Unexpected

Part VI: Only a Dream

"Stop... Stop Alex!" I hold my sweater close to my body, frozen in place, unsure of what else to do as I watch him throwing armfuls of clothes into his suitcase. "Can't we just talk?" The warm tears stream down my cheeks.

Alex turns to face me and scoffs. His blue eyes are callous as he draws his top lip over his teeth. "Well you already found out about her, what else is there to talk about?" He stumbles toward me, the suffocating stench of alcohol wafting from his breath.

"Jesus, you're drunk," I spit at him. "What is wrong with you?"

"I don't want you anymore, Kristine. I'm happier with someone else." He pushes past me to retrieve more clothes from the dresser drawers.

I stare at him dumbfounded, jaw dropped, desperately searching for words.

"What about this!?" I hiss as I hold up my hand, hovering my engagement ring in front of his face. "Does this mean anything to you?"

"No, it really doesn't." He hiccups. "I thought if I gave into your bitching about getting married... Maybe it could've fixed things." He shrugs. "Clearly, I was wrong."

I ball my hand into a fist feeling the sting of my nails against my palm, I loosen my grip and drop it to my side. "You–you asshole." Using my thumb, I twist the ring around my finger anxiously. His eyes trail down to my hand, watching the diamond circled around my finger.

"How could you give me this and then say that you feel nothing?" I say through clenched teeth.

Alex's jaw hardens. "Because you made me, you didn't give me a choice. You always made it about what you wanted. But clearly there's no need for it anymore." He grabs my wrist tightly, attempting to tear the ring from my finger. I cry out in pain as the metal digs into my skin.

"Stop!" The ring loosens from my finger and clatters on the floor, rolling beneath the bed. Alex groans in frustration and pushes me forcefully, my back hitting the bedroom wall, knocking the air from my lungs. I slide down to the floor, pull my knees to my chest, and wrap my arms around myself. My vision blurs and my eyes sting.

"Do you realize how much that fucking cost me? I want it back, Kris. Find it." He turns back to his bag, zipping it quickly and tossing it onto the ground beside me.

"I gave you everything. And yet, I had to beg for a shred of affection and attention from you and all this time you were giving it to–to her!" I say through shuddering breaths.

I shake my head in disbelief. "Why? It just doesn't make sense?" I'm whispering now.

Alex hovers above me for a moment before crouching down, placing his face inches from mine. "Because you weren't enough, you aren't enough. I mean look at you, you're a fucking mess." He stands up abruptly and turns away from me, grabbing a few more of his items from the closet.

"But I love you," I sob.

"I don't love you, I haven't for a while now."

I hold my hands over my ears. "Shut up, shut up."

"Honestly Kris, I don't know how you kept me here this long. I don't think I could have survived with you much longer, let alone marry you."

"Shut the fuck up!"

I bolt upright in my bed, clawing at my chest and gasping for air, my heart nearly beating through my chest. My sheets are drenched in sweat and my pillows are knocked onto the floor. I throw the blankets off of my shaking body and run into the bathroom, vomiting into the toilet. I lift myself up and flush, dropping the lid with a loud thud. I wipe my mouth on the back of my hand, sitting down on the cold tile floor, I lean against the wall and attempt to stabilize my breathing.