The hallway echoed with the shouts of Ariana and Rory. They've been fighting every night this week, but usually they make up and are fine the next day, but this time, making up might not be an option.
"If you aren't happy, why don't you say something!" Rory shouted, eyes changing blue.
"I am happy, Rory!" Ariana shouted back, her eyes being green for a considerable time now. She was tired of Rory accusing her every night that she wasn't happy with him, but she was. Ariana loved Rory, how could she not be happy? "Why do you always fight with me about this? You've done this since we've met Gil," she said.
"I see the way you look at him," Rory seethed, jaw clenched.
"What do you mean?"
"It's the same way you used to look at me," Rory continued, shutting his eyes tight, turning his back to her. Ariana froze. How could he say something like that to her? Sure, Gil was attractive, but she was committed to Rory. She looks at him when he's teaching them, or when he's speaking. Never anytime else.
"How could you say that?" she said, pressing her lips into a thin line.
"I look at you when you look at him, and it's the same way you used to look at me. You think no one's looking. I am. I look at you. And you'll never look at me the same way again," he said, hands against the dresser to hold himself up.
"I don't look at him like that!" Ariana shot back, tears welling in her eyes.
"You do! You do, Ariana. Don't deny it. You don't want me anymore," Rory said, jaw clenched.
She began to walked toward him, but he turned his back to her. "Rory," she began.
"No, go talk to Gil. You know you want to. I'm just wasting your time," he said.
"I.. Rory, you're being ridiculous," she sighed, folding her arms.
"It's done, Ariana."
"What's done?"
"Us," Rory stormed out the room, slamming the door on his way out.
Ariana's breathing suddenly became shaky and her knees gave out under her and she collapsed to the ground. Burying her face in her hands, she began to cry. She cried until she couldn't cry anymore. Ariana stood, and let out a shaky sigh. She felt like she had a hole in her chest, and she felt considerably numb.
There was a knock on the door. 'It must be Rory,' she thought. Ariana wiped her eyes and collected herself. "Rory, you better be here to apologize and tell me that this was some kind of sick-"
"Not Rory,"
When Ariana opened the door, she was looking up at Keith. "Oh. Right. I thought-"
"I know. I heard," he said, shouldering his way in. He sat down on the bed and Ariana followed.
"Did he tell you?" she asked, sitting beside him.
"No. I heard your fight," Keith said, raising his eyebrows. Ariana's heart sunk. She should have known. Everyone has been hearing their arguments. "If I could tell you why he's been in such rare form lately, I would. Gil's not the only thing that's been getting under his skin,"
"I know," she sighed.
"I'd try to talk some sense into him but talking to Rory when he's mad is like talking to a brick wall," Keith scoffed, shaking his head.
"Do you think it's a side effect of the procedure?"
"Might be," he said, a heavy sigh following.
After that, they were silent. It wasn't an awkward silence, more of a comfortable one. Ariana couldn't think of anything to say; she was at a loss for words. She was trying not to cry. Ariana's cried in front of Keith lots of times, but not over something like this. Keith was staying silent because he knew in the back of his mind that nothing he said would get Ariana to stop blaming herself. He could tell her a million times that it wasn't her fault, he could tell her that he was just being unreasonable, he could tell her that he'll come crawling back to her sooner or later, but nothing would help. He couldn't say he knew how she felt, either. So he resolved that silence was his best option. He began to hear Ariana's shaky breathing, and he sighed. Keith put his arm around her shoulders and she buried her face in her hands. "I don't know why he's like this," she said, voice thick with oncoming tears and muffled by her hands.
"I don't either," Keith replied.
The short silence was broken by Ariana's long, shaky sigh. After holding them back, the tears rolled down her cheeks.
