Issues

Crushed

Alison's POV

Tearing out of Emily's apartment, I'm barely successful in hailing a cab because I'm crying and shaking uncontrollably. Of course it's pouring down rain too. What a metaphor for my life right now. I manage to tell the driver my address and he very soon senses to let me cry in peace.

Thankfully I arrive home rather quickly. Walking up the stairs brings nothing but countless memories of going to and coming home from dates with Emily. Opening the door causes flashbacks of Emily's sexy smile at nothing but the sight of me. Crossing through the doorway haunts my lips with a cold chill, reminding me of the warmth Emily's lips once provided during greetings and moments of pure lust and passion.

Closing the door now, I stand completely still with my eyes closed, feeling the emptiness of my apartment and the deafening silence where my heart used to beat. Pitter patter on the floor causes me to open my eyes and momentarily smile as my sweet Moose greets me. But this smile soon fades as I remember how much Moose loves Emily.

God everything I see... everything I do brings me right back to Emily.

"Maybe I'll just change my clothes and go to bed", I say to myself. "I think I've cried every last tear left in me.... Now I'm just dead inside....  Crushed.. Nothing but a hollow shell of a once happy, vibrant woman completely and utterly in love".

I walk into my room and stop dead in my tracks in the doorway. The mere sight of my bed sends me into a fit of blubbering sobs again. This is the bed we used to snuggle in for countless nights. This is the bed we just made love in such a short time ago. That bed.. hell this whole room captures the last happy memory I have with Emily. It's like some twisted snapshot of happiness now turned to a torturous reminder of what I no longer have in my life. Joy, happiness, love, purpose, you name it... it's all gone now. Emily broke me. Emily broke us. Emily played me for a fool. I want to hate her right now but I can't. All I feel is a strange mixture of painful emptiness and love for her. Even if she didn't ever love me, I truly loved her and I can't just turn that off like a light switch.

I settle for crawling up on my couch under a blanket with Moose until I eventually cry myself to sleep.

A phone call wakes me from my sleep the next morning. An instantaneous, pounding headache smacks me wide awake. My eyes are practically swollen shut from all of the crying and I feel like I've been hit my a semi truck.

I can't even see who's calling me, but I deliriously answer anyway.

"Hello" I ask sounding half drunk.

"Hey girl it's Hanna. So Spencer, Aria, and I were wondering if you wanted to come to brunch with us? I was of course going to call and invite Emily too after I finished talking to you" she says matter of factly.

"Oh God Emily" I say now crying as I realize that last night wasn't just some awful nightmare.

"Wait Ali are you crying" asks Hanna sounding concerned. "What's wrong?" she continues.

"Hanna" I sniffle tearfully, "Emily broke up with me last night".

"SHE DID WHAT?!?!" Hanna yells on the other end of the phone. "What the literal fuck?.....Say no more. We're coming to your place now" she continues.

"Wait Hanna.. no you really don't have to" I reply.

"Shut up... we're on our way now" she replies forcefully.

I don't even know how long time went by before they got to my place. I've just been laying on the couch, completely numb and practically catatonic. The knock at the door spurs me to get up, feeling stiff as a board, and open the door.