Regret Me

Down town

Lizzie's POV

"I'm worried about my girlfriend," I admitted.

Sat in a cold, dark, blue room in downtown New York, a therapist in front of me and a soft couch beneath us, I decided now was the time to be honest. If not to Y/N, to someone who might actually be able to help.

"Because she's ill?" she confirmed.

I nodded, picking apart the damp tissue in my hand, "I know she's okay but I'm still worried - she doesn't talk about the fact she's in so much pain and I don't know how to get her to talk."

"Do you think you're projecting your own anxieties onto her?" she asked slowly.

Furrowing my brows, I shook my head quickly, "no, that's not what I'm saying to you ... she's unwell and she's in pain but-"

"Is she as worried as you are?" she pushed.

"Well, no but-"

"So, do you see what I'm saying about projection?" she asked again.

"I mean ... I don't know," I mumbled, "is that what I'm doing?"

"What do you think?" she continued.

"That's why I'm paying you," I exhaled from frustration, "I don't know what to do and I don't know what I'm feeling."

"Do you want to spend the rest of your life with her?" she pushed delicately.

I hummed a yes and nodded quickly.

"So you need to be transparent with her and you need to be honest about how worried you are," she smiled.

"And then what?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" she laughed.

"When I'm honest with her ... what do I do then? Because I'm still going to feel like this, she's just going to know how anxious I feel and that's not going to improve the situation at all," I explained breathlessly, "so please, for $120 an hour, tell me what to do here and what to say to her ... please."

"You keep bringing up money," she observed, "is that also an anxiety for you?"

I furrowed my brows and shook my head, "I'm going to be honest; I don't think is gonna work."

"My advice?" she confirmed.

"No," I sighed, opening my purse and handing her $150 cash, "keep the change, have a lovely life."

"Elizabeth," she replied bluntly as I stood up and put my bag on my shoulder, "I think you're projecting the way you were ignored in your childhood onto me."

"That is just not true at all," I laughed, "thank you for everything today but I will not be coming back."

"You know where I am if you need me," she smiled sadly.

"Thanks," I nodded, leaving without another word.

As I left the very prestige looking building, I pulled out my phone and opened my contacts to Y/N's name, pushing my hair behind my ear as I walked.

Lizzie
Can you call me when you've finished work? I just need to hear your voice – I love you x

As I slipped my phone back into my pocket, I caught a small flash out of the corner of my eye. Groaning inward to look as discrete as possible, I quickly unlocked my car and climbed behind the tinted windows, locking it as soon as I was safe inside. When I started the car, a knock echoed through the car window next to my face. I turned to look at the dark-haired man stood at the side of my car and froze, my breath catching in my throat and my heart racing quickly.