Fake It || H.S ||

Chapter 14

December 20th. One Year and Two Months Earlier

She knows. 

Damned if she does. 

Damned if she doesn't. 

But goddamn, she knew.

It was a feeling that had been burning in her for a long time now. It almost made her forget who she was and what she stood for. Her actions of being overly passive and letting things slide had gone on for too long. 

Holding on to years and long lost love was not worth it. She knew it wasn't possible to rekindle something when only one was being honest and truthful. She knew she could not carry the weight of the world by her self and she would not have to if she would have ended it sooner. She knew that by signing that contract she had possibly made the worst decision of her life and she would possibly have to spend years recovering from lost time and hindered creations. 

But dammit, she couldn't fix it until she ended it. 

 And When Sephora ends things, she ends them. 

She told Isiah that she would be visiting family for two weeks and would be back on Christmas Eve. He eagerly gave her some money and hurried her away. She took the money and went to a nearby hotel. Over the two weeks, she calmly watched an array of parties, one night stands, and constant affairs. 

Isiah was too dense to notice she had packed everything she owned for a simple trip to visit family.  He was so caught up in being famous, in having his name on a professional jersey, and in having cash to flash that he completely changed. Sephora knew that it was time to let go.

During the two weeks she gathered photographs of the events  and printed them to be compiled into a collection. She made sure the time and date was in the corner of every photograph before she placed them all in an envelope and returned to the apartment they, now previously, shared. 

She watched as a girl who looked of Spanish decent scurry out of the apartment complex into the cold air and finally into an Uber Driver's car. At this point, she didn't care from what apartment she had came from. At this point, she was on a down going roller coaster that had a few upward hills every now and again. 

Once inside their apartment complex, she took the elevator to the floor the apartment was on and looked around for what she hoped was the last time. Gently, she took out the key and placed in the lock. 

It was obvious due to the smell of cleaning supplies that someone was hired to help him clean up. It was almost as clean as when Sephora left. In the kitchen was a shirtless Isiah making breakfast.

When he heard the door click, he turned and smiled. He didn't know it, but pieces of some "her" was still left. A light female perfume sent lingered by the door, earrings that were obviously not Sephora's were tossed onto the counter top, and on the glass coffee table were two sets of hand prints firmly sealed into it. He must of had one last one night stand after he hired a cleaning lady.

"My baby's home! Sweetheart, I don't know how I got through practice without you making me tea and bacon quesadillas for lunch."  Sephora only knew how to make steak ones and she rarely used bacon. 

Isiah placed the pan full of eggs he was stirring back onto the cooling stove and walked over to Sephora. She was in a trance. Her mind was not here or there. She felt next to nothing at this point. When Isiah's arms wrapped around her waist and he gently kissed behind her ear all she could do was remember when she melted in his arms. She could not allow herself to melt again. That was a memory now.

"How is your family?" he asked.  His eyes were a feature that Sephora was trying to avoid. When she failed at that task and laid her eyes on his, those feelings flooded back. Nothingness was replaced with a sense of unreturned loved and pain. 

Tears started to swell in her eyes. With Isiah's puzzled look on his face all she could do was quietly hand him the envelope. He worriedly took it and opened it, expecting a card or something. When he pulled out the enveloped contents and processed what they were, his facial expression drastically changed. 

"I'm leaving." She choked out. 

Before Sephora could process any events, dozens of photographs were flying in her face. 

"Like hell." he yelled.

Silently, she began walking towards the door and nearly opened it before an angry blue eyed devil placed himself in front of the door. 

"I said you aren't leaving." he growled. 

Slowly, Sephora began taking steps back. She remember the layout of the apartment that she was trying to escape and her best option was the old rust fire escape. However, if the balcony was not unlocked she would have wasted too much time to get away. 

Soon he was prowling towards her in an almost wildlife like manor. It amazed her how someone could turn so quickly. How could someone become someone else in a matter of seconds?

"You're going to go in the bed room, take a nap, and act like none of this never happened."

"No, I'm not." The tears she was holding back finally started to roll down her face. "I'm leaving."

Yelling and screaming was all that was heard as they ran around the apartment. A lamp, keys, coasters, and a number of other things were being thrown on both ends as they past through multiple rooms and corners. Sephora though back to one of the slightly better times when they were both in pajamas, chasing each other around these same walls throwing popcorn and pillows. As she did then, she slipped turning the corner from the game room into the living room that held the very balcony she sought after. Last time, Isiah caught up to her and swooped her up into his arms and gave her an array of kisses. This time, due to his own errors and possible drunkenness he fell as well. 

Reaching and grabbing for furniture, she threw herself over the white love seat that also held so many positive memories and finally grabbed hold to the handle of the balcony. She gave one giant yank and the door slid open. Sliding it shut behind her she began to nearly skip down the old stairway into the streets of Seattle. Yelling and screaming was heard behind her, but she sighed with relief knowing that every problem that went along with him was behind her except one, the record label. 

She was still stuck in this city, but now she had a chance to fix herself.