GRAVITY | R. DIAS

• 29 •

February 18, 2024

A small bundle of light that slipped past the curtains, shines directly into Rúben’s face, making him groan and turn around to hide his face into a pillow. The moment his nose makes contact with the soft fabric he realises that this isn’t his pillow because of the unfamiliar smell. Immediately he sits up in the bed, causing some black spots to appear in front of his eyes.

When his sight has cleared again, he looks around the room. It’s a very neat bedroom but the clear female touch in the interior makes him panic again. Quickly he takes a glance under the sheets and realises he isn’t wearing any clothes. Fuck, what happened last night? Surely he didn’t do anything stupid, did he?

He searches for his phone and finds it on the bedside table next to a little note with his name on. With trembling hands he picks it up to read it. His heart is beating rapidly in his chest, because one thing he’s sure of, nothing good comes from waking up naked in an unfamiliar bedroom and finding a note.

'Rúben,

I’m sorry I’m not here right now. The moment I woke up with you next to me, I panicked and went for a walk to get some air.

I’ll be gone for a few hours, so don’t wait up for me. There’s food in the kitchen and when you leave just lock the door with a key that I left on the kitchen counter. Just drop it in the letterbox once you’ve locked.

I’m really sorry to do it like this, but last night never should’ve happened and I think it’s better not to see each other again.

So this is goodbye Rúben, I wish you all the best.

Martha

PS. Please tell Emma about what happened. I know how it feels to be cheated on and not knowing hurts more than the actual betrayal. So please tell her as soon as you get home. Maybe you two can still work this out.'

After reading the note, flashbacks from the events last night reappear inside his head. Having a fight with Emma. Going to Nathan’s party. Downing shot after shot. Seeing the beautiful Norwegian girl. Talking with her. Kissing her. Going home with her.

He cusses loudly. One drunken night fucked up everything in his life. He knows that he has a soft spot for Martha and always gravitated towards her whenever he saw her, but the woman had clearly stated her boundaries. 

The Portuguese man gets up from the bed and puts on his clothes and shoes, which have been scattered around the room. When he picks up his phone to put it in his pocket, he notices that he has at least ten missed calls. He needs to get home as quickly as possible. Emma is definitely going to question him when he walks through the front door.

•••

He’s absolutely right. The moment he enters his house, Emma is waiting for him in the kitchen, left hand on her hip and an angry expression on her face. “Where the fuck have you been?”

A nervous feeling settles in Rúben’s body. Even though Martha said to tell Emma the truth, he isn’t sure he can. What if he loses her too? He already lost Martha today and it isn’t noon yet.

“I’m sorry babe. I had it bit too much to drink and stayed at Bernardo's,” he lies with a trembling voice. If Martha were here she’d surely be disappointed in him.

“Don’t bullshit me Rúben! I called Bernardo this morning and you weren’t there,” she says, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I woke up early and went for a walk,” Rúben keeps on lying. He’s really digging his own grave.

The girl standing in front of him shakes her head, signing that she doesn’t believe him at all. “I’m not a fool. Where did you stay Rúben?"

He stays quiet, trying to come up with a good excuse for what happened last night. Instead of him answering it’s Emma who keeps talking. “It’s Martha isn’t it? I know she was there yesterday. I saw the photo on her instagram,”

“No, why would you think that?” he keeps digging and digging. If this goes on he’ll reach the center of the earth in no time.

“Do you think I’m blind? I’ve witnessed with my own two eyes how captivated you are with her. I’ve never thought anything of it because she always kept her distance from you, but we all know those boundaries can quickly fade when alcohol is involved. So please be honest Rúben, was it her?”

Ruben feels like he’s standing with his back against a wall. There’s no way out of here. “What if it’s true? Are you going to leave me?”

Emma casts her eyes down. He isn’t denying it anymore. The one person she trusted with her whole entire being betrayed her in the worst way possible. She’s hurt but not mad. How could she? When she already saw it coming from miles away. Ever since Rúben met the other girl he’d been acting differently. Whereas fight rarely happened before, they’re now a weekly occurrence. If she were to be mad, she’d be mad at herself for not leaving sooner.

“Of course I’m leaving. I’m not fighting for your love anymore. That’s all I’ve been doing the past months and it clearly didn’t help,” she answers truthfully, her heart aching.

The Portuguese man tries to step closer towards his girlfriend, well ex-girlfriend probably, but she immediately pushes him away. “Please don’t leave Ems. It was a mistake. I love you,” he starts begging.

“You don’t. You stopped loving me the moment you met her,” she says. “And don’t come around with the excuse that you’ll change and want to make this okay again. I know you Rúben, I know your heart is set on Martha and I’m not going to change that.” Emma walks around Rúben to leave the kitchen, avoiding his arms that want to pull her back. “I’m going back to my apartment. I’ll come and pick up my stuff later this week,”

Emma has been keeping up a strong appearance this whole time, but the moment she sets a foot outside the kitchen, her walls come crumbling down and she starts sobbing uncontrollably.

Rúben hears her crying and wants to walk after her, but he doesn’t. He’s probably the last person she wants to see right now.