"How's your head now?" He asks, after I'd taken a pain killer, to relieve me from the pounding headache.

" It's not bad anymore."

"Are you sure about this?" Roman asks me as we arrive at my destination.

"No, but I know that I have to do this. It's better now then later I guess." I respond, turning to look at him.

His eyes search my own and I just stare at him. He's concerned, I understand but I need to do this. I want to get everything over and done with.

" I don't know, let me go with you." He says, a plea in his tone.

" I have to do this on my own."

"You don't have to do this on your own, let me be there for you and - "

" Roman." I cover his hand with mine and look him straight in the eyes." Let me do this on my own, I can't be dependent on you for everything, there are some things that I will sometimes have to face on my own. And this is one of them."

" Hazel -"

" Roman, please...." I trail off.

He sighs after some time, accepting that I am not changing my mind about this.

"If you are not back here in 15 minutes, I'll come there and drag you out myself."

"It might take longer then that."

"15 minutes Hazel Grace and I am not kidding." A barely there chuckle slips out, despite how I am feeling.

" I'll come back." I tell him.

"Promise me?" I frown a little by his tone.

It's like he is desperate for me to make this promise, as if he will never see me again or something.

" I'll come back, I promise." I tell him, watching how he relaxes a bit though not entirely, with his concerned eyes amd tense body.

With a last lingering look, I get out of the car, taking a much needed breath before I meet Danny.

Our anniversary should have been all things romantic, sweet and unforgettable. I guess the unforgettable part will remain because instead of my heart melting, it is breaking and I know that after tonight, my life would change forever.

Tonight would have been one of our best nights, with a weekend away at a resort and a whole restuarant booked tonight just for us. Thankfully it was a restuarant in which I was familiar with and it was a family restuarant. This was suppose to be our night but I no longer consider this our anniversary because after tonight, everything shall come to an end.

Voices are what I hear as I enter and draw closer to the dining area, no longer whispers as I had been accustomed to hear around me as things were kept hidden from me. I am surely welcomed by the sight of Danny and Amber, having quite an intense conversation.

'You've tried to ignore it and thought you were imagining things.' Roman's words start ringing in my head.

'He lied.'

' If he loved you so much, then why did he leave you to die!'

I blink my eyes and take a much needed breath, focusing on Danny and Amber, as I walk on into view yet they don't seem to hear and notice me walk in, since they are busy in conversation.

Danny's back is facing me and he is looking at Amber.

" Amber you need to leave. I don't want to upset -"

"Upset Hazel right?.....Your girlfriend, the same one who you claim to love yet somehow, you can't help but find yourself in my arms. What do you call that huh?"

" I don't have time for this. Infact, I am tired of having the same conversation with you. "

"Because you are afraid of the truth, that the love you are so attached to isn't enough. The connection we have, you can't just get rid of it. It's always been there since we met, you can't deny that along with it, is the attraction. "

" Amber -"

" Danny you can't deny that there's something missing. A part of you, the deeper part of you knows that the love you claim to have for her is not enough, because your other reason for being with her, is due to guilt. You're guilty."

"So what if I'm guilty huh?!.....I should feel guilty. We didnt save her !" He raises his voice, making her jump in surprise.

"But we tried to." She argues.

"No, no I don't want to talk about that night. I'm done talking about it!" He snaps.

"Why, because you know we did far worse that night?!"

" Amber leave this already, infact you should leave and let me -"

"Let you do what, enjoy your evening with Hazel ?"

"Yes, my girlfriend. The girl I love -"

"You don't love her, you are just with her because she makes you look good. She's safe and she's innocent."

"So what if she is huh?!.......So what?"

Her eyes glance behind him before she can answer. Seeing me, her eyes grow wide. Danny seems to catch on to her glance, because he too glances over his shoulder. He quickly turns around to fully face me, his eyes not tearing away from me.

" Hazel, you're here." He breathes out.

"Shouldn't I be?" I ask, my face expressionless.

" I should go." Amber says, taking her bag.

"Why are you leaving now?.....You had no intentions earlier." I say to her.

" Hazel, I think you two need to talk privately." She says, glancing between me and Danny.

"You've never respected our relationship Amber. So don't act like you do now. "

"You don't want to do this now , okay?"

"Baby I -"

"It's a little too late now, don't you think?" I ask. " I mean why try avoid anything when everything is out in the open?"

" Hazel don't start -"

"Shut the hell up!" She blinks at me, taken by surprise by my tone.

"Baby, lets talk." He says, taking long steps towards me, blocking my view of Amber. "Let's talk, only you and me, please- ," I step back when he reaches out to touch me, this forcing his hands to fall to his sides.

All I do is look at him even when I hear shuffling and no doubt, Amber leaves. Moments of silence pass between us where we are just staring at each other. Looking at him now, I try see the guy I love but I don't. I see someone who cheated on me.

" That night at the masked party, did you sleep with Amber?"

" Hazel baby let me -"

" Did you sleep with her?!"

He breaks eye contact, dropping his eyes to the floor.

" Hazel don't do this, not today of all days. " He pleads quietly.

