The Bet

CHAPTER 25: What A Night

KORINNA

We sat there in his car for a while until I finally calmed myself down enough to say something.

"How did you know I was here?" I ask him

"I didn't. Not at first at least and then I was told by Freddy about what happened at your stepmom's. I searched everywhere for you and didn't think of looking here until moments ago." He replies through sniffles.

We sit there for a few more moments in quiet other than the sound from the raindrops outside hitting the car.

"Why did you believe Rick this whole time about what had happened at the party in Freshman year?" I started to mention.

"I don't know to tell you the truth. There's no excuse for what I did and for taking his word over yours. I mean, I guess I should have stayed longer anyways since clearly, I misjudged." He says.

I noticed out the corner of my eye that his knuckles were all busted up and bloodied. Then as I turned my head a little more I began noticing the he had dried up blood red stains on his shirt along with some dried up blood out the corner of his mouth along with his lip being all busted up.

"So what happened to you?" I ask.

"Well, I got into a fight with Rick and did something I should have done a long ass time ago." He tells me.

I knew exactly what he meant and honestly felt really happy deep down inside, not to mention I appreciated it. However, that doesn't necessarily excuse anything he said or did to me. I can't forget about the bet.

"I need to get my bag from school." I say trying to change the subject.

"Well, I know by now they'd have to be closed." He tells me.

"Shit!" I say under my breath.

"What do you need?" He asks.

"Nothing. Can you just take me to a hotel please?" I ask him.

"I'm not going to take you to one. You should stay with me at my house." He says.

"Listen, I appreciate you coming to get me and for standing up to Rick for me but, it doesn't mean I'm ready to forgive you. It doesn't justify everything you put me through. So please just, just take me to a hotel and drop me off. I have more than enough on me right now to afford it." I tell him.

"I don't think..." He starts to argue but I stop him.

"Please, don't." I tell him.

He doesn't say anything else and begins to finally drive towards the closest hotel to school with neither of us saying anything to each other.

After he pulled up in front of the hotel's office and check-in I was about to get out and thank him for the ride but he grabbed my hand.

"Can I at least pay for it?" He asks with plead in his eyes.

"Fine." I reply after taking a moment to think about it.

He nods and gets out to start heading inside, and it takes him a few minutes before he comes back out and gets in. Then he hands me the room key card.

"You'll be in room 205. I paid for up to a couple of weeks. Let me know if you need more." He says.

I shake my head in frustration.

"You are unbelievable." I tell him.

"Why?" He asks in a calm manner still.

"Because you don't get it still. I don't want or need your pity. I can afford for however many nights I need to." I harshly tell him.

"I wasn't implying neither. I was just trying to be a good friend. I know you don't want that. I know I've done you wrong. I know I don't deserve you. But I just feel it's the least I could do. If you want to cancel in the morning still, then you can. But if you stay, then know that it's okay." He says still avoiding eye contact with me.

I'm trying so hard to fight back the tears I am feeling come up but it's almost impossible right now with him.

Now, not saying I can and or will forgive him right away. And it isn't that I don't appreciate him trying. But I'm fucking scared right now because when he tells me these things, for the first time in years, I feel he's being the REAL Arlan I know. Even with the past few weeks, I have felt a little more of the real him come out.

I try to keep my sobbing silent and then I wipe my tears while looking out the window but can't hide it apparently from him.

I notice tears falling down his face and just know that I am about to lose it myself even more, so I just get out and start going as fast as I can towards the room.

The room I was at overlooked the parking lot and as I looked out the window, I noticed he hasn't driven off yet.

There's a part of me that wants to go downstairs and have us hold each other. Then there's the pain and memories that begin surfacing and makes me close the curtain and plop down onto the bed. Which as soon as my head hits the pillow, I fall asleep.

Next chapter will be posted soon! :)