there she goes - jschlatt

fractured reflections

the days that followed were a blur of emotions—a whirlwind of laughter, tension, and unspoken words. I was caught in a delicate dance with schlatt, where every interaction felt charged, but I held back, unsure of how to proceed. I found solace in moments of lightness with our friends, but in the quiet hours, the weight of my thoughts pressed heavily on my chest.

one evening, we gathered at a local café, the atmosphere warm and inviting, filled with the comforting aroma of coffee and pastries. I was sitting at a table with ted and tucker, but my eyes kept drifting toward schlatt, who was deep in conversation with sierra at the counter. the ease between them stung—a reminder of the distance I felt.

"you alright, char?" ted asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

"yeah, I'm fine," I replied, forcing a smile that felt more like a mask.

"you don't seem fine," he pressed gently. "you're quiet."

"just thinking," I mumbled, my gaze fixed on schlatt's laughter. it felt wrong to be jealous of her, but the ache in my chest was relentless.

as I tried to shake off my thoughts, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out to find a message from my mom, a simple "how are you?" but the weight of her words hit me harder than expected. it had been a while since we'd talked, and the memories of our last conversation flooded back—arguments, hurtful words, and an inability to bridge the gap.

"you okay?" tucker asked, noticing my sudden change in demeanor.

"just family stuff," I replied, pushing the feelings down. I didn't want to burden them with my past—especially not tonight.

"family can be tough," ted said, his tone understanding. "if you need to talk, I'm here."

"thanks," I said, grateful for his support but feeling the walls closing in. "I'll figure it out."

as I looked back at schlatt, I noticed he was now leaning casually against the counter, a smirk on his face as sierra playfully nudged him. my heart sank, the laughter between them ringing in my ears like an unwanted melody.

just then, the café door swung open, and a man walked in—disheveled and slightly unsteady. my stomach dropped as I recognized him: my ex, the one whose shadow still haunted me. the world around me blurred as panic washed over me, and I felt the room close in around me.

"char, you okay?" ted asked again, concern lacing his voice.

"no, I need to go," I said, urgency in my tone as I stood up.

"wait, what's going on?" tucker called, but I didn't respond. I turned and rushed toward the exit, desperate to escape.

I stepped outside, the cool air hitting me like a shock. I leaned against the wall, trying to steady my racing heart. I could hear the faint chatter inside the café, but all I could focus on was the looming figure of my past.

I hadn't seen him in months, and the memories of our relationship crashed over me like a wave. the anger, the pain, and the fear flooded my mind, and I felt my hands shake as I fought to regain my composure. I couldn't let him ruin this night—or any part of my life.

the door swung open, and I turned to see schlatt stepping outside, a concerned expression on his face. "char! what's wrong?"

"I... I need to go," I stammered, feeling the walls closing in again.

"not until you tell me what's going on," he insisted, stepping closer. the intensity in his eyes made my heart race, but the presence of my ex looming in the background shattered my focus.
"he's here," I whispered, my voice trembling.

"who?" schlatt asked, glancing around. but the moment he spotted the figure by the entrance, his expression shifted to one of realization.

"oh," he said softly, understanding dawning on him. "your ex."

"just... just stay away," I urged, panic lacing my words. I didn't want schlatt to confront him, to get dragged into the mess of my past. I could handle this; I had to.

"char, you don't have to face him alone," he said, his voice steady. "let me help you."

"no! please," I pleaded, my heart pounding. "I can't let him ruin this, ruin us. just... stay here."schlatt hesitated, the conflict evident on his face. "I can't just stand by and let you deal with this."

"please," I said, tears welling in my eyes. "I don't want to be weak. I don't want you to see this side of me."

he looked at me for a long moment, and I could see the turmoil in his eyes. finally, he nodded slowly, stepping back but not without a pained expression. "I'll be right here. just... let me know if you need anything."

I took a deep breath, steeling myself as I turned to face my past. as I stepped forward, my ex approached, a smirk playing on his lips. "well, well, if it isn't my favorite girl," he said, his voice dripping with mockery.

"what do you want?" I replied, my voice steady despite the fear churning in my stomach.

"just wanted to see how you're doing. thought you might miss me," he taunted.

"I don't," I shot back, my resolve strengthening. "you have no right to be here."

"oh, come on. don't act like you're better than me now," he said, stepping closer. "I know you haven't forgotten me."

"you're wrong," I said, my voice firmer now. "I've moved on, and I'm done with you."he laughed, but it was hollow. "is that what you tell yourself? you think you can just pretend I didn't happen?"

the words struck deep, echoing in my mind as I stood my ground. "I'm not pretending. I'm reclaiming my life."

just then, schlatt's voice cut through the tension, deep and commanding. "back off, man."I turned to see schlatt stepping forward, a protective stance taking shape. my heart raced at the sight of him, but I felt a mix of fear and anger. this wasn't his fight.

"you don't want to get involved, buddy," my ex sneered, but schlatt held his ground.

"I think she's made it pretty clear she wants you to leave," he said, his voice low and steady.the tension hung in the air, thick and electric. I could feel my heart pounding, fear mixing with gratitude for schlatt's presence. this was exactly what I wanted to avoid, yet here we were.

"whatever, I'm not afraid of you," my ex spat, backing away slowly but with a lingering look that made my skin crawl.

as he finally turned and left, I felt a wave of relief wash over me, but the gravity of the moment lingered. I turned to schlatt, my heart racing. "thank you."

he took a deep breath, the concern still etched on his face. "are you okay?""I don't know," I admitted, my voice shaky. "I just... I didn't want you to see that side of me.""you don't have to hide from me, char," he said softly. "I'm here for you, no matter what."the sincerity in his voice made my heart ache. but as I looked into his eyes, I felt the fracture deepen—a chasm of fear and vulnerability I wasn't sure I could cross.

"let's go back inside," I said, feeling the weight of the world pressing down on me again. I didn't want to linger on the darkness; I needed to reclaim my night.

as we walked back in, the warmth of the café enveloped me, but I felt the cracks widening beneath the surface. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was standing at a precipice—one wrong step could send me tumbling into the depths of my past.

the laughter resumed around us, but I felt disconnected, the world a blur as I navigated through the remnants of my past. I knew I had to confront my fears, but for now, all I could do was put on a brave face and hope that I wouldn't lose myself in the process.