Chapter 95


    Aria paced around my room, her eyes darting left and right. It was if she had sumbed to mania


    upon hearing Bruce on the other end, a voice she had never had the misfortune of hearing until


    then.


    “I’ll decide on the location,” Bruce said finally, and I could hear the delight in his gravelly voice.


    “There’s not backing out now, so you’d better show that pretty little face of yours.”


    I cringed as he let out a roughugh, pleased with himself. It dawned on me that I was choosing to


    be in his presence once more, inhaling his stale scent and taking in that eerie smirk of his. This


    would have to be thest time, because his very existence was like a tricky shadow casting itself


    over my existence.


    “All right then,” I said, my voice clipped. I hung up before he could answer, but kept the phone


    pressed to my ear. My fingers trembled against my mmy, numbed skin.


    When I tucked the phone away, Aria eventually stopped and plopped herself down beside me. She


    leaned in close, then pulled the phone away from my ear with a surprising amount of effort. I


    eventually came down from my state of shock and my grip on the phone loosened, allowing her to


    take it away.


    “It’ll be okay,” she cooed, chucking the phone away. Even with it at a distance, I could still hear


    Bruce’s grimey voiceing through the receiver. “We’re going to put that bastard behind bars.”


    “We’d better,” I said, wrapping my arms around my torso. “I already screwed him over before, so


    this could turn deadly if we’re not careful.”


    “Deadly?” Aria scrunched up her face, but then the realization slowly took over. She nodded, then


    hesitated to say the name, as if it were forbidden, “From when…. When Timothy got stabbed.”


    I slumped my shoulders, still feeling the awkwardness of ourst discussion. Telling Aria about my


    history with Timothy was something I never thought I’d have to do. Of course, I was foolish to


    believe that since most secrets don’t stay kept for long.


    12:27 Fri, 22 Mar


    Still, here she was offering to assist me after I had lied to her for a good portion of our rtionship. I


    wasn’t even sure how she felt about Timothy at this point, having been a dedicated fan of his for so


    long. I don’t want to know if it was the lie that crushed her or the destruction of her fantasies.


    “You can say his name, you know,” I said quietly, giving her shoulder a nudge. “It’s not that


    serious.”


    “Stop, Evie,” said Aria coolly. “Just the thought of him recording you like that makes my skin crawl.


    Ugh, and to think I had a bunch of posters of him in my


    room.


    “Have,” I corrected, lifting an eyebrow. “I know you’re hiding them in your closet.”


    “I was trying to be a loyal friend,” she stated firmly with a fire in her eyes. “You know what? I’m


    throwing them away.”


    I almost choked at that. “A–Aria! You don’t need to do all of that.”


    “Evie, I have to do this.” She was already making her way to her room. “Our friendship matters more


    to me than his extremely handsome face.”


    As she ravaged her room for all evidence of Timothy merchandise, I couldn’t help butugh. She


    was


    going the extra mile to prove a point, and I’d argue that she was more determined than I was to


    erase his existence. I had let him in after what he’d done, but part of me wondered if he’d actually


    tried that hard.


    Maybe I was weak from the start? Even without the sex tape, how much was going to truly change


    between us? It seemed like the men in my life all acted the same, even yearster.


    My father never pulled away from the booze, even when he knew his daughter needed him. Bruce


    was still desperate to make my life miserable, and he’d moved on to more deadly measures. Even


    my boss was adding himself into the line of men who sought to tear him down further.


    Timothy might not have been so different after all. Even with all the stories and smiles that we’ve


    shared, I could only believe that things would go downhill from here.


    Aria came rushing out, a bunch of rolled up posters tucked under her arms, as she


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    made her way to the kitchen trash can. I followed her into the kitchen and she made a point of


    looking me in the eye before hastily stuffing each one in and jamming them down with her foot. I


    looked on, wondering how long until she retreated, but then she took the pitcher of old coffee and


    poured it into the trash.


    I shook my head, already hearing the hysterics toe. “You’re going to hate yourself in a week,” I


    said, suppressing a chuckle.


