𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 ~ 𝐚𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞 ~ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐭𝐮𝐛

A year and a half ago...

A lifetime ago...

"What? What's going on?" He busted into her apartment out of nowhere and he was freaking out. The look on his face, he was stressed and anxiety ridden. "What? Speak, Michael", she urged with her hands.

"Not here". He shook his head profusely. "Nope, not here".

"Fine. We shall commune in the bathtub". The bathtub was the safe place, nobody can hear you and nobody can hurt you. She did everything in that damn bathtub, it was her own private shrink.

They walked fast to the bathroom and she slid down into the bathtub. He crammed himself in there. He was too tall and he sat at an awkward angle. They were both hidden by the black and white shower curtain.

"So, what's going on?" She whispered.

"She's fricking driving me insane!" He shouted as he grabbed opposite sides of his hair. "She's batshit. She's so fucking demanding, I can't take her anymore. I'm cutting her loose".

"She's not a dog, Michael". She said nonchalantly as she surveyed her nails. "And she will castrate you if you cut her loose". She snickered. "With a pair of garden sheers".

The look of alarm crossed his face but he rapidly composed himself. "I'm done with her". He said, deadpan.

"Are you sure about that? Really Michael?". She paused. "You know the annual trip is coming up and we're all going to be there". He shoot her a puzzled look. She sighed and continued, "You're going to make things awkward, dumbass. Nobody wants that. So just do us all a favor and hit the brakes, at least until after the trip".

"You don't understand, she keeps blowing up my phone. She wants to know my every move. She's like the damn FBI and the CIA all combined into one!"

"You're losing it". She slapped him. "Get a hold of yourself". She lowered her volume. "Besides, this is what you get for dating Emily Davis. I warned you, but you don't listen unless your dick is talking". She started surveying her toe nails next, she needed a pedicure and a new coat of nail polish, the dark red was starting to crack.

"How come you and I never got together?" He said in a calm and pensive tone.

She forgot about her cracking nails for a moment. Because we shouldn't be together, I love you too much to do that.

"Because I'm not a simple-minded buffoon". She said finally and gave him a smile that dared him to contradict her.

"You're too good for me". He said with a sad smile. "I could never deserve you".

"Selling ourselves short, aren't we?"

"It's just... I know what I'm worth and you deserve a lot more. That's a fact". He said earnestly.

Do I really?

"Why the hell are we talking about this anyways?" She asked in an irritated timbre as she escaped the ivory-colored bathtub and uncovered the curtains to expose him to the rest of the bathroom. She sighed and held out her hands to help him up. He took them and hoisted himself up.

"You can't tell me that you haven't thought about this before. Our relationship, what we have, its.... I can't explain it".

"Maybe I have thought about it Michael but nothing's going to change. I'm not doing this. It's not going to happen" She paused. "Ever", she said with finality.

"And I agree. It's for the best".

She halted and searched his eyes. I do love you; I swear I do. She took a huge breath.