there she goes - jschlatt

broken trust

the afternoon sun poured through the window, casting warm rays across my living room as I curled up on the couch with a book in hand. the words blurred together as I tried to concentrate, but my mind kept drifting back to last night. my cheeks flushed at the memory of leaning against schlatt, the warmth of his body so close to mine, the teasing comments that hung in the air like a promise. I could still feel the heat radiating from him, the way his laughter vibrated through me.

but just as quickly as those thoughts brightened my mood, the memory of sierra's sharp words cut through it. the tension had been palpable, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. it wasn't just jealousy; it was a warning, and I couldn't help but feel protective of schlatt. he deserved someone who wouldn't play games, who wouldn't treat him like he was disposable.

as I tried to lose myself in my book, my phone buzzed, jolting me from my thoughts. I glanced at the screen, my heart racing as I saw it was a message from schlatt.

| "hey, you busy?"

my fingers hovered over the screen as I considered my response. part of me wanted to play it cool, but another part was desperate to keep him close.

| "not really. just chilling at home. what's up?"

I tossed my phone aside, trying to focus again, but my heart raced in anticipation. a few minutes later, I heard a knock at the door, and before I could react, schlatt's voice called from the other side.

"char! it's me!"

my heart fluttered as I jumped up and opened the door, finding him standing there, his hands shoved deep in his pockets, a casual grin on his face that sent my stomach flipping. "hey," he said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. "hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"not at all," I replied, a smile creeping onto my face. "I was just reading."

"reading? wow, that sounds riveting," he teased, eyeing the book I had tossed aside.

I rolled my eyes playfully. "it was, until you showed up."

"you wound me," he said dramatically, placing a hand on his heart. "but seriously, I wanted to see you."

"really? what's the occasion?" I asked, leaning against the doorframe, a teasing lilt in my voice.

he shrugged, his expression turning more serious. "just needed to get out of my head for a bit. things have been... weird lately."

I nodded, feeling a flutter of concern. "weird how?"

"sierra," he said, his voice dropping. "she's been acting distant, and I can't shake the feeling that something's off."

my heart sank at the mention of her name. I had been dreading this conversation. "what do you mean?" I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral.

"she's been hanging out with some guy from work a lot," he admitted, running a hand through his hair. "I mean, I trust her, but..."

"but?" I pressed, wanting him to finish the thought.

"it just feels different. I don't know how to explain it," he said, frustration evident in his voice. "I just get this feeling that she's hiding something from me."

"that's tough," I said softly, crossing my arms. "but have you talked to her about it?"

"not really," he admitted, leaning against the wall, the casual confidence fading from his posture. "I guess I'm just trying to avoid making it worse."

"maybe you should confront her," I suggested carefully. "it's better to know than to keep worrying."

he sighed, looking away. "you're probably right. but I don't want to come off as jealous or paranoid."