Time after time

You broke me first

Author note : I realize that since the beginning of this story, I have kept the characters in a state of good understanding and quiet happiness. Life as a couple has its ups and downs that require us to commit again and again. Often in the fifth year of a relationship, we tend to take each other for granted and this is often when problems arise. Often this corresponds to the arrival of children, a new job or a move. I tried to imagine what it would have been like in Noah and Elle's life after 5 years of relationship and 2 years of marriage. How will they decide to fight for each other...

Elle POV

The summer has gone by at breakneck speed and here we are already starting a new school year, without we necessarily being ready. Noah has started his first year at law school and must balance his time between his classes and his internship at the law firm. It's intense and his free time is limited! We both expected this reality even though it hit me hard.

Of course, at the same time, most of my friends are no longer in Boston; Chloe and Rebecca are interning in New York and Abby has moved to Philadelphia with Greg. Most of the girls on the soccer team are new except Amanda and Eliza who were transfers from USC during my sophomore year. With Abby leaving, the coach asked me to be captain of the women's soccer team. I didn't want to at first but I told myself that it would probably help me get back into playing because I was doing it more to reduce my tuition fees than for real pleasure...

My final year of pre-med is going well. It's intense since I no longer have prerequisite courses but only medical courses. I really like the subject of my classes, it gives me a reason why I am here. But everything is intense and requires... 110% of my involvement.

Basically, life is busy, I feel alone and overwhelmed and... my husband is not very available to me. All the factors came together for me to gradually start to miss home... And at the same time, where is my house? What am I miss of? June's maternal arms telling me that everything I'm experiencing is normal? Lee taking me for a ride to the Santa Monica Pier to dance on the Dance Dance Mania machine to cheer me up? Brad asking me a million questions and forcing me to play video games with him? My father who makes me coffee in the evening and sits me down for father-daughter talk time? Noah having time to let me cry on his chest telling me everything is okay?

At first it was insidious! I started crying at night when Noah texted me to say he would be home late for a study group. I didn't pay attention at first but his texts became more and more frequent and he came home later and later. Then it was the weekends that he started to miss because of teamwork.

At the end of September, when I was returning from a game at Yale University where we had a crushing defeat, I was surprised that Noah wasn't home when I arrived. It was Sunday evening so date day since we are at Harvard. I had imagined that he would be home with dinner already prepared and that we could spend the evening in front of the television cuddled while watching a movie. Before letting my disappointment take over, I decided to text him. Maybe he just went to the grocery store?

Elle : I just got back from Yale. Where are you?

I didn't get a response right away and started unpacking and starting a load of laundry because clearly Noah hadn't had time to do one over the weekend at first view. I had just started the washer when my phone rang. I answered without even looking at the name :
- Where are you?
- In Philadelphia for the latest news!" replied Abby's singing voice.

I was disappointed that it wasn't Noah who told me he was on his way home.
- Hi Abby! So, what's life like outside of Harvard?" I asked her.
- Alright! The job I got in the local newspaper through Greg's father is really great. It's not too big a newspaper but I was able to start writing editorials. I love being able to give my opinion on an issue and not just report facts.
- Like calling the mayor a bitch!" I said to my friend, bursting out laughing.
- I can use neater words even if they mean the same thing!