I am so sorry for making you all cry 😭😭 sometimes love just hurts 💔 thank you for 100 reads already. You're all amazing.
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As Tawnee drove me back to the apartment, I couldn't stop thinking of all the wonderful sceneries Tahiti had to offer.

My best friend in the whole world was many states away and blissfully unaware of what was going on in my chaotic life.

I remembered how romantic Niall had been, doing his best to win her back.

It made me want to cry.

I didn't blame Jo at all. She deserved happiness. I just didn't understand why I always seemed to get the bad end of the stick. 

My nerves spiked as I anticipated seeing Hero's Ford, but much to my glee, it wasn't there. I knew I should have been relieved, but I couldn't help but feel a sharp sting. I must not have been that important for Hero to chase after me anyway. 

As I entered, I slowly made my way to the bathroom. Flicking through several toiletries, I found a watermelon scrub I'd purchased some time ago.

Washing my hands, I applied it to my face. If I was going to work on packing my things and moving out by tonight, I needed to find a way to detox.

After removing it almost as quickly as I put it on, I stared into the bathroom mirror at my neutral skin tone dripping with water.

I somehow looked different than I had three months ago- possibly worn out. No- not worn out. I looked flushed like my skin had a certain glow to it. 

Why was I looking like I was thriving if inside I was suffering? Had Hero's touch been that magical? 

Ignoring my wayward thoughts, I entered the bedroom, eyeing a few of Hero's shirts. They didn't look dirty. It was as if he'd been sorting through clothes and threw them to the side.

Picking up a black T-shirt, I gathered it in my hands, holding it to my lips. 

The minty scent wafted through my nostrils, making me remember what it was like to lie beside him. When he wasn't in a rotten mood he was the kindest man I've ever known. But when he wasn't in a good mood... I may as well have been some piece of trash next to Kylie. 

I hadn't managed to open my eyes before I heard the front door opening and closing. Quickly throwing his shirt to the side, I pretended to be busy with a few books. 

Hero rushed into the room, grabbing onto the door for dear life. 

"Kristina, I tried to come for you-"

I rolled my eyes tossing Little Women aside. "Well, you're about an hour late."

"Well, I-"

He paused, looking at my frantic behavior. I wasn't exactly in the best mood with him around. 

"What are you doing on the floor?" He demanded. 

I huffed, shooting him a glare. "What does it look like I'm doing, Hero? I'm gathering my shit and I'm getting far away from you!"

"Fuck!" He exclaimed. "Don't leave! We have shit to talk about!"

I yanked away from his hand on my shoulder.

"I'll leave when I want to leave! Have you forgotten about the sex tape that was posted just hours ago? God, you must really think I'm vapid."

"I know!" Hero sounded exasperated. "I remember! I swear, I'm going to go to the college dean and tell him it was my fault, baby!"

"Baby?" I seethed. "Baby? Oh no- You don't get to call me that goddamn endearment! Not after everything you've put me through! Luckily for me, I get to keep my job."

Hero paused for a moment, letting out a sigh of relief. 

"Oh, good. I'm glad."

I decided to ignore his comment. I couldn't tell what was real or fake anymore. 

"That doesn't say much for anything legally," I went on, "everyone in town will know who I really am and..."

Hero took a step towards me, making me back away.

"You aren't going to make a case of this, are you?"

I scoffed. "You're asking if I'm going to turn you in? Oh, I don't know. If I had any sense of logic, I would do it."

Hero grabbed onto my arm. "Kristina, think about this. If you turn me in, they'll arrest me. I love you. I can't bear..."

He trailed off, the anger growing stronger in his eyes. 

"I have a life too, you know!"

"What life?" I finally spat out. "A life of partying and fucking random girls? Taping random girls? Just how many girls have you done this to? Luke told me it wasn't your first rodeo!"

Hero laughed. "Oh, there's a lot of things I could say about that prick that won't make him so innocent!"

"I don't care!" I shouted. "Tell me! If you really loved me, you would tell how many people you've done this to."

A minute of silence passed, without an answer. 

I lowered my head, feeling my emotions take over. 

"Was the lying ever going to stop?"

"Yes." Hero said. "It stops now, I... You are the most important thing in my life, Kristina. More than you could ever know. I fucked up, I know that. In the beginning, it was a game-"

I needed to know one thing.

"Did Niall know about this?" I demanded. 

Hero shook his head. "No. He had no idea."

I closed my eyes, glad that for the time being, Josephine was safe from anything like this happening to her. 

"It was a habit," He continued, "I don't know what comes over me when I do it. You wouldn't know the shit that I carry with me. The shit that keeps me up at night. Ever since I knew what my dick was for, I've strung along girls. It's like a sport; I rack as many as I can on my bedpost and tape them to prove..."

"To prove what?" I urged, not sure if I really wanted to know. 

Hero closed his eyes. "To prove that I have a will over them."

I ran a hand over my face, in disbelief over what I was hearing. 

"So... This is a control thing? Like dominance over us is supposed to prove that we're weak-willed? Oh my god, I..."

Hero clenched his teeth together. "No, you're getting this all wrong... It wasn't like that with you. From the beginning, I was drawn to you. I couldn't stay away. And for some reason that's fucking beyond me... You loved me. I'd never experienced that before. I wanted something normal, something real. We had that."

I shook my head. "No, we did not. We were constantly fighting! Like we are now!"

"Don't all couples fight?" Hero fought back. "Yes, we fought, but we always found a way to mend things in the end. Relationships are not easy, I understand that now. Sometimes I'm being an insatiable moron and you're a fucking pain, but that's how it's supposed to be, Kristina.  I don't care if I have to work at this for the rest of my life until you believe me and we make this right, but the only person I want to do this with is you."

I turned away, shielding my tears. Here he was again, saying just the right things to get me to fly into his arms again. If I turned now and looked him in the eyes, I was done for. 

"You fucked up," I said shakily, feeling my entire body vibrate. "You're not what I want. If you truly love me, you will keep away from me. If you refuse, I will tell the cops everything."

At this, Hero began backing out of the room, a blank look on his face. 

"I will never stop loving you." He stated.

I literally cried while writing this 😫

I know I'm weird lmao.

Will Hero be able to fix this?

The world may never know 🙄