A Path Through the Woods(A RiaEgg Story)

CHAPTER 4: "How Could You?"

As MrEgg drove down the road along the cliffs to his and Ria's home, he hummed to himself and wore a smile on his face. He was lucky enough to have gotten off of work at The Piatto Nobile two hours early, thanks to a scheduled guest performance, which meant he had a chance to visit with Ria for a little while before heading over to TheGentleman's place for the evening...Both of them knew that she was becoming impatient with the ordeal, and she seemed especially irritable last night, likely due to the fact that she knew their weekend together was over, so he hoped that he would be able to put a few more of her worries to rest for the time being. It wouldn't be long now until everything was in place, and he could start preparing for what he had planned out.

He pulled into his driveway beside Ria's car, stepped out of it and headed up to the front door, a lively spring in his step. His lovely lime lady was certainly in for a pleasant surprise today.

But when he tried to turn the knob, he found it to be locked.

"Hm...That's a tad rum," he said to himself, tilting his head a bit. "Normally, she doesn't lock the door until sundown...Ah, well. Maybe it makes her feel safer, with me being around less."

He bent down and pulled up the corner of the welcome mat, grabbing the spare house key beneath it. He stuck it into the slot and gave it a turn, and the door finally granted him access to their home.

"Oh, Ria~!" he called out cheerily as he stepped through the doorway and headed down the foyer. "Guess who got off work early today!"

When he made it to the living room, he spied her sitting on the couch, and he expected her to turn around to face him, make a huge smile and meet him the rest of the way, as she'd usually did when he used to come home for the day...But instead she just sat there, as though she hadn't even heard him.

"Ria?" he addressed again, stepping closer to where she sat. "Is... everything alright, love?"

She breathed in and out through her nostrils in an exasperated manner, still refusing to give him a verbal response. At that point, he'd made it to the side of the couch, and he was able to get a clear look of her...His heart gave a worried twang when he saw just how red and puffy her eyes were, a scowl across her face.

"...Have you been crying?"

Still nothing. At that point, all of MrEgg's happiness and excitement from before had faded away, replaced now with scared concern...and a twinge of sadness for her pitiful state; if there was one thing he hated, it was seeing Ria upset.

He sat down beside her on the couch...only for her to scooch further away from him. He followed after her, reaching out his hand to see if she would take it. But in response to his offer, she swatted her own hand up at his, smacking it back, then stood up off the couch and walked over to the foyer, stopping just outside its entrance.

"R..." he stammered, holding back a few tears himself at that point. "...R-ria?"

"Don't talk to me."

Her voice was hushed, but very obviously angry.

"...What's wrong?"

"I said don't talk to me."

But he still continued to speak. As afraid, confused, and dejected as he was, he pressed on...He wanted to know why she was upset so that he could help.

"Is it...something I did?" he asked.

"...Like you don't know," she hissed under her breath.

"But I don't, Ria...Unless me being gone all the time now has really gotten to you."

"Look," she spat, suddenly turning around to face him. "I'm not gonna have you play dumb with me, MrEgg. I know what's up between you and TheGentleman."

"Oh...well...Yes, he said to me that he told you something about that yesterday," he replied, a pink blush now dusted across his face. "...Did he tell you anything else about the ordeal?"

"No. But I don't need to know anything else, MrEgg," she snarled. "I don't WANT to know. So why don't you just go? Go waltz on back out the door and go see him, if he means so much to you."

"But...I-I had a chance to see you again this evening before I went," he replied, growing more confused with Ria's behavior. "Why do you want me to-"

"CUT THE ACT ALREADY, WOULD YOU!?!"

Her outburst was powerful enough to send MrEgg staggering backwards, nearly tripping over his own feet from how startled he was.

"R-ria, what...?"

"Stop with the 'whats!' I heard what you and TheGentleman said to each other yesterday when you were in Admin! You're gonna entertain me for another week, huh? And then what? Is your little 'private affair' with him going to end with me getting kicked to the side? Is it?"

"What? Wh-why on earth would-"

"You told me you were over him, MrEgg. That I was the one who mattered to you like that now, and that all he was to you anymore was a friend, and...And you lied to me. You LIED to me, and I was dumb enough to trust you...How could you!?"

"Ria, what..."

He paused, then his own expression changed, his brow furrowing in horror.

"...What are you TALKING about?!?"

"You know EXACTLY what I'm talking about!"

"I-It's-That's not what's going on!" MrEgg hollered. "That isn't what's going on between us AT ALL!!"

"Well, then EXPLAIN IT PROPERLY!"

"I...I-I've just been working for him! I already told you-!"

"Well I'M NOT BUYING IT ANYMORE!!!" she cut him off, sending the two of them down the foyer and towards the front door as she continued to approach him and scream. "I used to think you were the best guy in the world! And now...I don't know WHAT to think anymore, because you're APPARENTLY trying to get back up with TheGentleman behind closed doors!"

"NO I'M NOT! Where on earth did you-!?"

"Does your buddy MRCHEESE know anything about this!?" she cut him off. "Because you can expect me to bring this up to him next time I see him!"

"Well, you go ahead!" MrEgg snapped back, finally opening the door behind him and stepping back outside. "And I'll go speak to TheGentleman about this whole thing RIGHT NOW!"

"Go ahead!! Hop in your car, go to his fancy house and STAY THERE, for all I care!"

"I very well may for tonight!"

"GOOD!!"

"I love you!"

BAM

Ria slammed the door right in his face, and he could hear the door being locked from the inside, followed by her heavy footsteps crashing against the floor as she stormed back into the living room. MrEgg began stomp himself as he walked back down to his vehicle, the tears that'd been pricking in the corners of his visor finally falling...

Just...go to TheGentleman's, he told himself, slamming his car door as he got in, driving out onto the road and down the street slightly faster than he normally did. There's got to be a way to fix this mess...

He sniffled as he made his way onto the main road, his face locked in an angry expression and still shedding tears.

...Besides, I doubt it can get much worse at this point.