A Little Too Far

Chapter 23: Unraveling

Catarina sat across from Dustin, her heart racing and her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. The café buzzed around them, but in that moment, it felt like they were the only two people in the world. She could see the tension in his shoulders and the earnestness in his eyes, but the hurt still lingered deep inside her.

"Okay, so what do you want to say?" she asked, trying to keep her tone steady. She crossed her arms over her chest, a defensive posture she hoped would shield her from whatever he was about to say.

Dustin took a deep breath, collecting his thoughts. "I know I messed up, Cat. The last few weeks have been hell for me. I thought I could be okay without you, but I can't. I miss you. I miss us."

The words hung in the air between them, and for a moment, she was taken back to the memories they had created together—the laughter, the late-night talks, the feeling of belonging. But those memories were now tinged with the pain of betrayal.

"Missing me isn't enough, Dustin," she replied, her voice softer but firm. "You hurt me. You went off and slept with someone else while I was trying to process what happened between us. How do you expect me to just forget that?"

"I know, and I can't express how sorry I am. It was a mistake, a stupid decision made out of confusion and anger. I thought I could move on, but I realize now that I only hurt myself more. I've been miserable," he confessed, his eyes pleading for her understanding.

Catarina looked at him, searching for any signs of insincerity, but all she saw was regret. Still, the wounds were fresh, and trust was not something she could give away so easily.

"You don't get to just walk back into my life and expect everything to be okay," she said, a tremor in her voice. "I've been working so hard to pick up the pieces. I can't just pretend like it didn't happen."

"I don't want you to pretend. I want to talk about it," he urged, leaning forward as if the distance between them was too much to bear. "I want to understand how I can make things right."

Catarina hesitated, feeling a mix of anger and vulnerability. "You want to understand? Fine. Let's talk. But know that it's going to hurt," she said, the challenge clear in her voice.

Dustin nodded, determination etched on his features. "I can handle it. I want to hear everything."

As they delved into the conversation, Catarina poured out her heart. She spoke about the loneliness she felt after their fallout, the moments she would see him with that girl, how each picture felt like a stab in the heart. She talked about her sleepless nights, wondering what she had done wrong and why he had chosen to move on without her.

"I felt so betrayed, like everything we had was meaningless to you," she said, her voice shaking slightly. "I trusted you, Dustin. I thought we were in this together."

Dustin's expression morphed from guilt to anguish as she spoke. "I never meant to make you feel that way. It was never meaningless to me. You were my best friend, and I messed it all up because I was scared of losing you."

"Scared? You were the one who threw it all away!" she shot back, frustration boiling to the surface. "You didn't even give us a chance to figure it out."

"I know, and I wish I could take it back," he replied, desperation creeping into his voice. "But can we at least start from here? I want to make amends, to show you that I've changed."

Catarina took a moment to consider his words. She wanted to believe him, to give him the chance he was asking for, but the scars from the past were still fresh. "How do I know you won't hurt me again? How do I know this isn't just talk?"

"I can't promise I won't mess up again. But I promise to be honest with you from now on. I'll do whatever it takes to prove that I'm serious about wanting you back in my life," he said, his voice filled with sincerity.