Girl You Fucked Before (18+)

I Cheated On You (The Break-Up)

Matt

Even though it was late summer, my entire body was breaking out in a cold sweat as I walked alongside Vanessa on the shoreline of the beach.

The sun hung low in the horizon, the waves crashed on the shore, and seagulls circled the air in search of their dinner. It was usually the place I went to seek solace but that night, it filled me with a sense of dread.

Just talk to her, okay?

Addison's words echoed in my brain on a loop.

What did she learn about Vanessa that I'm being kept in the dark on?

My girlfriend hesitated when I asked her to go for a walk with me on the beach. "I have a stomachache," she had claimed.

"It won't take long," I pushed back. "I think we should talk."

At that, she had glanced up at me, her eyes hollow and her expression one of defeat. We both knew it was time to quit avoiding the inevitable.

"Okay," she quietly agreed.

And there we were. Walking in silence across the sand, my stomach twisted into knots. But who would be the first to say what was on their mind?

Vanessa stooped to pick up a perfectly shaped seashell, brushing off the sand and holding it up in the fading light for me to admire as well. It would have been a sweet little moment if only my relationship with her wasn't crumbling like the sandcastles that we passed by.

My gaze focused on her hand, and for the first time, I noticed that the promise ring wasn't adorning her finger.

How long has that been gone for? Does it even matter? She's already made up her mind.

I frowned. "You're not wearing your ring."

Her cheeks flushed slightly as she quickly tucked her hand inside the pocket of her sweatshirt. "Oh. I guess I just forgot to put it on today."

I stopped walking, letting the frigid saltwater wash over the toe of my boot. "Vanessa, I'm not as dense as you may think I am," I began.

Blowing out a breath, I turned to gaze at her. Heavy lines turned down her lips, and she looked exhausted. She was done trying.

"I can sense that you've been pulling away from me lately," I remarked. "What did I do wrong? What's happened to us?"

She stared out at the ocean, foam lapping around her ankles. "I think you're imagining things."

"Stop gaslighting me!" I shouted, the breeze carrying my voice out to sea. "You've been avoiding being alone with me, you won't let me touch you anymore, and you've stopped sleeping over."

"There used to be a time when you couldn't get enough of me and now...." my voice broke, and I took a shuddering breath to try and calm myself enough to continue. "And now, you act as though I repulse you."

"So, what exactly did I do?"

She let out a loud sigh. "Matt, you're always around, and if you aren't then you're calling me. Not just once but multiple times. It's too much. I can't take it anymore. You're smothering me."

I recoiled back, feeling as though I had just been punched. "If I'm being too overbearing, it's only because you're impossible to reach. If you just gave me a little bit of attention, then I think you would find that I would back off significantly and give you space."

She turned to face me, a wild look of exasperation on her face. "I don't want to give you attention. I want out of this relationship, Matt. I need to explore what else is out there."