The Web I Spin for You ~ Richpez & Rosenwalker

Chapter 26

Wow two updates in one day look at this. Long ass angsty chapter—TW for mentions of sexual and physical assault.

"Why are you unlocking your door?" Joe asked. "I'm serious. If we're going to do this we'll do it outside."

Zoey sighed sadly, putting her keys back into her pocket. "Last week you were debating going out with me, now you won't even come into my home? This is what I don't understand—what changed?"

'I had a breakdown that brought me to the realization of what you did to me and just how much it messed me up,' Joe thought to himself, debating if he should hold back or just call her out on it. "Zoey, look, I... I had a moment of weakness with our breakup, okay?" Joe shifted awkwardly, running a hand through his hair. "Yes, I miss you. Yes, I'll always love you. Yes, I'm sad that we're not together anymore, but none of those emotions change what happened between us. It doesn't erase everything that you..." Joe froze, unsure if he should say it. "It doesn't change the fact that we weren't right together."

"I know that it doesn't erase everything that I've done to you in the past. But I've changed! You changed me! I'm better now, I'll be better to you, you know that I will!" She brought her hand to her mouth, tears running hysterically down her face. "Why can't you just give me a second chance?"

"I did." Joe responded harshly, crossing his arms. As much as seeing Zoey cry upset him, he wasn't going to be tricked by her. He hadn't forgetting how she'd manipulated him and Brian into not talking for a month. "Remember the first time that you... that you hit me?" He asked, searching for some sign of remorse or shame on her face. "I was going to leave you, and you begged me for another chance. I gave it to you, and it was what, a whole six days before you, you did it to me again?"

Zoey sobbed loudly, sinking to her knees. "I know I'm a horrible person Joe. I know I've done some bad things, but I am trying to be better, I really am."

Joe watched her sadly, part of him believing her, part of him not buying it. "That's good if you are. I want you to get better, a-and to be better. I, one day you'll find someone else, and I really do hope it'll work out for you, and you'll treat them right."

"I don't want anyone else, Goddammit!" She screamed hysterically. "I get that moving on was easy for you, but it's not for me! Unlike you, I wasn't serious about any of the people that I cheated on you with! I just, I just want you, fuck!" She ran her hands through her hair, breathing heavily. "Fuck I, I can't breathe."

"Zo, it's okay," Joe reassured, kneeling down so that he was level with her while still keeping his distance. "It's okay, I get like this too sometimes. Just take deep breaths—in for four, hold for seven, and then out for eight, I can do it with y—"

"I don't need to fucking breathe!" She yelled at him angrily, rising to her feet. Joe shot up and took a step back, her pouncing up like that aggressively triggering some sort of fear out of him. "Fuck just, just hold me one last time!" She cried out, walking towards him. "I just, let me hug you and say goodbye, please!" She begged, slumping over to the ground when Joe took several steps back instead of coming to her. (Does this remind you of a certain tape recording from a certain trial because YES I took that from the Depp/Heard trial).

"Zoey, I can't. I'm sorry." He told her, part of him wanting to listen to her even though he was terrified by the current sight of her. "I just don't trust you."

Zoey fully broke down at that comment, her sobs picking up in intensity. "I, I need a glass of water. Can we just talk inside please? It's a million degrees out." She whined, wiping her brow. "I, I won't hurt you. I promise. I'll, I'm never going to hurt you again. You know I'm being honest—last time you asked me this I told you that I wasn't sure. I'm sure now... I-I won't hit you."