Beneath the Surface

Chapter 48

~ couple weeks after Thanksgiving ~

The mansion felt cold. Not in temperature, but in the way the silence echoed through its grand halls. Lizzie hated the quiet that seemed to have settled into the walls ever since Thanksgiving. Y/N had been distant since then, and no matter how much Lizzie tried to reach her, it felt like Y/N was drifting further away.

Lizzie walked into the living room, already expecting what she would find. Y/N was sitting in the same spot on the couch, staring blankly at the TV. It had been like this for weeks. The same routine. The same emptiness.

"Hey," Lizzie called softly, sitting down next to her. Y/N barely reacted, only glancing at her for a second before looking back at the screen.

"I have a promo shoot for the new movie tomorrow," Lizzie said, trying to keep her tone light. "I'll be gone most of the day."

"Okay," Y/N mumbled, her eyes never leaving the screen.

Lizzie's hand rested on Y/N's thigh, but there was no response. No warmth. Just the same coldness that had been growing between them for weeks.

"You've been quiet," Lizzie said, her voice soft but probing. "Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine," Y/N replied, her voice flat.

Lizzie's patience was wearing thin. She had been trying—really trying—to be understanding. She knew Y/N was struggling to adjust to this new life, but she couldn't keep walking on eggshells.

"You don't seem fine," Lizzie pressed, her frustration bubbling up. "You've barely talked to me in days."

"I said I'm fine," Y/N snapped, her tone sharper now.

Lizzie flinched slightly at the tone. The tension between them was reaching its breaking point. She stood up, pacing a few steps away as she tried to keep her emotions in check.

"This isn't working, Y/N," Lizzie said, her voice louder now. "You've been like this for weeks. Ever since Thanksgiving. You're here, but you're not really here."

Y/N's jaw clenched, and she turned her head slightly toward Lizzie. "I'm doing the best I can."

"Are you?" Lizzie shot back, her frustration finally spilling over. "Because it feels like you've just checked out completely."

Y/N stood up abruptly, her fists clenched at her sides. "What do you want from me, Lizzie? I'm trying to figure this out. I'm trying to adjust, but it's not that easy."

"You don't even talk to me anymore!" Lizzie's voice cracked with emotion. "You're pushing me away, and I don't know how much more of this I can take."

"I'm not pushing you away," Y/N growled, her eyes flashing with frustration.

"You're sitting here, doing nothing!" Lizzie yelled, tears brimming in her eyes. "I don't know what's going on with you, and it's killing me."

Y/N stared at her for a long moment, her eyes filled with anger and pain. Then, without another word, she turned on her heel and walked out of the room.

Lizzie stood frozen, her heart pounding in her chest as she watched Y/N disappear down the hallway, heading toward their bedroom. The weight of the argument settled heavily on her chest. She wanted to chase after her, to keep fighting, but something held her back. She didn't know how to fix this.

For the first time, Lizzie felt truly alone in the house.

———

The hours ticked by slowly. Lizzie sat alone in the living room, staring at the TV, though she wasn't watching anything. The argument replayed over and over in her head, and each time, it hurt more. She hated that they had fought—hated the way Y/N had just walked away.

She glanced at the clock. It was late, and the mansion was eerily quiet. With a heavy sigh, she stood up and made her way down the long hallway to their bedroom. The door was cracked open, and she hesitated for a moment before stepping inside.

Y/N was in bed, her back turned toward the door. Lizzie could tell by the way her body was curled up that she wasn't asleep. There was a vulnerability to the way Y/N lay there—like she was trying to shield herself from the world, from everything.

Lizzie quietly made her way to the side of the bed and sat down, her heart aching as she looked at Y/N's tense form.

"Hey," she whispered, her voice soft and tentative.

Y/N didn't respond at first, and Lizzie wondered if she was even going to say anything at all. But after a long moment, Y/N's voice came out, quiet and broken. "I don't know how to do this."

Lizzie's heart clenched at the raw vulnerability in Y/N's words. She gently reached out, placing her hand on Y/N's shoulder. "Do what?"

"This," Y/N whispered. "This life. I don't know how to be the person you need me to be."

Lizzie felt tears sting her eyes as she leaned down, resting her forehead against Y/N's back. "I don't need you to be anything but yourself, Y/N. I just need you to be here with me."

Y/N's shoulders trembled slightly, and Lizzie could feel the emotion radiating from her. She hadn't seen Y/N like this before—not this vulnerable, not this lost.

"I feel like I'm drowning," Y/N admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Since Thanksgiving, I've been trying... but it's like I'm stuck in this place where nothing feels right."

Lizzie closed her eyes, her heart aching at Y/N's words. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know how," Y/N said, her voice strained. "I didn't want to burden you with it. You've got so much going on with work, and I didn't want to drag you into this."

Lizzie pulled Y/N closer, wrapping her arms around her from behind. "You're not a burden. I want to help you. I need you to let me in, Y/N."

Y/N's breath hitched, and for a moment, Lizzie wasn't sure if she was going to say anything else. But then, Y/N shifted slightly, turning to face her. Her eyes were red, her expression fragile in a way Lizzie hadn't seen before.

"I'm scared," Y/N admitted, her voice trembling. "I'm scared that I'm not enough for this life. For you."

Lizzie's heart broke at the admission, and she gently cupped Y/N's face in her hands. "You are enough. You've always been enough."

Y/N's eyes flickered with doubt, but there was something else there too—something that told Lizzie she was starting to believe it.

"I don't know how to do this," Y/N whispered. "I don't know how to live this... normal life."

"You don't have to do it alone," Lizzie said, her voice soft but firm. "We'll figure it out together."

Y/N's eyes filled with tears, and Lizzie felt her own resolve strengthening. She knew this wasn't going to be easy, but she also knew that they could get through it. They had to.

"Will you stay?" Y/N asked, her voice barely audible, her vulnerability laid bare.

Lizzie smiled softly, wiping a tear from Y/N's cheek. "I'm not going anywhere."

As Y/N pulled Lizzie closer, burying her face in the crook of her neck, Lizzie felt the tension slowly start to ease between them. It wasn't fixed, not yet. But it was a start.

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