Choices (CURRENTLY EDITING AND REWRITING)

Crying Game

Pictures and ripped pages from the books that were organized on the shelves were now scattered across the office. The room smelt of the 1942 liquor and glass pieces of the bottle sparkled across the wooden floorboards.

This was the beginning of a heartbreak.

Her eyes wandered around the room. The years that went on by had passed quickly and so did his feelings, she had thought.

"I can't take it back. I know." He had held his cup that was now empty while looking at the mess in front of him; the aftermath of his doing.

There were no words that could make him understand her pain and frustration.

"Please, Fei. It was wrong. I know. I had hurt you. I know. I'm sorry. I know it's not enough. I know."

Her soft lullaby eyes slowly gazed into his. "You don't know. You don't understand."

Silence. Anything he would have said, would have done nothing but cause more damage. Cautiously he spoke, "I don't."

"But you will." She silently muttered but he had heard.

She was just speaking, he reassured himself. Fei was not one to seek revenge. She wasn't petty. He had let her have the last word; it was all he could do for now.

Grabbing the napkins, he had kneeled and scooped the broken glass and wiped the liquor stains on the floor. "Go. I'll clean this up."

With no hesitation, she had left, only to return with a broom and mop. No further words were spoken between each other, just the sound of sweeping motion from Fei and Roman wiping down the liquid.

Together they returned to the party because they knew it would have been obvious if they came separately.

Smiles on both of their faces, but their hearts were anxious.

He couldn't read his wife - a first. And Fei didn't know what she should do. But in this moment, they began to pretend. Their fake laughter filled the air among the many conversations they had with friends and family.

Fei's cheeks were in pain from the forcing smiles. Her eyes scanned around the room with Roman nowhere to be found. She had thought he had gone back upstairs to his office for more drinks by himself. She couldn't stand being in the same room with him anyways.

Meanwhile Roman was in fact in his office, just on the phone instead of drinking. "You need to stop blowing up my phone. It's over. I have a wife"

"You didn't mention a wife." Dream sneered.

He grunted, "Well I do."

"But I love you, Roman. You told me you had felt the same."

He hesitated. He had lied to her. "We're done." The phone line had died. He had ended the call.

"Dream, you're on the floor." Tina, the house mom had tapped her shoulder, overhearing the conversation. Dream's eyes were glossy, but she had instantly blinked a couple more times to hold her tears. This wasn't the first man that had broken her, but the first to show her love and maybe that was why this one had hurt the most. "Yeah, I know." She puckered up.

Roman had just finished deleting his texts and phone call history with Dream along with photos and videos. Throwing his phone softly on the couch before him. His hands rubbed against his face as he leaned against the wall.

He wanted to fix his marriage and he knew what he was going to do.

After the party had ended, Fei poured more champagne in her bottle. She had a bit over two bottles of champagne throughout the night to help her overcome the party. Her head was buzzing but she felt relief with the alcohol in her system. After chugging her glass, she had decided to head to bed, her heels that she carried were dragged up the stairs, a clink of a sound behind her each step she took.

Crashing on the bed, Roman laid on the other side. He had never returned back to the party and instead he had gotten ready for bed. His eyes shut tight and his breathing heavy, she knew he was asleep. "I don't think we can fix this Roman." She whispered.

His hand wrapped around her quickly, pulling her in his arms. His body warm, his hands massaging her hair - he felt like home. "Don't say that. You have nothing to fix, I do." She sighed against his chest. "Give us a chance."

She held on to him in response. The whole night she couldn't sleep. Her thoughts were keeping her awake. Did he hold onto the other woman tightly just like this? Did he massage her head just like he did to her? Was it really just a one-night stand? The thought of it had angered her and she pushed him off of her gently and before she left the bed, he had grabbed her wrist. His eyes wide open in fear that was leaving him.

"I'm going to sleep in the guest room. I need some space. We'll talk in the morning."

But again, he knew his wife. "Please Fei, stay."

"Let go, Roman."

Instead of abiding, he held on tighter, sat up and pulled her right in bed. She was fighting against him, but he was too strong. Tears of frustration had fallen down her face. "Roman please. You owe me space at least."

"I do. But please stay for just this night." He pulled the covers over her and gripped her figure against his. Roman was worried for the days that were coming. Fei, she would go days without speaking to him after arguments, although she always had returned to bed with him and forgave him shortly. Now with an affair involved, he was unable to predict what she would do. When Fei had her mind set on an idea, she had always moved forward with it. And though Fei was never petty, she was stubborn. Now he was even more afraid, he was desperate.