It's us-Christopher sturniolo

13.

Alexa woke up but Chris wasn't in the room. She was all alone.

Alexa's heart sank as she realized Chris wasn't in the room. Panic and confusion washed over her, and she quickly got out of bed, searching for any sign of him. As she made her way upstairs , she heard hushed voices coming from the backyard.

Her footsteps faltered as she saw Chris standing there, talking to Charlotte. The sight sent a wave of anger and betrayal through her. They weren't in a fight, so why was he confiding in her? Was Charlotte his new affair? The questions swirled in her mind, threatening to consume her.

Taking a deep breath, Alexa approached them, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and hurt. "Chris, what's going on? Why are you talking to Charlotte? And why were you outside with her?"

Chris turned to face her, his expression a mix of guilt and desperation. "Alexa, it's not what you think. Charlotte reached out to me because she's been going through a tough time. She needed someone to talk to, and I wanted to be there for her as a friend."

Alexa's anger flared, her voice laced with sarcasm. "A friend? Is that what you call it? You couldn't even be there for me when I needed you, but you can drop everything for her?"

Chris's eyes filled with regret as he reached out to touch Alexa's arm. "I know I messed up in the past, and I'm truly sorry for that. But this is different. Charlotte needed someone to listen, and I wanted to be that person for her. It doesn't mean I don't care about you."

Alexa's anger began to waver, replaced by a mix of confusion and vulnerability. She looked at Chris, searching for any sign of sincerity. "But why didn't you tell me? Why did you keep it a secret?"

Chris sighed, his voice filled with remorse. "I didn't want to upset you or make you feel insecure. I thought I could handle it on my own, but I see now that I should have been more open with you. I'm sorry, Alexa."

Tears welled up in Alexa's eyes as she struggled to process her emotions. She wanted to believe Chris, to trust that he was being honest with her. But the pain of their past mistakes still lingered, making it difficult to let go completely.

Taking a moment to collect herself, Alexa finally spoke, her voice filled with a mix of vulnerability and determination. "Chris, I want to trust you. I want to believe that you're being honest with me. But we need to work on our communication. We can't keep secrets from each other. If we're going to move forward, we need to be open and transparent."

Chris nodded, his eyes filled with remorse. "You're right, Alexa. I promise to be more open with you, to communicate better. I don't want to lose you."

Alexa took a deep breath, her heart torn between holding onto her anger and finding a way to rebuild their trust. "I need time, Chris. Time to process everything and figure out if I can truly forgive you. But know that I'm willing to try, for the sake of our relationship."

Chris nodded, his gaze fixed on the ground. "I understand, Alexa. I'll give you the time you need. Just know that I love you, and I'll do whatever it takes to make things right."

"Chris,I need time. " Alexa said.
"For as long as it takes,days, weeks, months." Chris replied as she walked away.