MALLORY'S POV
Over the course of the last six months, Drew and I have hit some rocky points in our relationship. I didn't expect our relationship to be easy once we started dating because of who he was. I knew what I was getting myself into, but I was determined to make it work because I loved him as a person and as a boyfriend. Whatever struggles we went through, we overcame them and were back on track in no time.
But this. This was so different. I had a feeling we would never overcome this.
I felt so angry, hurt, and sad. I had never felt this kind of pain in a relationship before, especially from someone I love. I felt betrayed that Drew would trust some sneaky bitch before he would trust me. His words hurt me so badly, I didn't know if I could ever forgive him for what he said.
I could understand his confusion, because I was just as confused myself. But the only explanation for how Natalie would know about that night would be Mads. They seemed like best friends now, it wouldn't surprise me if she said something.
And for Drew to not be able to see that I was telling the truth hurt me more than anything. I was so angry at him for that, but there was nothing I could do to prove to him that what Natalie said was a lie. I couldn't prove to him that I was telling the truth, so if he wanted to believe her, he could. But he was going to regret it when he found out the truth.
Trust was so important in a relationship, and if we didn't have that, we had nothing. Drew was cheated on in his last relationship a few years ago, and I know how hard he took that. I tried to prove to him that I would never lie to him or hurt him like that, but it seemed as though it wasn't enough.
Because of that, I felt like it was best for us to take a break. I've had time to think since I hung up on him last night, and it seemed like the only option for us at this point. I couldn't forgive him for what he said to me, and he clearly didn't trust me, so what good was our relationship now?
It's the last thing I would ever want with Drew. I loved him so much, and if our relationship were to advance any further, then this decision would be what was best for the both of us. I hate that it had to happen this way, and I can't believe I was giving Natalie exactly what she wanted, but I had no other choice. I didn't know what else to do.
"Wow," Gabe sighed once I finished my entire weekend recap to him. I knew that when I came into work today, I could talk to him about all of this. I needed to get it off of my chest. "I really dodged a bullet with that one, huh?" He lightly chuckled as he referred to Natalie.
"You dodged a whole bomb." I rolled my eyes. "Can you believe that, though? It's just so unbelievable. I never expected something like this to happen to us. Drew and I were in such a good place and now," I sighed. "Now I don't even know where we stand."
"I really can't believe Natalie went through that much trouble to try and split you and Drew up. Like, are you guys in high school?" He asked rhetorically. "That's some serious bullshit."
"Tell me about it." I agreed. Even when I was in high school, I don't think I was involved in as much drama as I was in this weekend. "I just wish I wasn't such a wimp. Like when I'm not around Natalie, I have so much to say. I literally want to fight her. But when we were alone and she was talking to me, it was like I was so stunned that she's spewing out more bullshit and lies that I couldn't even find my words." I told him.
"You're not a wimp, Mal." Gabe shook his head. "You get so caught up in the moment, you can't even process what to think. You're just completely and utterly stunned that someone would have the audacity to do that to you. But you know what you can't do, right?" He raised his eyebrows at me and I furrowed mine at him, wondering what he was getting at. "You can't give her what she wants. If she finds out that you and Drew aren't together now, she's going to have all the more reason to go after him."
"You think I wanna give her what she wants?" I spat as if I didn't already know that. "Sorry, I'm just," I sighed at my sudden outburst. "Clearly, Drew has trust issues that he needs to work through himself. This break isn't giving her what she wants, it's giving him what he needs. I can't be in a relationship with someone who doesn't trust me."
Gabe nodded as if he understood where I was coming from. "You're right." He acknowledged. "That's gotta be tough, Mal. I'm sorry you're going through this."
I shrugged, not knowing what to say. I felt so numb to this feeling right now, I didn't even know what else to say or do. I just wished Drew and I could go back to the place we were in before that bitch came into the picture and ruined our weekend.
And as Gabe and I finished our conversation about Drew, I felt a buzzing coming from my pocket, already knowing who it was.
"My God," I groaned. "I'm gonna block him." I threatened as I pulled my phone out of my pocket to see Drew calling me for the countless time within the last hour.
"You can answer it." Gabe told me. "Seriously, go in the back room, I'll cover out here."
I smiled, appreciating him being so understanding about this whole situation. I looked down at my phone, hesitating on whether I actually wanted to answer it. Staring at his name and contact picture made my heart so badly.
Was I making the right decision?
Fuck, I needed to talk to him.
As I was about to head to the back room from the front of the store, the call ended before I could answer it.
"I'll just call him after work." I said softly as I walked back over to Gabe at the counter. "I mentally cannot talk to him right now."
"You should at least tell him you'll talk to him later, just so he doesn't think something bad happened to you." Gabe suggested and I nodded, agreeing with him.
I opened up my messages with Drew, which consisted of countless unread texts telling me to answer him. As I was about to type out a message, I got a notification saying he left me a voicemail.
"He just left me a voicemail." I told Gabe as I furrowed my eyebrows. Part of me couldn't help but feel anxious about what he could have said. He may have texted me and called me numerous times within the last few hours, but he had yet to leave me a voicemail. I was nervous to hear what he had to say.
I pressed the play button and put my phone up to my ear to listen to the message, my heart nearly pounding out of my chest.
