, and began blinking to stop himself from tearing up, but the reporters already had it on camera. He bit his bottom lip, and eventually added, choking from the tears, "You guys are my family. I love every single one of you, and I'm trying. I really am trying."