Against the Tide

Chapter 10 - Breaking Point

The next morning, the atmosphere in the house was unbearably thick with tension. Gregory had barely left his room, and Lily wasn't in any hurry to see him either. His confession from the day before echoed in her mind, replaying over and over. "I love you, and I would never let any man touch or even look at you." The words had left her in shock, and she hadn't been able to sleep a wink all night. She felt something heavy in her chest, but she couldn't quite put a name to it.

She had grown so comfortable with Gregory, and the thought of his love being anything other than familial had never crossed her mind. But now, everything felt tainted. How could she go back to the way things were?

Gregory, on the other hand, felt consumed with guilt. He had spent the night pacing around his room, cursing himself for losing control. How could he have said that to her? What was wrong with him? This was Lily, his sweet Lily, the girl he'd raised, protected, and loved like his own since her mother passed away.

But that love had changed, twisted, and now he didn't know how to handle it. He had to get out. The idea of staying in the house with her, pretending everything was normal, made him feel like he was suffocating.

At breakfast, Lily sat at the table, poking at her cereal, lost in thought. Gregory avoided the kitchen altogether, instead opting to grab his coffee from the counter and disappear into his office without a word.

The silence was unbearable.

At school, Lily couldn't hold it in any longer. She had to talk to someone. Her mind raced with confusion, guilt, and something else she couldn't quite name. Savannah was her best friend—had been since they were kids. If there was anyone she could confide in, it was her.

During lunch, Lily found Savannah sitting in their usual spot outside the school cafeteria, scrolling through her phone.

"Hey, you okay? You look... off," Savannah asked, immediately picking up on Lily's anxiety.

Lily hesitated, unsure how to even begin. She felt embarrassed. What if Savannah judged her? But she needed to talk to someone, or she would explode.

"There's something I need to tell you... but promise me you won't freak out," Lily finally said, sitting down beside her.

Savannah looked concerned, her brow furrowing. "Of course. You know I've got you. What's going on?"

Taking a deep breath, Lily started from the beginning. She told her about the argument she had with Gregory after the pool, about the way he'd defended her. Then, she dropped the bomb.

"He said he loves me... like, not as a step-dad, Savannah. He meant it... like, romantically."

Savannah's eyes widened, her mouth slightly open in disbelief. "Wait... what? Gregory? Your step-dad? He said that?"

Lily nodded, feeling the knot in her stomach tighten. "Yeah. I don't know what to do. It's... it's confusing. I've never thought of him like that before, but now... I don't know. It's like... things are different."

"Lily, this is seriously messed up." Savannah's tone was sharp, but there was genuine concern in her eyes. "You can't be thinking about this. He's your step-dad! You know how wrong this is, right?"

"I know, but—" Lily began, but Savannah interrupted her, her voice more urgent now.

"No, Lily. You don't understand. You cannot let yourself get pulled into this. He's an adult, and he's supposed to protect you, not confuse you like this. It's his responsibility to know better, not yours. You need to get some distance from him."

Lily's eyes welled up with tears. She hadn't expected Savannah to react so strongly. "I know it's wrong, but... I don't know what I'm feeling. It's just... confusing."

Savannah softened her voice. "I get that. You've lived with him for so long, and you probably see him as more than just a step-dad because he's been there for you. But that's why it's not okay. He's taking advantage of that trust, even if he doesn't realize it. You need to figure this out, Lily, and you can't do that if you're stuck under the same roof."

Lily wiped her tears, feeling a mixture of relief and sadness. She knew Savannah was right, but that didn't make it any easier.

Back at home, Gregory was doing everything he could to avoid Lily. He buried himself in work, even though he wasn't really focused. The only thing on his mind was her—what she must be thinking, how she was processing his outburst. He couldn't bear to look at her after what he'd said. What if she hated him now?

He had to leave. It was the only solution.

The evening dragged on in uncomfortable silence. Lily kept to her room, and Gregory stayed holed up in his office. When they did cross paths, their interactions were painfully awkward. Every glance was loaded with tension, every word forced.

"Do you... want dinner?" Lily asked, standing awkwardly in the kitchen as Gregory passed by.

"No, I think I'll pass. Not really hungry," he muttered, barely looking at her. He didn't want to make eye contact, afraid of what he might see in her gaze—disgust, confusion, maybe even pity.

Lily hesitated, feeling the weight of everything unsaid between them. She wanted to ask him why he was avoiding her, but the words wouldn't come out. She didn't know how to bring up something so big, so terrifying. The air was thick with unsaid words, and the longer it went on, the more unbearable it became.

That night, Gregory lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. He knew he couldn't stay here much longer. If he stayed, he would only make things worse—for both of them. His feelings weren't going to go away, and now that they were out in the open, there was no putting the genie back in the bottle.

In the morning, he decided. He would leave. He needed to give her space, let her figure things out without his presence clouding her judgment. Maybe, in time, she would forget what he'd said, and they could go back to being step-father and daughter. Maybe.

The following day, Lily felt a strange sense of dread as she walked home from school. She had spoken to Savannah again, and the conversation had been heavy on her mind. She knew she had to confront Gregory, but every time she thought about it, her stomach twisted with nerves.

When she got home, she found Gregory sitting at the kitchen table, a suitcase by his side. Her heart dropped.

"What... what's going on?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Gregory looked up, his face pale and tired. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. "I think it's best if I leave for a while, Lily. Just until... things settle down. I don't want to make things more complicated than they already are."

Lily's chest tightened. She hadn't expected him to leave, and now, faced with the reality of it, she didn't know how to react. "But... you don't have to go."

"Yes, I do," he said quietly, standing up and walking towards her. "I've caused enough damage already. I shouldn't have said what I said, and I can't stay here and make things harder for you."

Lily bit her lip, feeling tears well up in her eyes again. She didn't want him to go, but she also didn't know how to handle being around him after everything. "Where will you go?"

"I'll figure something out. Maybe stay with a friend for a while. I just need to give you some space to think."

There was a long, painful silence between them. Lily didn't know what to say, and Gregory was too consumed by his guilt to find the right words.

Finally, Lily stepped forward, her voice small and uncertain. "Greg... I don't know how I feel about all of this. I'm confused... and scared. But I don't want you to leave."

Gregory's heart ached at her words. He wanted nothing more than to stay, to hold her, to make everything right. But he knew that wasn't possible. "I'm sorry, Lily. I need to do this—for both of us."

With that, Gregory picked up his suitcase and headed for the door. Lily watched him go, her heart heavy and her mind spinning. The man who had been her protector, her rock, was walking away, and for the first time in her life, she didn't know if he'd ever come back.

As the door closed behind him, Lily sank to the floor, tears streaming down her face. Everything felt broken, and she didn't know how to fix it.