𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐌𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐋𝐘 | 𝐂. 𝐄𝐕𝐀𝐍𝐒

𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍 | 𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐆𝐄 ; 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄

IMESSAGE
c. evans ; grae mason

grae mason
hey.

c. evans
hey grae, what's up?

grae mason
i want to talk to you about something...

c. evans
yeah sure. is everything okay?

grae mason
everything is fine, i just want to make sure we are okay

c. evans
of course we are okay... why?

grae mason
i mean, we aren't together anymore, which i'm still not completely clear on but at this point i'm just leaving that alone, but we pretty much have all the same friends and i don't want to make things awkward. both in person and online.

c. evans
i mean that makes sense. we're both adults so i'd assumed we'd act that way

grae mason
...why do i feel like you're mocking me

c. evans
i'm not. i'm agreeing with you...
you don't have to be so on edge. it's just me

grae mason
don't "it's just me", christopher. this whole breakup situation has me "on edge", and i know damn well it isn't because of me. what pisses me off is that i don't know what the hell you're dealing that made you think we can't do this together like we've done very thing for over a decade. THAT'S OVER TEN YEARS CHRIS. i'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt but none of what you tell me makes sense. so from now on we can just coexist and leave it at that.

c. evans
grae i wish i could say what's going on but i just can't. you wouldn't understand. and i don't want to hurt you anymore.

grae mason
well that's just not good enough for me.
and you know it.

c. evans
grae c'monnnnn
READ 11:49 A.M.
please don't shut me out.
DELIVERED 11:51 A.M.
why can't we can still be friends?
DELIVERED 11:52 A.M.

• • •

     CHRIS HUFFED AS HE SET HIS PHONE down on the coffee table. He knew exactly what this meant: she's losing her trust in him, if she hasn't already. He hated for everything to happen this way. If it was up to him, he'd tell her that it was all make believe, that this heartbreak was serving a bigger purpose than leaving the two of them heartbroken.

     He got up from his place on the sofa, treading over to his bedroom. Against the wall on his left, he pulled on a top drawer, practically empty except a small velvet box. That's right, before any of this happened, he had plans to propose. He couldn't believe he waited four years, let alone waiting forever and a day just to ask her out.

     He smiled at the memory, when he first asked her on a date. She laughed and shook her head, but she wore the biggest smile for the rest of the night. After knowing your best friend for so long, you knew what every facial expression and sarcastic comment meant, and he knew, even though she laughed at the thought of dating her best friend, that she was over-the-moon happy.

     And now, as he toyed with the small box, he didn't know if he was even going to have a chance to put the ring on her finger. She's all he's ever wanted in a girl and more. But this situation doesn't just concern her: her whole family is at risk for what's going on  And the last thing he wants is to see any member of the Mason family—especially Grae—hurt.

     He had to get this over with: only then could he run back to his second half, his safe place, the one thing that he can't lose in life. She has been with him and for him for years. And even though this isn't real to him, it is very real to her.

     Chris wiped away a single tear as the phone rang. An important phone call. He wiped his thumb under his eye and sat down on the edge of his bed, placo  bf the ring to his right.

     "This is Chris."

    "Chris, this is Walter Davis. Glad I could finally catch you. I saw the article online, my condolences," a recognizable voice spoke out on the other end.

     Chris scoffed. "She's not dead, Walter. This is all your fault."

     "Now now, no need to get so antsy," Walter sighed. "We did what had to be done. However, I'm afraid it's not enough."

     Chris shot up from his place on the bed. "Not enough? Breaking the love of my life's heart was NOT ENOUGH? I don't think you realize what you're doing here. You are not only hurting her, but you're hurting her family. Not to mention you're married and have a family of your own."

     Chris paused and took a deep breath, leaning against the wall. "The only reason I'm working with you is to keep you from doing anymore damage."

     Walter chuckled. "Well I'm changing it up a little, and I'm going to need you to cooperate if you want to be the hero at the end of the day."

     Chris hated this man with every breath. He felt like a pawn in the enemy's hand, him being used to hurt the person he loves the most. But he had to do this. For Grae.

     "Fine. What do you want?"

     "Great! Have you met my daughter, Ingrid?"

• • • • •
another chapter :)