Gray Areas | Englot | GxG

11. Thin Line

Upper East Side, Manhattan, NY
9 years ago, senior year

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POV ENGFA

How do you even deal with a girlfriend who throws around "Let's break up" like it's nothing?

Honestly, I'm at my wit's end.

Charlotte's mood swings could drive anyone insane.

One moment, she's all sweet and affectionate, then, out of nowhere, it's as if I've done something unforgivable.

Is it hormones? I genuinely don't know if that kind of thing affects decision-making, but I dated Nick before-a charming jerk who could test anyone's patience-and not once did we casually throw out "break up" like it was nothing. Aside from the obvious reason involving our parents, we never really talked about breaking up so easily. I'm not one to give up on a relationship, especially when I have feelings for someone. I'm willing to go all the way to make things right between us.

But Charlotte? This is a whole new level.

Here she is, sulking again. Asking to break up... again! This is the second time this month, and honestly, I'm drained.

The first time she got mad was over Heather, the cheerleader.

Heather invited a few friends, including me, to her birthday pool party.

Naturally, I went to the party. We took a group photo, and I gave Heather a playful kiss on the cheek while Patcha stood on the other side of me. It was just harmless fun, but Charlotte didn't see it that way when she saw the Instagram post Heather uploaded.

She was furious, insisting that I'd crossed a line, and broke up with me. I spent an entire week trying to calm her down, explaining that it meant nothing, and eventually, she took me back.

The whole situation was ridiculous!

And now, here we are again.

This time, it's about my December trip to Europe. She only found out through Instagram, and honestly, I'm beginning to think we'd be better off without social media altogether. Nick posted a picture of us at some fancy restaurant in Paris with the Eiffel Tower in the background. The caption?

#throwback. Vacations with you are always memorable, my pretty girl. ☺ @fa_engfa8

And, of course, he tagged me. Freaking Nicholas!

He thought he was helping-just clearing up rumors at school that we'd broken up because, yeah, people noticed we weren't exactly acting like a couple lately. Nick still hangs out with Apo, Faye, Lingling, Patcha, and me at our table, so I figured everything was fine. Nick didn't think twice and just uploaded that old picture from Paris to show that we were "good."

We had spent part of the trip together since his family happened to be in Europe around the same time. I didn't think it mattered enough to tell Charlotte-I thought she was over the whole Nick situation by now.

But I couldn't have been more wrong.

Now the entire school has seen that post, and the comments are rolling in: "Couple goals," "So cute together," "Perfect match!" All of it.

And, of course, Charlotte's seen it too.

She's furious. Ignored me all day at school, wouldn't answer my calls, avoided me the next day. She won't hear a single word from me, won't even let me explain. And here we are, on the rooftop, and I'm just... done.