" Danny I have never given you a reason to lie to me. I've always been honest with you, the least you could do is be honest, I deserve that atleast after all this time. For once in your life, give me that much respect."

He doesn't say anything for a while before he looks up at me again.

"So, I'm going to ask you again. Did you sleep with her at that party?"

"Yes I did. But it was -"

"No one forced you to be with her Danny. It was your own actions." I cut him off. "And I'm pretty sure that you've continued doing so behind my back right?" I say, walking past him to take a seat because I need it.

" Hazel Grace I love you. I love you, you've got to believe that."

"But it's not enough to control your hormones right?.....The love you claim to have for me has no respect for me. You didn't respect me, you left me vulnerable for everyone to mock and humiliate me. You should have let me go. You should have walked away Danny!" My voice rises up a level and I stop myself in time before I lose it.

" Hazel how can you ask me to leave you?....We love each other, you are my girl. Mine." He quickly pulls a chair close, quickly taking a seat infront of me and taking my hands.

" Hazel listen to me, don't listen to anyone else. Listen to the guy who loves you, your boyfriend. The one who's been there when - ," I pull my hands back, distracting him.

"Tell me about that night."

"W-what night?"

"The night you left me for dead."

I watch his eyes grow wide and an ounce of fear, display in them before he gulps and breaks eye contact. I have never seen such fear in his eyes.

"No, no, that's not what happened. It was an accident. I told you at the hospital when you woke up the next day, you believed us. I told you - ," He jumps off his chair, shaking his head as blood drains off his face.

" You told me what you all wanted me to believe and I trusted you Danny, that's why I believed every word you told me."

" Believe me Hazel, I -"

"Tell me about the truth about that night Danny. The whole entire truth." I demand.

" I jumped in and got you out, I did everything I could."

"Except protect me, like a boyfriend should. But you couldn't could you?......Because you weren't there."

A gasp of disbelief slips out. His non response proves my words right.

"You were with her the whole time!" I say in disbelief, my eyes dropped to the floor.

"We were talking." I scoff at that.

"You were busy cheating on me, while I was fighting for my life and you have the nerve to tell me that you love me!" I jump off my chair and storm off.

"You were dead!" I stop in my tracks, my back to him.

" I- I thought - no, we thought you were dead." I turn around to face him.

"That night, I had offered to get drinks from the basement."

"But you never returned." I finish.

"No, because A- ," he takes a breath before continuing. " Amber had followed me there. We were talking and - ,"

" I get the picture. I don't need the gory details. So what happened next?" I ask, folding my arms.

"When we had returned up, music was playing but no one was there and that's when we heard the voices outside. We went to investigate and that's when I knew that something was wrong. I couldn't find you and everyone else looked panicked.

I didn't think twice before jumping in the water to save you. I pulled you out and I tried everything. There was blood on your head and you weren't breathing, we thought you were gone!!" He shouts, clenching his hair.

" Did you call for help?" He doesn't answer or look my way and my heart starts racing.

" Danny, did you call for help?!"

" We thought you were dead!"

" Did you f*ckin call for help?!!!"

"We panicked!!" He shouts back, his head snapping in my direction.

Oh my gosh.

My chest tightens and breathing becomes challenging as the realisation of what this means befalls me.

"Oh my gosh, you weren't planning on getting help. "

" Hazel -"

"You were going to sort it out on your own. You all had planned to get away with murder...." I stagger back.

I wouldn't be here if they succeeded.

" Hazel no, listen to me."

"Don't come near me!" I snap, holding my hand up.

I take a few steps back before turning around and rushing out of there.

" Hazel wait, listen to me!!" He calls from behind me but I don't listen, quickening my footsteps so I can get away from here.

My feet seem to not move quick enough as I hear him gaining on me. The need to get away from him is so great that I neither look right nor left but ahead.

" Hazel!" Two voices call for me.

But I listen to one, belonging to none other then my best friend.

" Hazel- ," I feel a tug on my arm.

"Leave me alone!" I shout and the next thing I hear is a sound, followed by the sting of my palm.

My eyes widen when I realise that I had slapped him in response.

"J-just stay away from me." I say, holding up my hand to him, taking a step back.

" Hazel please listen to me. Listen to me baby please." He says, stepping forward.

"No!" I snap, glaring at him.

" Hazel!!" A voice calls from behind me, earning my attention.

Roman is coming my way with only the road seperating us. I rush towards him, wanting more then ever to go with him and hide away in his arms. I see safety at that moment as I run towards him.

Safety is the word as I run towards him with my eyes set on him. The sudden sound of screeching wheels on the road is so loud that it gains my attention and tears away my eyes from Roman, for just a moment. A moment too long it seems to prove, because the flash of lights in the night, blinds me and blocks my vision, making me to stagger and trip on my feet. I am unable to catch my balance that my body ends on the ground.

" Hazel!"

Crash!!!

●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●

Learning the truth is never easy but Hazel needed to know.

Roman coming back into her life was for good because things hidden have been revealed and he has promised. He has promised to always protect her.

What do you think about Roman's role in these two chapters and what about Danny?

Do you think he's telling the truth this time or did more happen?

Dont forget to comment or vote.

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