Chapter 29:
When Molly and AJ returned to Caroline's house, they found Mandy and Araysa in the kitchen. Araysa looked up at them with red eyes from crying, but her tears had dried finally and she looked somewhat calm. But she was as pale as Molly was. Araysa opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Molly didn't look too well, so Araysa was afraid of bad news.
But then Molly managed to smile a small smile. She walked over to Araysa and put an arm around her as she said: "He'll be over soon. He just needs a little time to arrange himself and to find a way to explain himself as well. He wants me to tell you that he's sorry for doubting you and for causing you pain."
Araysa's eyes glistened with tears again. "What the hell happened?"
"Don't worry, he'll explain everything. I'll just say this much: you didn't do anything wrong. Sarah is the actual bitch here!" Molly said and her eyes shone with anger at her last sentence. "Is she still upstairs?"
Mandy nodded. "She hasn't left her room at all."
"Well, it's time to have a word with her." To Araysa Molly said: "When I'm finished with her and you have talked to Nick, you're very welcome to pick up the pieces I've left of her and do whatever you want with 'em. But right now she's gonna have to face me first." She looked to AJ, then back at Araysa, saying: "Alex can clue you in a little on what happened." After that she left the kitchen and went upstairs again.
Sarah, with a now guilty conscience and fear of Molly's anger, met her half-way. "Hey Molls, I thought I had heard y-" she started, but was cut off by Molly.
"Shut the fuck up", she said through clenched teeth. "I don't wanna a hear a single word coming out of your mouth." She grabbed Sarah's arm and dragged her back into their room. There she got both their suitcases out from the walk-in closet and ordered: "Start packing!" Then she already began tossing her own clothes into her bags.
"What's going on?" Sarah asked timidly.
"You and me are staying at a hotel for the rest of the time here", Molly said, her anger still as evident in her voice as before.
"Why?"
"Shut up!" Molly finally yelled. "I don't think I can stand to hear just one more word from you. You know damn well what the fuck's going on. You caused this whole shit. And I'm sure as hell not letting you stay in a house with Araysa anymore 'cause seeing you probably makes her as sick as me. And I'm so sure that after what you did, Caroline won't want you in her house anymore anyway. The only reason I'm coming with you is that unlike you I have some sense of morals." Sarah just stood their shocked, not knowing what to say. Molly just stopped throwing her clothes into her suitcase to once again yell: "Pack!"
This time Sarah did as she was told. After a while there was a timid knock at the door. "Come in", Molly said. It was AJ.
"Everything alright here?" he asked quietly.
"Just peachy", Molly replied sarcastically. Her face immediately changed and she looked at him apologetically. "Sorry. I'm not gonna let it out on you." AJ just smiled back at her, letting her know it would be ok even if she did. "Well", Molly spoke up again, "we'll be ready to leave soon. Right after Araysa is done with her!" She glared at Sarah for a moment, before turning back. "You'll drive us to the hotel, right?"
AJ shook his head in disbelief. "You're kidding. You know you can stay with me."
"Thanks, but no, thanks", Molly replied. "I doubt you'd want both of us there. It's not gonna be three funny days when she and I are together!"
"Why don't you stay with AJ?" Sarah spoke up carefully. "I can stay by myself."
"You should", Molly shot back. "But I'm not leaving you alone anyway." She finished up packing, muttering: "I'm too good for this godforsaken world. Damn!" AJ snickered, when he heard her, but was silenced by a look from her. Soon though he had managed to make her smile again by making a funny face. Molly laughed and showed him the finger.
When Molly wanted to leave the room with AJ, she noticed that Sarah was crying silently, but this time it didn't touch her like it had many times before. Even though she motioned for AJ to go ahead.
"Molly, I-" Sarah began.
"No." Molly had calmed down, but shook her head vehemently. "Don't even try. No lame excuses this time. No bullshit. I've had enough, Sarah, I'm serious. I told you more than once to forget about Nick, but you wouldn't listen. Now face the consequences." Molly really tried to shut up after that, but her anger needed to get out in the open or she would burst. "God, how could you?!"
"I don't know..." Sarah cried.
"You don't know? Lord, I could maybe understand that you TRIED, that it all started with a mistake because you think you're in love with Nick and you were desperate. But you had half the goddamn day to straighten things out. I gave you the chance to tell me yourself, but no, you had to act all innocent and stupid. This is the biggest shit you ever pulled, Sarah, and I hope that at least two people won't ever forgive you this. And I swear if you ever mutter anything like you didn't mean to do it, I won't be able to control myself and send you flying through the room. You knew exactly that you'd be hurting Araysa - AND Nick, who you claim to love. If you loved him you'd want what is best for him, not for you. Because of you he's in deep shit as well. And you better help him to apologize to Araysa, you better do."
"I just did it 'cause it was hurting me to be without him!" Sarah screamed through her tears.
"How the hell do you think Araysa feels now?" Molly yelled back. "Damn, Sarah, all this didn't just effect the three of you. It effected all of us. Is it clear to you that this could've ruined everything for Alex and me as well?"
"What?" Sarah whispered out, her chin quivering. "This wasn't about you..."
Molly looked at her unbelievingly. "Sarah, Nick heard the three of us talking, so of course you led him to believe that Mandy and I knew about the shit you told him. Besides - you sure as hell proved everyone who liked you wrong 'cause you acted like a bitch today. These people invite you into their homes, into their hearts, they offer you friendship and try anything to let you have the best time of your life. And how do you thank them? Have you just one minute thought about that? What the rest of us would think? I can hardly imagine that you believed this lie wouldn't come out, that we wouldn't find out what was wrong with Nick and clear this mess. I never thought you could be so stupid."
"But I...I was just..." Sarah was at a loss for words, not able to explain herself. Not able to come up with an excuse.
"Exactly. There's nothing I could think of that you could say to make this any better." Molly walked over to the door and said: "Be ready to leave later." Then she left Sarah crying alone in their room.
When Molly came downstairs she was immediately pulled into a hug by Araysa. Mandy, AJ and her had been sitting on the stairs, able to hear more than half the screaming from above.
"Thanks, Molls", Araysa whispered.
Molly hugged her back and smiled weakly: "I did that for me as much as I did it for you. I don't know if I can forgive her this. But right now I'm too mad to think straight anyway."
"I think I'm too mad to talk to her at all. I just wanna rip her apart right now", Araysa replied. "Literally."
Suddenly the door bell rang. "I guess that's Nick", Molly said. "You ready?" she asked Araysa, who nodded. "I'll answer it then." When Molly opened the door she found Nick standing there. His nervous look said a thousand words. "She wants to talk to you, don't worry. But it's not gonna be easy anyway."
"Thank you", he said genuinely, stepping in.
Araysa swallowed hard, when Nick and Molly stepped into the room. Although he had hurt her so much, the only thought, the only wish she had was running straight into his arms. She knew she shouldn't feel this way, shouldn't allow him to hurt her even more probably, but after the night they had shared Araysa couldn't think of anyone else to run to in time of need. Of course she had her friends and she was grateful that they supported her, but Nick was the one she was in love with. He was the rock she wanted to crawl under when she wanted to hide, or when she needed shelter. He was the one she wanted to turn to for comfort and love. When they had made love, he had become everything. And now she was afraid she was going to lose everything.
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