    She pped the imaginary dust off of her hands and grunted. “Maybe. But at least I can’t salvage


    them now.”


    is


    “Right-” I started to say right as the doorbell went off, startling us both. We exchanged nces


    before


    Aria decided to answer, shoving aside the shoes that we’dzily kicked off at the door before


    opening it. When Timothy appeared on the other side, Aria gasped.


    “You!” she shouted, and she moved to m the door before Timothy stuck his foot in the frame.


    “Wait a minute!” he began. “Aria, please, just…”


    “She doesn’t want to see you,” said Aria.


    Timothy poked his head in, meeting my gaze from across the room. “Evie, it’s important. I swear I


    wouldn’t bother you for any other reason,” he exined desperately.


    After Aria had given him a good amount of struggle, I found myself relenting.


    “Let him in,” I told her, and she shot me a look. She waited for me to change my mind, but I stayed


    firm in my position. Eventually, she gave in and stepped to the side, allowing Timothy to slip


    through.


    He stopped just a few steps away, looking more disheveled than before. There were dark circles


    beneath his eyes and his clothes were barely clinging onto his frame. Had he lost some weight?


    It took a moment for him to even react, his eyes trained on me with a certain intensity. I looked


    away, finding the attention overwhelming. “What did you want to say to me?”


    He hesitated, wringing his hands. “I need to make things right. Let me help you-”


    I scoffed bitterly, anger boiling to the surface. “Help me? After what you did,


    12:27 Fri, 22 Mar


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Timothy?”


    His face contorted with guilt, and he took a step closer. “Evie, I’m so sorry. I never meant for that


    video to hurt you. I only showed it to one person, and I never expected him to spread it.”


    My anger red, and I pointed a trembling finger at him. “You think that’s an excuse? You think a


    half- hearted apology erases what you did to me?”


    He was getting fidgety now. His eyes darted to the side and I realized that Aria had slowly edged


    her way out of the room, likely sensing the privacy of the conversation.


    “No, Evie, it doesn’t,” he continued, “I know I can’t make it right, but I want to try. Please, let me help


    you.”


    I shook my head, my voice choked with emotion. “I don’t want your help, Timothy. I’ve managed to


    keep my life together despite what you did. I don’t need you involved with Bruce again.”


    Timothy’s eyes widened, and I saw the flicker of recognition in them. Bruce. He knew. A shiver ran


    down my spine, and I could feel the past closing in on me, threatening to swallow me whole.


    “Evie,” Timothy whispered, his voice desperate, “I need to know the truth. Is Bruce involved in


    this?”


    I clenched my fists, torn between wanting to confide in Timothy and wanting to push him away.


    “Don’t pry, Timothy. Some doors are better left closed.”


    “He could hurt you again, Evie,” Timothy pressed. “Rememberst time?” “I don’t need the


    reminder,” I spat. “I’m sure you don’t either.”


    His lips thinned and he dropped his gaze to the floor. For a moment, his hand. lifted to where he


    had been stabbed in the stomach by Bruce, but it fell just as quickly. Right as he opened his mouth,


    Aria walked back in, her eyes zeroing in on Timothy.


    Timothy looked at Aria, his eyes pleading. “Please, I just want to help. I can’t tell you enough how


    sorry I am, Evie.”


    Aria’s brow furrowed, and she stepped closer to me, her voice low and soothing. “Evie? Do you


    trust him?”


    12


    Trust. The word hung in the air, heavy with


    my life. The word felt meaningless.


    “I don’t know,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.


    Aria studied me for a moment before turning to Timothy with a stern expression. “Timothy, I think it’s


    best if you leave now. Evie needs some time to sort things


    OUL.”


    Timothy’s shoulders slumped, and he nodded. “Alright, I’ll go. But please, Evie, think about what I


    said. I’m here.”


    As Timothy left, the door closed behind him with a soft click, leaving me alone with Aria in the dimly


    lit apartment. Aria crossed her arms, her gaze unwavering.


    “You okay?” she asked.


    I sank back onto the couch, turning my attention to the far wall. I heard Timothy’s door m in the


    distance, and I squeezed my eyes shut.


    “Yeah,” I muttered, my voice trembling. “I’m okay.”


    I needed to solve this on my own. As always, Bruce is my problem.


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