In Between

How She's Beautiful

The morning sun streamed through the studio windows, but Y/N felt like a storm cloud was hanging over her head. She had spent the night tossing and turning, unable to shake off the feeling of betrayal that had settled deep in her chest. Now, a day after she found out about Walker and Lacy, she was a mix of anger and heartache, and she needed answers.

As she approached the set, her stomach churned with anxiety. The vibrant energy of the crew around her felt foreign, almost mocking against her own turmoil. When she finally spotted Walker alone, adjusting a prop in front of the camera, a wave of emotions crashed over her. Tears welled in her eyes as she walked toward him, her heart racing and pounding in her ears.

"Walker..." she began, her voice trembling. "Looking in her big blue eyes... did it just to hurt me. Make me cry."

His expression shifted from surprise to concern as he stepped closer. "Y/N, what are you talking about? You look upset."

"I am upset!" she cried, her voice breaking. "You're an idiot, Walker. Now I'm sure. Now I'm positive." The tears spilled over, and she wiped them angrily away, frustration bubbling beneath her skin.

"Wait, what? What did I do?" His brows furrowed, confusion lacing his voice. "You're making no sense."

"Your new girlfriend, Walker!" she shouted, the words exploding out of her. "I bet you're thinking she's so cool. Right? Lacy's just perfect, just so sweet, and you must be thrilled."

"Y/N, it's not like that," he replied, his tone softening as he took a tentative step forward. He searched her eyes, trying to gauge her feelings. "I don't want to hurt you. I really don't."

Kicking back on the couch, she thought bitterly. "Making eyes from across the room... Wait, I think I've been there too." The memories flooded her mind—moments she'd thought were special, shared glances filled with unspoken promises.

"Can you just listen to me for a second?" he implored, stepping even closer.

"What'd she do to get you off, huh? Taking down her hair like 'OH MY GOD'! Now I know... and I'll fuck off," she said, her voice raw with emotion, shaking with the effort to hold herself together.

"Y/N, just give her a chance," Walker said, desperation seeping into his voice. "You're jumping to conclusions without knowing the whole story. It's complicated."

"But I think I like her! She's so fun," she shot back, her tone dripping with sarcasm, a defense mechanism she couldn't suppress. "Wait. I think I hate her. I'm not that evolved."

"Y/N, please," he said, frustration mingling with his desperation. "You're making assumptions about something you don't know the full story of. I never meant to hurt you. You're important to me."

She shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks as the weight of it all pressed heavily on her. "You're just breaking everything, Walker. How can you not see that?"

"I'm not trying to break anything!" he exclaimed, his hands gesturing in frustration. "You keep pushing me away, and I don't know how to reach you!"

"Maybe it's because I can't trust you anymore!" she shouted, the words spilling out before she could stop them. "You're with Lacy now! How am I supposed to handle that?"

Walker took a step back, hurt flashing in his eyes. "I didn't choose for any of this to happen. It's complicated!" His voice rose with emotion, and he ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident.

"Complicated?" Y/N scoffed, her heart racing. "Is that what you call it? You're just going to pretend this doesn't hurt? That I don't feel betrayed? I thought we had something real, Walker. And now I feel like a joke."

"I never meant to make you feel like that," he said, his tone softer now, filled with regret. "You're not a joke to me. You never were."

Her heart cracked a little at the sincerity in his voice, but the pain was still too fresh. "It doesn't change what's happening. You're with her now, and I feel like I'm just... left behind."

"I care about you, Y/N. You have to know that," he said, his voice low and earnest. "It's just... I don't know what I'm doing anymore."

"Then why are you with her?" she pressed, her voice rising again. "Why her? You could have had me!"

He closed his eyes briefly, as if gathering himself. "I didn't plan this! I didn't mean to fall for her. Things got messy, and I didn't know how to tell you."

"So you just let me find out through other people?" she spat, anger bubbling over again. "I had to hear about it from Leah! Do you have any idea how that felt?"

"I'm sorry," he said, genuine regret in his eyes. "I thought I could handle it. I thought—"

"What? That I'd just be fine with it? That I wouldn't care? That I wouldn't feel like my heart was ripped out?" Her voice shook with rage and despair, each word cutting deeper.

He shook his head, frustration mingling with hurt. "You're making this so much harder than it needs to be. Can't we just talk this out?"

"Talk it out?" she echoed, incredulous. "What's there to talk about? You're with Lacy! How do I even fit into this picture anymore?"

He opened his mouth to respond, but the words failed him. The silence hung heavily between them, filled with unspoken feelings and unresolved tension.

"Maybe you don't," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. The realization felt like a punch to the gut. "Maybe you've already made your choice."

Without another word, she turned on her heel and walked away, her heart aching with every step. Each footfall echoed the distance that had grown between them, a chasm too wide to bridge. Walker watched her go, feeling the weight of regret settle heavily on his shoulders. They were both lost in their emotions, and for now, neither knew how to bridge the gap that had formed between them.

As she exited the set, Y/N felt the tears falling freely now, the world around her blurring. All she wanted was for someone to understand her pain, to know how deeply she had cared for him, and how badly it stung to feel replaced. The walls she had built to protect herself were crumbling, leaving her exposed and vulnerable, and for the first time in a long while, she felt utterly alone.