"Mallory," I heard Drew's exasperated voice and it tugged at my heartstrings. "Please answer me. I fucked up so badly. I am so, so sorry, Mal. I should've believed you. I had no reason not to believe you. I promise I trust you, it was just all so confusing to me and nothing made sense. Please, please forgive me. I'm going to show you in every way possible how much I trust you. I need to see you, Mal. I'm packing my shit right now and I promise I will be in LA tomorrow to make it up to you. I quit this stupid fucking show, and you can quit too. We'll be together all the time and I won't leave your side. I'm never leaving you again. I will do whatever you want me to do. Just, please, for the love of God Mallory, answer me. I love you. Never forget that."
My heart nearly stopped and I felt tears surface my eyes. He quit the show and he was coming back to LA? For me? Was he insane?
"Now, I'm gonna kill him." I said softly as I walked as fast as I could to the back room of the store and I redialed Drew's number. He answered after the first ring and he sounded so relieved to see I called him. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" I questioned as soon as he answered.
"What do you mean?" Drew asked, his excitement quickly died down.
"What the fuck do you mean you're packing to come to LA? What the actual fuck do you mean you quit the show? Drew, are you insane?!" I practically yelled at him. I was even more infuriated with him now. Did he seriously think that was going to resolve all of this?
"Jonas won't get rid of that bitch, and I refuse to work with her from now on. So yeah, Mal, I quit!" Drew now raised his voice at me. "Look, I know I fucked up so badly and I know I hurt you. I am so unbelievably sorry. I wish I could take back everything I said last night. I'm not going to lose you, Mallory, not again, and not over this stupid shit. I'm coming back to LA, and I'm not leaving your side. We're in this together, you and me." He told me, his voice much softer now and I could feel the lump in my throat forming at what he was telling me.
"No," I managed to speak as I blinked my tears away.
"No?"
"You hurt me, Drew. You can't just come home and pretend like everything will go back to sunshine and rainbows. I don't want you to come home. You may regret what you said, but I don't regret what I said. I meant it when I said I never wanted to see you again if you believed Natalie over me. How can we move on from that if you clearly don't trust me?" I asked him, trying to hold back my tears.
"I do trust you, Mallory. Please don't say that-"
"You didn't trust me last night!" I raised my voice, cutting him off. "Drew, I get it, we all have our doubts. We all over think. But, for you to say you never wanted to see me again if it were true, without actually knowing if it were true, it hurt me so much. And for you to say you knew this was all a bad idea? I think that actually hurt me more." I told him. "I had a lot of time to think about that conversation last night and you know what I think?" I asked him, though I didn't give him much time to respond. "I think you weren't ready to get into another relationship when you thought you were. I can't be with someone who doesn't trust me. I love you, Drew, but I think we need to take a break."
"No," He sniffled and I could tell he was trying not to cry, which only hurt my heart more. God, I wish I could hug him right now. "You don't mean that."
"I do," I told him. "I think we need time apart. I think we both need time to figure ourselves out. I think you need time to focus on yourself and rebuild your trust in me. I need time to forgive you from what you said last night. Okay?" I said to him softly, trying not to cry myself. This was so hard, I never would've imagined we'd get to this point, but it had to be done.
Drew was quiet for a minute and I closed my eyes, a tear slipping down my cheek. My lips began to quiver and I couldn't help but silently sob at what was happening. I loved him so fucking much, I wish it didn't have to be like this.
"How long?" He whispered after a minute.
I wiped my tears and I sniffled, trying not to sound like I was just sobbing into my hand. "If I tell you how long, I need you to promise me you will cancel your flight and get back on that set first thing tomorrow morning." I reasoned with him. He said he would do whatever I wanted him to, and right now I wanted him to do that.
"Mal, I can't go back to set-"
"Drew, if you quit the show I will genuinely never talk to you again. If you love me like I think you do, you will get back on that set."
He was quiet for a minute before he ultimately agreed. "Fine." He sounded unwilling, but I was going to do my best to trust him. "How long are we going to take this break then?"
"We'll see where we stand when it's time to go to Charleston." I sighed.
"Over a month?" He immediately questioned. "We have to go over a month without each other? I can't even see you when I'm supposed to come home when filming is done in a couple weeks?"
"We'll see where things are." I repeated, standing my ground. There was nothing I wanted more than to spend every second with him when he came home from Barbados, but we needed this time apart. "Don't worry about the timing, just worry about being the best damn actor I know you can be."
"I promise you Mallory, I'm going to show you how much I love you and how much I trust you." He ignored what I said and I felt another tear slip down my cheek. I wish he were here to wipe my tears away.
"Six weeks, Drew. Just give us six weeks." I breathed.
"Okay." He accepted. "Six weeks."
I nodded to myself, officially coming to terms that this was really happening.
"It's what's best for us. I promise." I told him.
It was silent between us for a minute, and I debated on telling him never mind and that we weren't going to leave each other's side when he came home. I wanted to tell him that I forgave him and that we can go back to the way things were. I wanted to believe him when he said he trusted me, but it was too late.
"I love you, Mallory." He whispered.
I nodded to myself at what he told me. I knew he loved me. I knew this was going to help our relationship. Six weeks were going to fly by.
"Goodbye, Drew." I said to him before I hung up our call. I held my phone to my chest, and I couldn't help but cry. My heart hurt so bad, and I hated hearing Drew sound so hurt.
This was only temporary. This was going to make our love for each other and our relationship grow stronger.
I just kept trying to convince myself that this was what was best for us. I was making the right decision.
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a/n:
poor drew and mal:( literally hurts my heart. they both deserve the world :((
u guys are seriously the freaking best omg. 50 votes in less than 24 hours?!?! that is actually insane. seriously love u guys sm
ur comments and votes make my day. i love reading ur guys' reactions and what u think
50+ votes for the next chapter
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