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The drive back to the apartment was suffocatingly silent. Trent's hands gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white, while Imani stared out of the window, her mind replaying Jude's harsh words over and over. The city lights blurred as they sped by, but the weight of the confrontation lingered, thickening the air between them.
As soon as they stepped inside the apartment, Trent dropped his keys onto the table with a loud clatter. The sound echoed through the room, underscoring the tension that had been simmering all day. Imani placed her bag down gently, as if trying to avoid adding any more noise to the already volatile atmosphere.
But it was too late.
Trent's voice broke the silence, sharp and accusatory. "This is all your fault, you know."
Imani turned to face him, her heart sinking at the look of anger in his eyes. "What are you talking about?"
"You heard what Jude said. You were with Jobe first, and now, here we are. He's right, Imani. I should've never let this happen." His words were clipped, like he was trying to hold back a flood of emotions. "You've messed everything up-Jobe, the team, us."
Imani's eyes widened in shock. "You think I wanted this? I never planned for things to turn out this way, Trent. But we both knew what we were doing. Don't you dare put this all on me!"
Trent ran a hand through his hair, his frustration boiling over. "You don't get it, do you? I was supposed to be there for him, and instead, I let this happen. I let you come between us. I let everything get ruined."
Imani felt her throat tighten, the guilt and anger swirling together in a toxic mix. "We both made choices, Trent. Don't act like you're the victim here. I've lost just as much as you have."
But her words only seemed to fuel his anger. "You don't understand, Imani. Jobe is my friend-was my friend-and I've betrayed him. And for what? So you could post some pictures, keep up appearances while everything falls apart?"
Imani's pulse quickened, the stifling pressure of the argument pushing her to the edge. "I can't do this," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I can't stand here and let you blame me for everything."
Without waiting for a response, she grabbed her bag and headed for the door. Trent called after her, but she was already gone, the door slamming shut behind her as she fled into the night.
She walked aimlessly through the streets, her emotions a chaotic mess. She needed to escape, to drown out the noise in her head. The streets felt both familiar and foreign, memories of a life she thought she'd left behind rushing back to haunt her. She found herself outside a bar she used to frequent before things had gotten complicated-before Trent, before the guilt, before everything had spiraled out of control.
Imani pushed through the doors and headed straight for the bar. She didn't even bother with small talk, just ordered drink after drink, hoping to numb the pain that was gnawing at her insides. The alcohol burned going down, but it was a welcome distraction from the storm raging in her mind.
