ARE WE END GAME?

(N)egligence

OLIVIA

I finished packing my last bag, checked to see if I hadn't forgotten anything, and exited the bedroom. I had decided to move out for now, not because I was trying to run away, but because we needed the space.

Real space, this time, to figure out what we should do about the apartment. If we were to be completely honest, we did rush into moving in together. Our relationship was still fresh after the last breakup, but I believed that getting engaged was a far deeper life commitment, so I made that decision for us.

The decision was made alone, and for that, I had to take full responsibility. It was true that I violated his private space and kept it a secret, but what I was feeling was harsher than guilt. I felt used and unwanted.

I heard the front door and immediately panicked. Spencer was not supposed to come home this early, plus I had told Darnell to stall for me.

Darnell.

"Liv?" Called Spencer from the living room.

I knew he had seen some of my bags on the floor, judging by the tone of his voice, which was very different from that same morning. I heaved a sigh and headed in his direction, pulling my last luggage with me. His expression grew wary at my sight, while he probably realized what was going on.

"Liv, what's going on?"

I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to find the right words to explain.

"I'm moving out."

I figured that I might as well just tell the truth, for once in a long time.

"What do you mean? Don't tell me that you're running away again!"

"I'm not running away, Spencer. I'm always here for you. I just believe we need the space, for real this time. You've said it yourself, so many things changed at the same time in your life, and I take full responsibility for the part I played in it... so I'm trying to undo it."

"Olivia, that was one conversation with my therapist!"

"And then the same one during your boys' night."

He looked surprised to see that I knew about that one as well.

"It's all good, Spencer. It's okay to feel however you feel, and I'm fine with the idea now. I'm not mad or anything, I'm just looking for the right solution, and right now this seems to be it."

"So, we're taking a break? You're not my girlfriend anymore?" He asked, more as a made up conclusion than a real question.

"We're not. We are together, and we'll still hang out whenever we can, but we won't be living together anymore. The apartment is still leased for another six months, so you can stay in it. I'm sure we'll decide what to do with it by then."

"Olivia, why are you trying to punish us for something I don't even feel anymore?"

"Because I still feel the pain from it."

He closed the distance between us until he was able to take my hands in his.

"Then be mad at me, curse me, yell at me, but please Baby, don't do this."

"I'm not trying to punish you, Spencer. What I've done is wrong, and I know I have to do my best to earn your trust again... but I just can't stay here with you." My voice cracked a bit, as I looked anywhere but at him.

He let go of my hands and angrily spun away from me.

"It's always the same thing with you! It always has to be on your terms, and I can't change your mind, no matter how hard I try!" He said.