The Affair

Chapter 19.3

Friday, July 8, 2022 – 6:44pm

The car ride is painfully quiet. Neither girl says a word, letting silence fill with the engine's hum, turn signal's click, and music playing lowly. Amy turns the wheel, pulling into the lot of Fallon's apartment building. She finds a spot and parks but keeps the engine running.

Amy sighs, relaxing into her seat. She looks over, seeing Fallon slumped against the door, head resting against the window. She then swivels forward, lips pursing as she stares ahead, focusing on nothing in particular.

Fallon's eyes flicker as they notice the familiar structures. They've arrived, and now it's time to head inside and up to her home. She reaches down, grabbing her purse from the floorboard between her feet. Just as her hand touches the hard leather of the car door, she freezes.

"Fal?" Amy mutters.

Fallon doesn't respond, just crooks her head.

"I met this guy in college. Issac," she starts, voice more tender than usual. She stares out the window, avoiding Fallon's gaze for the moment. "Total loser at writing. I'd have to fix his shitty essays every week at the student center. God, he was hot though. He had these intense eyes. Made me blush just by looking at me..." It's weak, but she smiles at the memory.

Fallon tucks a leg under the other, turning towards Amy. One hand rises to pinch at the ends of her hair. "You helped him? Like with English and stuff?" she asks, cautious, but intrigued.

Amy snorts, turning up her nose with a smirk. "Helped? I carried his ass. English one and two... He'd always buy me boba tea after studying. I thought it was cute." She sighs suddenly, lips relaxing away her proud smile, eyes drifting towards something far away. "I got him the A, and he asked me out. Started dating, aaaand... a whole four years passed. Still together. Happy and graduating."

Across the way, Fallon pulls in her other leg, sitting on both now. She keeps quiet, lips rolling into a smile, happy to just listen.

Amy leans back, shielding her heart with her hands. "He was my best friend. My lover. Just... my everything. We were perfect together," she says, voice cracking at the end. She clears her throat, annoyed at herself.

"You loved him?" Fallon finally speaks up.

"I did. So much..." Amy nods, crossing her arms, "I started this job after graduating. I was 22, he's a year older. We found a cute little apartment in downtown, bought a car together... We, uh, even started talking about dumb shit like saving money to buy a house, and getting married, and... having k-kids." She trails off, the last word fumbling off her tongue and crashing.

Fallon's brow furrows, hearing the change. "What happened?" she asks, hesitant and concerned.

Amy's jaw clenches, feeling a rogue tear sliding down her cheek. She swipes it away fast, hoping Fallon didn't notice. "Fuck. I'm stronger than this," she thinks, chastising herself. A deep breath pushes away the tension, forcing a steady voice. "Two more years go by. We're good, you know? Solid. Um... Then my sister, Jade, graduates and moves back home with my parents," she explains, tone souring, body tensing, "Of course my parents are just thrilled—over the fucking moon—to have their princess back home! Their perfect golden child. UGH!"

The outburst makes Fallon flinch. She doesn't dare speak, fearing doing so—saying the wrong thing—would force Amy into locking back up.

"They always loved the little bitch. Way more than me..." Amy continues, hands gripping the steering wheel as if she'd lose control. She exhales, dropping her head. "Turns out Issac did too..."