Fractured Echoes

chapter 11

"  Shattered Confessions ""Iris, are you in here?" Violet's voice cracks through the silence of the bathroom. I sit up a little straighter in the cramped stall, my back pressed against the cold wall, my heart suddenly picking up pace. I don't answer right away, fingers fidgeting with the fabric of my jeans, nails digging into my skin, trying to suppress the storm brewing inside me. But then, almost reflexively, the words slip out."Yeah, I'm in here... What's wrong?"There's a beat of silence, heavy and awkward, before Violet speaks again. "Can we please talk?"I glance over at Charlotte, sitting on the toilet lid beside me. Her arms are crossed tight over her chest, her eyes sharp, jaw clenched. She's mad as hell—probably thinking she shouldn't be in the middle of this mess. I don't blame her. I shouldn't have dragged her in here, but when Violet's name lit up my phone earlier, panic surged through me. Charlotte caught that panic like it was contagious.I whisper to Charlotte, so quiet only she can hear, "I don't know what she wants. I'm sorry."Charlotte's lips twitch into a bitter, tight line before she stands, pushing past me to unlock the stall door. She storms out without saying a word, her footsteps echoing against the tiles. Fuck. She's pissed at me now too.Violet steps in immediately, closing and locking the door behind her. The stall feels even smaller with her standing there, her eyes boring into me. I can't escape it—can't escape *her*."What do you want, Violet?" My voice comes out sharper than I intended, but I'm too tired for bullshit. Too fucking tired of pretending everything's fine.She doesn't answer right away, just stares down at me for a moment before kneeling down, her hand finding its way to my thigh. "I want you, Iris."Her fingers burn against my skin, and I jerk away instinctively. "Stop touching me," I snap, trying to shove her hand off. "I'm not in the mood."Violet blinks, confusion flickering across her face like she can't comprehend what I just said. "What?" she whispers, her voice fragile. "So, all these years... you never even liked me?"My chest tightens. It's not like that. God, it's never been that simple.I sigh, my head dropping back against the wall. "No, it's not like that. I'm just... I'm so fucking confused, Violet."She stays quiet for a second, her brow furrowed, like she's trying to solve a puzzle that doesn't have an answer. "Confused? About what?" she finally asks."About us." The words taste bitter on my tongue. My heart feels like it's sinking lower and lower with each syllable, because it's the truth I've been trying to avoid for so long.Violet lowers herself onto the floor beside me, her shoulder brushing against mine. She's too close. She always knows how to push her way into my space, into my head. She reaches for my leg again, rubbing it slowly, her touch softer now. "I'm sorry, Iris. I should've never ignored you. I fucked up, I know that."The sincerity in her voice makes my chest ache. I want to believe her, part of me does, but it's too late for that. It's too fucking late."Well, it's too late now, Violet," I say, the words harsh, even though I don't want them to be. But it's the truth.Her eyes widen, panic creeping into them. "I'm sorry, Iris," she pleads. "Please, just... give me a chance."I shake my head, not trusting myself to look at her. I can feel her desperation, her need to fix something that's already broken beyond repair. But I can't fix it. I can't fix us. Not anymore."I don't have feelings for you anymore, Violet," I finally say, my voice barely above a whisper. It feels like I'm ripping myself open with each word, exposing every messy, complicated emotion I've been bottling up for years. "I like Charlotte. She actually cares about me."There. I said it.Violet's hand freezes on my leg, and for a moment, she's completely still, like she's processing what I just told her. Her face crumples, and she looks away, blinking hard. "So... that's it, then?"I don't answer. I don't need to.The silence between us feels heavier than any words could. I can hear her breathing shallowly, trying to hold it together, but I know I've already shattered her. Just like she's shattered me a million times before.She stands up, her legs wobbling a bit as she unlocks the stall door. For a moment, she pauses, like she's about to say something else. But then she just shakes her head and walks out.I sit there, staring at the cracked tiles on the floor, feeling like I should cry. But the tears don't come. Maybe I'm all cried out.