𝙴𝚛𝚒𝚌 𝙲𝚊𝚛𝚛 𝚡 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛 ★ 𝙾𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚝 𝙲𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 ★

𝑅𝓊𝓃𝒶𝓌𝒶𝓎 𝑅𝑒𝒶𝒹𝑒𝓇

It was a typical late afternoon in the house you shared with Eric. He had left for rehearsals earlier that morning, kissing you on the forehead and flashing his playful smile. As soon as the door clicked shut behind him, though, something in you had shifted. The weight of everything—your insecurities, fears, and doubts—had been pressing down on you for days, threatening to suffocate you. You had done your best to ignore it, pretending it was just stress or a bad mood, but today, it was unbearable.

The house, which once felt like a haven, now felt like a cage. Every corner reminded you of what you feared you might lose. Eric was perfect, almost too perfect. Gentle, patient, always putting your needs first. What if one day, he realized you weren't worth all the effort? What if he found someone better, someone who could match his kindness without the emotional baggage you carried?

You couldn't bear the thought.

With trembling hands, you packed a small bag. Your heart raced as you scrawled a hurried note and left it on the dining table. You couldn't bring yourself to explain everything. Instead, you scribbled:

"𝙄'𝙢 𝙨𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙮, 𝙄 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠. 𝙋𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙚."

You slipped out the door, not even glancing back, and started walking. You didn't know where you were headed. Maybe a friend's house, maybe the park—you just needed to be anywhere but here.

---

Eric came home hours later, tired but buzzing with the energy of rehearsal. He couldn't wait to see you, unwind together, maybe cook something for dinner, or sit on the couch watching TV. As he entered the house, though, he immediately noticed the silence. The air felt... off.

"Babe?" he called out, expecting to hear your voice from the kitchen or the living room.

Nothing.

His heart gave a small lurch. It wasn't like you not to answer, even if you were busy. His footsteps echoed through the house as he moved from room to room, hoping to find you. But when he reached the dining table, his stomach dropped. The note.

He picked it up, his hands trembling as he read it. His mind raced— Why would she leave? What happened? Did I do something?

His eyes scanned the note over and over, hoping to find a clue, but all he had were the scribbled words that told him nothing.

"Don't look for me."

But how could he not?

Without a second thought, Eric grabbed his keys off the counter and bolted out the door. He didn't care if he had no idea where you were—he'd drive through every street, search every corner until he found you.

---

You sat on a park bench, your bag beside you, watching the world move around you. The sun was starting to set, casting long shadows on the ground. People walked by, some with friends, some with their families, while you sat alone, feeling more lost than you ever had before.

A part of you wanted to go back. You missed Eric already. But what if he was better off without you? What if you were only holding him back?

As you fought with your thoughts, a familiar sound caught your attention—the low rumble of an engine, a car that sounded like it was moving too fast for a residential area. You looked up just in time to see Eric's car speed past the park entrance, his face tight with worry as he scanned the streets.

Your heart skipped a beat.  He's looking for me.

For a moment, you froze, unsure of what to do. Should you stay hidden and let him keep searching? Or should you go to him and explain everything? But before you could decide, his car screeched to a halt a few feet ahead, and he leaped out, eyes wild as they landed on you.

"Babe!" His voice cracked with relief as he rushed toward you, breathless from both the drive and his frantic search.

You stood, feeling your throat tighten. "Eric..."

He didn't give you a chance to say anything else before he pulled you into his arms, holding you so tightly it almost hurt. You could feel the rapid thud of his heartbeat against your chest.

"God, I was so worried. I thought—I thought something happened to you."

Tears welled up in your eyes, and you buried your face in his shoulder. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry, Eric. I just... I didn't know what to do. I was scared."

Eric pulled back just enough to cup your face in his hands, his eyes soft but filled with concern. "Scared of what, baby? Talk to me."

You hesitated, the words catching in your throat. "Of losing you. Of not being enough."

His expression melted into one of pure tenderness. "Is that why you left?" He brushed a thumb across your cheek, wiping away a tear. "You think you're not enough for me?"

You nodded, your voice barely a whisper. "You deserve someone who doesn't have all these doubts... someone who isn't always second-guessing everything."

Eric shook his head, his brows furrowed in disbelief. "Love, you're everything to me. Do you know that? I don't want someone else. I don't want perfect. I want you. Every part of you."

You looked into his eyes, and the sincerity there made your heart ache. He meant every word.

"I didn't know you felt like this," he whispered. "But I wish you had told me. I'm here for you, always. Whatever you're feeling, we can get through it together."

The guilt gnawed at you, but so did the overwhelming relief. He wasn't angry. He wasn't disappointed. He just wanted you to be okay.

"I'm sorry for running," you said softly.

Eric pressed his forehead against yours, letting out a shaky breath. "Just promise me next time you'll talk to me first, okay? We don't have to do this alone."

You nodded, gripping the front of his shirt as if letting go would make him disappear.

"I promise."

He kissed your forehead gently, his lips lingering there as he whispered, "Let's go home."

You smiled through your tears, nodding as he led you back to the car. With his hand firmly in yours, you knew that no matter how scared you got, Eric wasn't going anywhere. You'd face it all together—one day at a time.