Unproven Chapter Thirty Eight "Is This The End?"

If you're loved by someone, you're never rejected, decide what to be and GO BE IT
-The Avett brothers

Recommend Reading Introduction to Unproven

DEFINITELY READ Prologue

Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three

Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six

Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty Two Chapter Twenty Three Chapter Twenty Four

Chapter Twenty Five Chapter Twenty Six Chapter Twenty Seven

Chapter Twenty Eight Chapter Twenty Nine Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty One Chapter Thirty Two Chapter Thirty Three

Chapter Thirty Four Chapter Thirty Five Chapter Thirty Six

Chapter Thirty Seven

Chapter Thirty Eight

“Wow,” Andie answered, “I guess Amanda told you about our conversation.”

“I love you,” Ary replied. Silence reigned. “Did you hear me?”

“Yeahhhh, are you drunk?”

Ary giggled, “No, just having an epiphany.”

“Huh. Well, I hope that epiphany includes what a deplorable asshole Grayson is.”

Ary sighed. “Andie…”

“No, Ary, just listen for a second. You have every right to be mad at me, I did a shitty thing. I meant to tell you but I was a coward. Not because I didn’t think you’d forgive me, but because I didn’t want to alter your opinion of me, which was disgustingly selfish. And I’m truly sorry. And I’m not calling Grayson a fuck because of me, I was getting over it when I thought he seemed to really care about you. But he doesn’t Ary, he doesn’t care about you. He cares about playing games, messing with people, screwing up their world then leaving them in a pile of shattered pieces when he suddenly turns off his fake love."

"Sonya didn’t do any of the things she’s been accused of. I have no idea why Amanda would lie, maybe she isn’t lying, maybe he set up the circumstances so well she really thinks she saw and heard it the way she said. And I know that Sonya does lie, but Ary you and I both know her lies don’t hurt people. She makes up stories, ridiculous Chunk from the Goonies stories and insists they’re true, but she doesn’t lie about real things, and she would never betray you like that. I wish you could have seen her when she got to my house that day, because it would’ve broke your heart. I could still tear up, and you know I don’t fucking cry.”

Ary held the phone tightly, squeezing her eyes shut. “But why?” She asked in a strained voice. “Why would he do that?”

Andie sighed loudly into the phone. “I told you Ary, it’s a game. I looked up a couple of the girls he was with in the past and we met at Darryl’s diner and had a nice long talk. It started exactly the same for them as it has for you. First he’s super sweet and attentive making you feel as though you’re the most amazing person in the world then little by little he tears you and your relationships down until the ultimate end where he breaks your heart by dropping you in the cruelest way possible, which is very specific to the person. They were still fucked up over him Ary, which I told them was ridiculous, that he was nothing and only they could determine their own worth.” She paused.

Ary hugged herself. “Did it help?”

She snorted, “They spouted agreement, but I don’t think so.”

Ary sat down in the grass. “How could one person have that much power? Like you said, only you can determine your own worth, whatever is going on in their lives, he’s not to blame for it. And before you interrupt me, I’m not saying that whatever he did was right. I believe you about Sonya, it never did make sense to me. I’ll deal with it Andie, but I need you to promise me something.”

Andie was quiet for a second. “What?”

“That you’ll hear me out when I call you next, no matter what happens. You owe it to me.”

Andie made a noise of exasperated resignation. “Okay. I’ll hear you out, but depending on what you say don’t expect me to agree with you. If you believe me about Sonya I can’t imagine what there is to say to that twisted fuck except goodbye.”

Ary squeezed her eyes shut. “I love you Andie. I mean that. I’ll talk to Sonya soon.”

“Okay, I love you too. Just, be careful alright?”

“I will.” Ary pressed end and stared down at the ground. He’d orchestrated the whole thing with Sonya. And she knew why, all the pieces were falling into place in her mind like a giant puzzle. It was a game, but Andie was wrong about a couple things. He wasn’t doing it just to hurt people or just because he could. He was testing them to see if there was anything at their core. Three-month-long juvenile relationships, and months and years later they’re still messed up and blaming him for it? No wonder he thought people had no substance.

She wondered what the big crescendo was supposed to be for her. She had a feeling she’d interrupted the flow of his destructive path the other day when she’d taken him to the falls. She recalled the absolute coldness on his face when he’d told her they needed a break. Yeah, she’d definitely interrupted the flow. But destructive path, was that accurate? Because he had made her see things differently, realize that the world wasn’t a rose strewn path, and she was growing from it, not dying. She could know those things and still be her, still believe in the miracle of creation and love and goodness.

She examined her feelings and found it curious that she could sit here and reason things out without getting emotional. She loved him. Even now, even after everything, and she didn’t think it was all make-believe on his part. Like when they’d been in Hawaii and he’d said he wished they could stay there forever, or when he’d asked her if she was made of strong stuff and told her he was crazy about her…He’d meant those things, and she understood them now. He didn’t believe in love because he’d never experienced it, and all his evidence gathering through the years supported the idea that it didn’t exist. But he was wrong, it did exist, and she was living proof because she loved him, even the bad parts, all of him. Even if in the end he broke up with her. It would hurt, but she would still love him.

“Hey, what are you doing out here?”

She jumped a little, she hadn’t heard the door. She looked at him guiltily and his eyes narrowed slightly.

“Were you on the phone?”

She nodded.

“With who?”

“Andie.”

He stared at her for a second. “You called her?”

She nodded again as she stood.

“And? What did she have to say?”

His tone had taken on a slight edge and Ary reached up and touched his cheek. “A lot.”

“Like…?”

“I know what you’re doing Grayson,” she said softly. “It took me awhile to puzzle it out, but I know.”

His brows drew together, “You know what I’m doing… What are you talking about?”

“I know about your game. I think Amanda is involved in the ending, and if I’m right it will take all of three days to do the damage you’ve been working on with me for months, if that.”

He stared at her, his jaw working slightly. He licked his bottom lip, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t know what Andie said-”

“Stop. Stop it Grayson. I know you lied about Sonya-”

“Are you serious, that’s what this about? You believe Andie?”

“Goddamn it, don’t do this. I love you. I know the truth and I still love you. I know Amanda would jump in your bed without a thought and I would still love her. Trust her? No. But I would forgive her and I would love her, because that’s who I am. You were testing me Grayson, all this has been a test. I get it.”

He regarded her silently for a moment before his lip curled in a mocking smile. “Did Andie tell you that?”

Ary sighed, “No Grayson, she thinks it’s a twisted game designed to hurt and destroy people. She hates you with a fiery passion and thinks I should feel the same. She talked to a couple of your ex-girlfriends, so yeah, some of that helped me put it together. But the fact that they’re still wrecked and blaming you, that’s not me Grayson, you can’t do that to me, you don’t have the power.”

He studied her through narrowed eyes. “Are you sure of that?” he asked softly.

She nodded.

“Good for you Aryanne. And now, since it’s game over, how about you get your shit and get out of my house.” He turned and walked away.

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