WILDEST DREAMS | JENNA ORTEGA

thirteen

I can't love you anymore

No smut

(802 words)

...

Soulmates were a common thing in your world. Everybody had the last words that their soulmate would ever say to them tattooed on their arms. You were one of the few people that hoped that you would never meet your soulmate because of the words on your bicep.

‘I’m sorry. I can’t.’

In a relationship, that never means anything good. Especially as the last words someone says to you. Your friends tried to lift you up, and they tried to convince you that maybe it doesn’t mean anything bad, but you refused to even start a relationship with anyone to protect yourself.

That was, until someone came along and tore your walls down. That someone was Jenna. The two of you met one day at a small coffee shop in New York. You were behind her in line and as she went to pay, she realized that she had forgotten her wallet. You immediately stepped up to help her out, both out of the kindness of your heart and because she was a gorgeous woman.

She thanked you and asked if you would like to sit with her, and you accepted. The two of you ended up chatting for hours, and when it was time to go, you exchanged phone numbers. Meeting up at coffee shops became a regular occurrence, and it soon turned into going to restaurants together.

Neither of you would call them dates, but they very clearly were. You found yourself falling for the raven-haired woman, and that scared you. You had heard of people falling in love with someone who wasn’t their soulmate, and you hoped that was the case. You had to assume it was because of Jenna’s soulmate mark on her forearm.

'I love you.’

You didn’t want to keep the girl from her one true love, but you couldn’t help but also want to keep her to yourself. Jenna didn’t seem to have the same reservations, as she continued to take you out as often as she could.

Soon, you decided to ask her to move in with you. You knew that she wouldn’t be home as often as you would have liked, but it was because of a job she loves, so you wouldn’t stand in her way. When you asked her, she accepted, and the moving in commenced.

You can’t remember yourself being happier than you are with her, but that means that when she leaves for months on end, you become sullen and depressed. Every time Jenna checks in on you, she notices how much darker the bags under your eyes have grown, and how unresponsive you are.

She can’t help the feeling that she is just dragging you down, and she knows that at some point she will have to choose between you and her job. She doesn’t want to think about it, because she knows that no matter what she chooses, it would lead to either your or her heartbreak.

As Jenna continues to work on her project, her check-ins slowly start to subside in number. You find yourself looking at your phone every second of the day, hoping for even just a small, 'whats up?’ text. Still, nothing comes. Your gut tells you that something is wrong, but you convince yourself that everything is fine.

Finally, Jenna comes home. You open the door with a smile on your face. You had spent the whole day setting up decorations and getting supplies for a party for just the two of you, but you know that those plans are out the window when Jenna can’t meet your eyes.

Instead of saying anything to you, she pushes past and heads straight towards your shared room. You follow her, concerned, and what you walk into leaves a crack in your heart. Jenna is going through her drawers and throwing all of her clothes into a duffel bag, seemingly packing up everything.

“What’s wrong? Did you get another role? Jenna, please tell me what’s going on.” Jenna finally looks you in the eyes, and what you see causes yours to begin to swim with tears. She lets out a shaky sigh before beginning to explain.

“I can’t do this anymore. Everything I do seems to bring you down, and when you’re down, I can’t focus on what I love. I don’t want to hurt you anymore, but I can’t stop acting. It’s my life. I’m sorry.”

She makes her way out into the living room, heading for the door. You begin to cry, making one last-ditch attempt to save your relationship.

“But… I love you.” You let out a sob.

“I’m sorry. I can’t.”

She turns and walks out the door, leaving you with a heart shattered into a million pieces.