Becoming Ava | Dominik Szoboszlai

Chapter Four

I strolled through the front door to our flat, hoping that a long walk while enjoying some of the fading September sunshine might clear my jumbled thoughts. No such luck. My mood was still as dark as it had been before I'd gone outside.

The more disconnected I started to feel from Craig, the more I found myself fighting with him over the stupidest things; the littlest things will send me into a tailspin, my bad moods seeping into every aspect of our lives together.

Deep down I knew that I was being wicked, Craig has been nothing but good to me over the last two years and I was repaying him by lusting after another man. Does that make me a terrible person?

Before I started to really go down that rabbit hole, I slipped off my jacket and trainers, dropping my keys into the dish on the console table with a clatter.

'Hey Rubes!' I heard Craig call from the living room, my feet carrying me in that direction. 'How was your walk?'

'Good thanks,' I grind out, immediately ticked off that he's still sprawled on the couch where I'd left him. 'I feel better for having gotten some exercise in. Unlike some people.' That last bit was muttered under my breath.

'That's what you want, babe!'

'Craig have you done anything at all with your day?' I spat out, acid dripping from my voice. The poor bastard understandably looked up in confusion, my tone catching him completely off-guard.

'First of all Ruby, watch who you're talking too like that. Secondly, it's fucking Sunday. What would you have me do instead of enjoying the weekend?'

Nothing, weekends are meant to be spent relaxing. 'There are so many things that need doing around the flat and you're being so lazy and ignoring all of it,' I countered, knowing that I was about to start a fight. 'I'm not fucking Cinderella; I refuse to do the lion's share of the housework.'

Craig abruptly got to his feet and turned his furious stare on me. 'Is that a joke Ruby?'

'I'm being deadly serious, you expect me to do everything around here and I'm sick of it, I'm not your slave!'

Craig's face was turning red with anger as he processed my words, while I tried to keep the smirk off my face as I watched them make their mark. 'You live here for free Ruby!'

Gotcha. 'What does that have to do with anything?' I shouted back, feigning shock.

He pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to control his anger. 'It has everything to do with it Rubes,' he forced through gritted teeth. 'You don't contribute anything at all. No rent, nothing for the bills. You don't even buy any food! The least you can do is some fucking cleaning!'

'Are you serious right now?'

'Ruby I really don't think that I'm being unreasonable here,' Craig's voice was softer now, an indication that he wanted to avoid an all-out row. 'I know I make more money than you, and I know that being able to pay for everything is a privilege-'

'I'll just stop you there,' I cut him off, seeing my opportunity to reignite the anger. 'Don't belittle me and speak to me like I'm a child. I'm an equal in this relationship and I don't appreciate you acting like I'm not.'

I knew I was on the cusp of gaslighting, but I couldn't go after my dreams if I was still in a relationship. Craig needed to go, and it needed to be his idea.

'Belittling you?!' He repeated, looking bewildered. 'Ruby you cannot be serious right now!'

'Don't dismiss my feelings, Craig!'

'I can't deal with you when you're like this, I don't have the energy.' He scrubbed a hand over his stubble, avoiding my gaze. 'But let's not forget Ruby that you live in my flat. If you don't like the way it's maintained, you know where the door is.' With that, Craig left the room. A minute later, I heard the door to the flat slam shut.