Elusive

[ chapter one. ]

"Are you cheating on me?"

The once unspoken question rolls right off of my tongue and lingers in the uncomfortable air, causing Michael to look up at me, pulling himself away from whatever "business affairs" he was attending to. I just couldn't hold it in any longer, for everything was becoming too much. Our conversations have grown shorter - often transforming into pointless bickering - our sex life has become virtually nonexistent, and the distance. Oh that terrible, heart aching distance. He could be away for hours and come back and I still feel the distance between us.

His face wasn't the one I've become accustomed to, the one that looked of annoyance whenever I tried to get him to speak to me. I have come to miss his heart warming tone of voice and the adoration that seeped through it when we would talk. Now all I can hear is the irritation in his voice or the cold silence that penetrates my mind, laughing at me. You silly woman, do you honestly think this man is still in love with you? Ha! Just the thought of Michael cheating on me leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. He looked almost as if he's been waiting for me to ask him this - maybe he has been paying some attention to me.

"Why would you ask me that," Michael questions, eyebrows twitching as if he was pained by my question.

I roll my eyes before letting out an exasperated sigh, "Just answer my question. We're fighting all the time, you're always locked away in this damn studio when you do come home, and you refuse to just talk to me. This isn't us. This isn't why we got engaged."

By the end of my explanation, I hadn't realized that my face had flushed a fresh, warm hue of crimson against my light brown skin. Tears threatened my eyes at the thought of Michael possibly betraying me in such a way. I knew he heard the shakiness in his voice, his eyes looking sympathetic or guilty - I couldn't tell what was going through his head, but I sure wasn't up for games. My heart dropped in my stomach as he opened his mouth to speak.

"I didn't know how to tell you this..."

His voice trails off, and I assume the worst.

"TELL ME WHAT?!" I yelled, picking up the nearest object before charging at him with rage just being the forefront of the many emotions I felt now that he basically confirmed my suspicions.

Before I could even swing at him, he grabbed my slender arm - his eyes cool and dark, filled with an inexplicable emotion. It terrified me slightly as he began to speak in his most calm tone of voice,

"Woman, are you crazy?"

Tears stung my eyes as I glared at him before casting my gaze towards the floor - I felt incredibly embarrassed. Am I being crazy? Michael took the random object I picked up away from me, it turned out to be a meaningless plaque that had been used as a paperweight. I watched as he set it down before attempting to cup my face.

I immediately shy away from his vain attempt at comforting me.

"Just tell me the damn truth, Michael." I demand, the volume in my voice much lower than I expected.

He wiped the stray tears off of my slightly puffy face as I looked up at him, searching for an answer in his facial expression. I really didn't want him touching me especially if he has been cheating on me, but I let him. Whether I wanted to admit it or not, I will always love this man, and that small action of wiping away my tears meant something. He sighs deeply and clears his throat, probably in preparation for a grand lie, I think - my mind betraying the passionate feelings deep in my heart.

"I'm not cheating on you, Shayla. Honestly, I love you - why would I?"

I don't know, why have you become so elusive?

His "truth" didn't satisfy me at all - in fact, it made the pit in my stomach deeper and I began feeling the early beginnings of rage settling in once again. His "truth" didn't explain the bickering that he starts, the ones that end in him leaving the house for hours at a time, only for him to come back to hide away in his studio.

He attempts to invade my space once again, causing me to put my hand up - I had to mumble a quick prayer to restrain myself from assaulting my once beloved fiancé.

"Michael. I know you're hiding something, but guess what?"

He looks at me silent with a dumbfounded expression, which only makes the blood in my veins boil and pump faster throughout my angered system. I narrow my eyes at him before speaking again, "I accidentally picked up your phone one night. Who is Hannah?"

He doesn't say anything, he just bits down on his lips - nibbling on them as if he was nervous. Why would he be acting this way if he wasn't cheating? The air in the studio was becoming thick, filling with tension to the point where I felt like I couldn't breathe. Before swiftly leaving out of that damned room, I croaked,

"I'm done."