Breathe

Chapter 11

When I get back to Kelly's, she takes one look at me and pulls me inside.

"What happened?" she asks, her voice sharp as her eyes drop to my arm. Her face changes the moment she notices the bruise forming on my bicep, dark and obvious.

"It's nothing," I mumble, but she's already pushing up my sleeve.

Her expression hardens as she stares at the bruise. "Nothing? Aria, this is not nothing. What did he do?"

I sigh, my voice low. "He grabbed me by the bicep. He was freaking out, repeating himself over and over, saying he couldn't lose me. He wouldn't let go, and I... I had to make him let go." I pause, glancing at the bruise forming on my arm. "It's over, okay? I got out of there."

Kelly's jaw tightens, her frustration clear. "This wouldn't have happened if I'd gone with you."

"I had to do it alone," I say softly.

She looks at me for a moment, her lips pressed tight, then eventually nods. "Come on, hun," she says, her voice gentler now. "I got us pizza and some wine."

We plop down on the couch, and for a while, we eat in silence, the TV filling the room.

Kelly sets her glass down and looks over at me. "I'm worried about you," she says quietly.

I look at her but don't say anything, taking another bite of pizza to avoid answering.

"You've been through so much, Aria," Kelly says quietly, her voice heavy with concern. "Losing the baby, everything falling apart with Daniel after that... and now this. Him cheating. It's like he's been tearing you down bit by bit, and it breaks my heart to see you go through it."

I stare at the TV, pretending to focus on it, but her words hit harder than I want to admit.

"I just..." she hesitates, then reaches over and puts her hand on mine. "I just want you to be okay."

"I'm trying, Kells," I whisper. "I really am."

"I know, hun," she says, giving my hand a squeeze. "But talk to me. Tell me how you really feel about everything—about losing the baby, about Daniel."

I take a deep breath, staring at the wine glass in my hand. "I miss the baby, Kelly. I really do. But I've made peace with it. It wasn't the right time to meet my angel."

Kelly stays quiet, letting me talk.

"What really hurt was how cold Daniel was after. I know he was grieving too, but he completely shut me out. I felt so alone."

I pause, my chest tightening. "And honestly, I've been okay with the fact that our romantic relationship was over for a while now. I think I knew it long before Jenny."

Kelly nods, her face soft with understanding.

"What I'm really mourning," I say, my voice cracking slightly, "is the loss of my best friend. We grew up together, Kells. Our families were close, so we did everything together—summer bike rides, lying in the grass, looking at the stars. He was my first crush, my first kiss, my first everything."

I let out a shaky breath. "Maybe we only got together because we were that close. I mean, our moms definitely pushed for it, but I wanted it too—back then, at least."

Kelly doesn't interrupt, just stays close.

"And then there's Jenny," I add, shaking my head. "She didn't just show up out of nowhere. At first, it felt gradual, but before I knew it, she was everywhere. Date nights interrupted because she needed something. She'd show up on hikes like it was some big coincidence. I started feeling like the third wheel in my own relationship."

Kelly's expression hardens, but she still doesn't say anything.

"And Daniel? He never saw a problem with it. He'd brush it off, saying I was reading too much into things." I let out a bitter laugh. "Turns out I wasn't crazy after all."

I lean back against the couch, closing my eyes for a moment. "Maybe I should've been more assertive, you know? Put my foot down about her always being around. But I didn't want to be that person. He's a grown man. If he wanted to be friends with her, I wasn't going to stop him."

"That's fair," Kelly says, her voice steady. "You shouldn't have to tell someone how to respect your relationship. If he didn't figure that out, that's on him, not you."

I nod slowly, her words sinking in. "You're right. I know you're right. It's just hard not to wonder if I could've done something differently."

I pause for a moment, staring down at my hands. "But... I feel sorry for him too, you know? He doesn't seem like himself. The way he looked today—it was like he wasn't even there. I'm worried about him, Kells. As much as I'm angry and hurt, I can't just turn off the part of me that cares about him."

Kelly's face softens, her tone gentler now. "I get that, Aria. But you can't carry that for him. He has to figure himself out."

"I know," I whisper. "It's just hard to see him like that and not feel something."

She squeezes my hand. "That's because you're a good person, Aria. But you also have to let him take responsibility for himself."

I nod again, trying to let her words settle, even though the worry still lingers.

I look down at my hands, twisting them nervously. "I feel like I need to step away for a little. Just... take some time for me. I want to fall in love with myself again. Is that stupid?"

Kelly shakes her head instantly, her face softening. "No, it's not stupid, Aria. Not even a little. It's probably the smartest thing you could do right now."

I manage a small, real smile. "I just need to remember who I am without him."

Kelly grins and claps her hands once. "Okay, so what's your plan then?"

Biting my thumbnail, I smile back. "I think... I need to talk to Xander."

Her eyebrows shoot up. "Xander?"

I nod, feeling a little shy. "For what I want to do, he's the right person to talk to."

Kelly tilts her head,giving me a curious look. 

"Alright, now I'm intrigued. What exactly are youplanning, Aria?

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