The next day was a rest day, and I decided to spend it with Emily, hoping we could sort things out and enjoy some time together. I headed over to her sister's place, determined to make things right.
When I arrived, Emily greeted me at the door, but her expression was guarded, her movements tense. It was clear she was still upset about our argument the previous night.
"Hey," I said softly, stepping inside. "Are you okay?"
Emily crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing slightly. "No, Maddie, I'm not okay. We didn't finish our conversation yesterday."
I felt my heart sink. I had hoped we could move past this, but it was obvious Emily needed answers. "Emily, I told you it was nothing. Can we just enjoy today?"
She shook her head, her voice rising. "No, Maddie, we can't just ignore this. What did Ruesha mean about your past?"
My frustration flared. "I already told you, it's nothing. Why can't you drop it?"
Emily's face flushed with anger. "Because it clearly isn't nothing if you're getting this worked up about it!"
We ended up shouting at each other, our voices echoing through the apartment. The argument went on for ages, each of us too stubborn to back down. Finally, I couldn't be bothered to argue anymore, so I told her.
"I dated the coach's daughter to get more playtime," I blurted out, my voice trembling with anger and regret. "I didn't even like her. It was a mistake, okay? A huge, stupid mistake."
Emily's eyes widened in surprise, and then a look of caution settled on her face. "Maddie, was it the same with me? Did you date me for some ulterior motive?"
"No, Emily, it wasn't the same with you," I promised, desperation creeping into my voice. "I love you."
"But how can I be sure?" Emily asked, her voice breaking. "How do I know this isn't just another game for you?"
My anger flared again. "This is exactly why I didn't want to tell you! I knew you'd react like this!"
Emily's eyes filled with tears, and she shook her head. "I just wanted honesty, Maddie. I thought we had that."
The argument reignited, even more intense than before. Words were thrown like daggers, each one hurting more than the last. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore.
"Fine, you want honesty? Maybe I made a mistake telling you," I snapped. "Maybe this was all a mistake."
Emily's tears began to flow freely, her shoulders shaking with sobs. The sight broke my heart, but I felt trapped in my own anger and frustration. Unable to bear it any longer, I turned and walked out, slamming the door behind me.
As I stormed down the street, my heart ached with the weight of my actions and the harsh words we had exchanged. The day I had hoped would bring us closer had only pushed us further apart, leaving a chasm of pain and misunderstanding between us.
As I walked away from Emily's sister's place, the cold air stung my cheeks, but it was nothing compared to the ache in my chest. I could still hear Emily's sobs echoing in my mind, and the weight of our argument pressed heavily on my shoulders. Each step felt heavier than the last, and I found myself replaying the fight over and over, questioning everything.
Why do people always see me as the bad guy? I asked myself, my thoughts spiraling into a familiar darkness. No matter what I do, no matter how hard I try, it always seems to end up like this.
I kept walking, my pace quickening as if I could outrun the turmoil in my head. The streets were quiet, the world oblivious to the chaos inside me. I turned down a deserted alley and leaned against the cold brick wall, letting my head fall back and closing my eyes.
