Finding Our Light

Chapter Ten: Regrets

    Warning: This chapter has some serious topics in it. I'm not trying to romanticize or make light of the situation. In fact it is the exact opposite of what i am trying to do. These issues come with some ugly consequences and mental issues and I think that the more aware people are of them then more people will be able to help or try to understand if they ever encounter someone who has basically gone to hell and back. The topic has honestly become such a problem in society today and its really sickening.  

Unedited 

Goal: 45 Votes, 10 comments (I'll update as soon as the goal is met)

     Stefan leads me into the kitchen before asking me what I would to like to drink.  I shrug not really caring and he pours him and me a mixture of what looks like vodka and sprite. I smile and take a sip once he hands it to me. 

     "Thank you,"  I smile and we begin to walk into the other room.   

    "No problem," he says and gestures for me to sit down on the couch once we are in the main room. I sit down and he sits next to me. "So what did you do after graduation?

     "I went to UCCS and then my sophomore year I went to school in London."

     "Really?" he asks, sounding fascinated. 

    "Yeah," I nod. "It was a great school. I really loved the experience." 

    "Then why did you come back?" He asks. "I mean if I were you I would have never left." I don't say anything right away and instead just take a large sip of my drink. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude on your personal life."

     "It is fine. I just got mixed up into some bad relationships and they kind of ruined the entire experience."

     "Kind of like high school all over again, huh?"

     "No, it was way worse."

     "More worse than high school?" He looks surprised and I frown. 

    "Not physically, but I was in love in London and got my heart broken for show. I was never in love with Luke."

     "Madison," he sighs seriously. "I'm truly about what happened. I knew what was going on and I did nothing to stop it." 

     "You know that isn't true. You tried to help me countless times and I always told you to drop it."

     "Yeah but I shouldn't have listened to you. I should have called the cops the first time I saw him hit you and then just walk away like nothing happened while you were left there crying." 

   "Stefan, I promise you that there was nothing you could have done to help. I didn't want anyone's help. I was way too embarrassed and i thought he loved me. I didn't want to hurt him." 

     "You see I just don't understand that." 

     I take another large sip of my drink before sighing. "You don't need to understand it. You just need to know that it wasn't your fault."

     "Okay," he nods. "Lets drop this depressing conversation and have some fun, shall we?" he holds his hand out in front of me and I nod while smiling before putting my hand in his.

......

    I throw the small white ball to the other side of the table and drunkenly cheer when I make it. Stefan mocks disappointment but the amusement on his face is crystal clear. He grabs the cups and chugs it as my teammate, Claire, his teammate, Henry and I both cheer him on. Once he is done he slams the plastic cup back down on the table and puts his hands up in the air and cheers. We all laugh and he and Henry walk over to Claire and I. He lies his arm over my shoulder and I lean into him slightly.