It's All About You

January 19th 2016

January 19th 2016

"Meri, I swear... that isn't me," Joe said for the millionth time that night. Meri just stared at him with hurt evident all over her face. There was a video going around the internet of Joe kissing another woman, the two of them talking about the great sex they had, their dreams of travelling all over the world together. A video that all of the viewers had posted everywhere, making gifs of it, taking screenshots, freaking out. And Meri was devastated.

"Just leave Joe... I can't... I don't want to do this right now," Meri whispered weakly. She couldn't cry. She didn't want to. All she wanted was for Joe to leave.

"You've got to believe me, babe. That isn't me," Joe repeated. He was desperate for her to believe him. Of course it wasn't him. He didn't know where it had come from but it wasn't him. Even though it looked and sounded exactly like him; it wasn't him.

"How can I believe you, Joe? When there is video evidence of you making out with another woman?" Meri asked him.

"Exactly! There's evidence! Why the fuck would I make a video like that if I wanted to keep it a secret from you?" Joe said angrily. Meri looked at him. He realised that those words were not the right words to say. They didn't make anything better.

"Just go," Meri begged. "Please,"

"I'm not leaving, Meredith. That isn't me," Joe insisted. He took a step closer to her and gently took her hand. She moved away from. "Meri –" he tried.

Meri shook her head. "I'll leave then," she whispered. And then she left.

"No! Meri, wait! You have to wait, Meri! I swear that isn't me. I love you, I would never –" Joe yelled. But the door slammed shut. Joe kicked the chair in anger. How could this have happened?

...

Meri tried not to breakdown whilst she was on the tube to Tanya and Jim's house. How could she breakdown, when there was a chance that flocks of viewers could see her at any second? She had to stay strong. At least until she got behind closed doors.

...

Joe stared at his reflection in the mirror. His blue eyes had lost their sparkle. His usual cheeky grin had been replaced by an emotionless line. She was gone. He hadn't cheated on her. But she was gone. Joe didn't blame her – it looked and sounded exactly like him. But it wasn't. He would never cheat on Meri. He loved her with all his heart.

...

Meri rang the doorbell the Jim and Tan's house. She heard Martha barking and Jim calling her name; telling her to calm down. The door opened. Tanya. She had seen the video. She didn't know whether or not to believe it. But how could she not? It looked and sounded exactly like Joe.

Meri stared at Tanya. Tanya flung her arms around her sister-in-law and hugged her tightly. That was when Meri broke down. Sobbing and gasping and praying that this was all a dream. A nightmare that would be over as soon as she woke up.

They were still standing in the doorway when Jim walked up to them with Martha in his arms. Tanya let go of Meri and took the puppy and then Jim pulled Meri into his embrace. He was angry. He was speechless. He didn't think that Joe would have ever done something like that. But he had. To his little sister.

...

There was a knock at the front door. Joe's heart skipped a beat. Maybe it was Meri? He opened it quickly and felt all the hope fade from him as he saw his sister. She was standing in front of Alfie, who had Nala in his arms. "What the hell happened, Joe?" Zoe whispered.

Then Joe broke down. He cried and he sobbed and he yelled in frustration. That wasn't him. That man in that video talking to that woman wasn't him.