Chapter Eighteen: This Is A Forgery

Ellie

"Where the hell have you been?" I asked Sean as soon as he turned the light on.

"I told you I was working on the car late," he lied. "I was gonna sleepover there but then I decided to just come home."

"And where would you have slept?" I asked him. I could tell he was lying. He always played with his hat when he lied.

"On the couch; where else?"

"Don't you mean Emma's bed?" Jay interjected. I shot him a little look and he backed off.

"I can't believe you're lying to me Sean!" I yelled.

"Just because this idiot is saying shit, you're gonna believe him?" he asked me.

"This 'idiot' is your best friend, first of all. And I know what Mr. Simpson told you when he saw you. That he didn't think you'd ever get around to fixing his car. But you told me that's what you've been doing!" I started yelling more. "And, if you were even fixing the car tonight, then you'd at least have some grease on you or something!" I got up and walked over to him, right in his face.

"I was working on the car, and then…"

"And then you screwed my friend!" I yelled. "You smell like her fucking perfume Sean!"

"I didn't screw Emma, we were just…" Sean started to say, but I interrupted him again.

"You're such a liar! I know you did! I loved you so much, and you betrayed me just like everyone else. I thought you loved me too, but I guess you don't. I wanted things to work out between us but that won't happen now," I blurted out.

"Ellie, I do love you. And how do I know that you didn't do anything with Jay? You've been spending an awful lot of time with him at parties!" he shot back.

"You know what? We kissed while we were drunk. That's all. I turned to drinking because my baby died. I had no one to help me get through it. You're the one who decided to throw me to Jay because you didn't want to deal with me!"

"Ellie, I'm sorry…"

"Sorry isn't going to work Sean! Jay is the only one who has actually been there for me. He understands why I ever cut myself and why I wanted to drink and do drugs. I needed Zane, but he DIED and you couldn't help me through that. I loved you so much, but I can't be with someone who only cares about himself. You fucked Emma because I wouldn't have sex with you after losing a child! What is wrong with you?" I finished. Tears were pouring out of my eyes and all my makeup had all been wiped off.

"Ellie, I love you, I'm just not in love with you." I couldn't believe he said that. I stormed off to my room and slammed the door.

Sean

I can't believe I said it. I meant it; but I didn't really mean to say it. It just spilled out. As soon as Ellie's door slammed, Jay got up from the couch. He walked toward me; his fists balled.

"Did you fuck my girlfriend?" he asked me, spitting with anger. I don't know why I said what I said next, but I just blurted it out.

"Yeah, I did. It was the best fuck of my life!" Jay pulled his right arm back and pushed it forward, letting it connect with my stomach. I doubled over, but didn't fall down.

"That's for fucking Emma." Then he threw a right hook that hit me in the face. I dropped to the ground. "And that's for hurting Ellie." That was the last thing I heard before everything went black.

Ellie

About two minutes after I stormed off to my room, I heard a knock on the door.

"Leave me the hell alone if you know what's good for you!" I yelled.

"Ellie, it's me." I smiled as I heard Jay's voice.

"Come in." Jay let himself in and came over to my bed, where I was laying down, bawling my eyes out. I felt him lay down on the bed behind me, and he put an arm around me, pulling me close to him.

"Where is he?" I asked Jay, keeping my eyes closed.

"Sprawled out on the floor. I punched him in the face for you." Jay said. I smiled when he said it. It seems like everything he says or does makes me smile. He just makes me happy.

"Thanks," I said as I turned around to face him. I kissed him on the lips. Hard. I slipped my tongue into his mouth and we made out for what seemed like hours, but was really only a minute or two. It was the first time that I had made the first move; not Jay. We smiled at each other and then he kissed me. He reached down and put his hand up my skirt, resting it on my thigh. I felt comfortable with that action until he moved it farther up to take my underwear off. I instantly pushed his hand away and sat up.

"Jay, I…" but he interrupted me.

"Ellie, if you're not ready for this, that's fine. I don't care what we do, as long as I can stay."

"I'm not ready yet, but I do want you to stay," I told him.

"That's fine with me." He put his arm around me and kissed me on my forehead. We lay there together until we fell asleep. And I felt so safe in his arms.

Sean

I woke up an hour or so later, and it was four in the morning. My head hurt so bad that I just climbed onto the couch and fell asleep until nine. When I woke up again, I went into the kitchen and poured myself a glass of milk. I drank it in one huge gulp, and then headed to the bathroom to check out my face. I passed Ellie's room on the way and the door was open a few inches. I could see Jay with his arms wrapped around her. They were fast asleep. I felt so guilty. I know that I really hurt her. But I want to be with Emma now.

I looked in the mirror and groaned. I had a black eye and the bruise spread down over my right cheek. Luckily, he didn't break my nose. I guess he really cares about Ellie. That's actually good for me because that must mean that he's done with Emma.

I went into my bedroom and changed into some clean clothes. I wasn't sure what to do about Ellie at the moment, but I knew that I had to go see Emma. I left the apartment and made my way over to Emma's house. When I got there, her mom answered the door.

"Sean? What happened to your face? Are you okay?" she asked me, her voice full of concern.

"I'm fine, really. I just need to talk to Emma," I told her, trying to avoid confrontation.

"She's in her room, you can just go see her," she told me. I was glad that she didn't want to be in the living room with us or something. I headed to Emma's room and found her on her bed with headphones on. She took them off and sat up.

"Sean, what happened?" she asked. Before I could even answer her, she spoke again. "Listen, you can tell me later. I really need to talk to you. Sean, last night was…" this time I interrupted her.

"Last night was amazing," I blurted out. "One of the best nights of my life." I saw her face fall, but I didn't really connect it with what I had just said.

"Actually, that's not what I was going to say," she said.

"Oh." That was all I managed to say.

"I was going to say that last night was a mistake." This time it was my face that fell.

"What do you mean?" I asked. I couldn't believe that she just said it.

"Sean, I cheated on my boyfriend with you. I lost my virginity to you and it may have been great for you; but all it did was cause me pain. Both emotional and physical."

"I'm sorry Emma. I didn't mean to hurt you." I said.

"No Sean, all you were thinking about was yourself. I was crying the entire time, but you were just trying to get a good fuck. I wasn't ready for that. And I completely regret it. I want to be the one to tell Jay. I don't want him to hear it from someone else."

"He already knows," I told her.

"What do you mean?" I pointed at my face, and she gasped.

"He was waiting with Ellie when I got home this morning. He pretty much guessed so I told him."

"Great, he probably hates me now," Emma said, her eyes tearing up.

"He really cares about Ellie. I mean, they haven't done anything, but I guess he's been there for her while we've been doing things behind their backs," I informed her.

"I feel horrible," Emma said and started to cry.

"He'll probably break up with you. Ellie already broke up with me. I was just hoping that we could…" Emma interrupted me again.

"Sean, we can't be together. Even if Jay breaks up with me, it wouldn't work between us. I thought I loved you Sean, but the way you acted last night just destroyed any love that I felt for you. You should probably go now."

"I'll leave," I told her. "But I'm probably going to work on your dad's car. For real this time." I headed off to find Mr. Simpson so that I could finally get my job done. I lost two girls that I really cared for. And it's all my fault.