love happy • chris evans (bwwm)

• sixteen •

RANT ALERT (please read)
I've worked VERY hard to build Phoenix and her character up and to see people tear her apart every time she and Chris have a conflict is heartbreaking and makes me wanna give up. I know damn well if roles were reversed and it was Phoenix who gave Chris food that contained his allergen, everyone would be up in arms about how wrong she is. 🤷🏽‍♀️ She's "overdramatic", "crazy", and "needs therapy" because she's a 24 year old woman that makes mistakes and gets upset over normal things? Meanwhile Chris is just perfect, gets literally no criticism EVER... Sucks that we can't even get away from double standards in a FICTIONAL story.

Anyways thank you to everyone who still continues to support even during the tough chapters. My job as an author is to put you through an emotional journey and make you feel something. I appreciate all of you who understand that and respect my choices and still show love in spite of that. Thank you to those who actively put theirselves in the shoes of Phoenix instead of automatically passing judgement.

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"Baby you've got to come out and talk to me eventually." Chris spoke from outside his and Phoenix's bedroom. He had been sitting beside the door for over an hour trying to get her to talk to him. After their argument, Phoenix locked herself inside and hadn't said a thing to him in 75 minutes. "Phoenix, please just talk to me." He practically begged. "I need to hear your voice. I need to know that you're okay."

Chris pressed his ear to the door, hoping for any sound he could get; even a cough would've sufficed at that point. However, he was disappointed to find more radio silence. He couldn't help the tears that were beginning to well up in his eyes as he fiddled with Phoenix's engagement ring. Things were going so well between the pair for so long, he knew something was going to come up eventually but he would've never guessed it would be something on this magnitude.

He felt absolutely terrible that he didn't know what Phoenix was allergic to and he could understand her anger, especially considering the fact that he did buy her food with green peppers. However, he thought they were beyond the childishness of the silent treatment. She had grown so much and been so vocal about her wants, needs, and feelings for so long, he couldn't understand why she kept so much pent in. Was it because of the engagement? If that was the case, maybe Phoenix was right all those years ago when she said they didn't need to get married to live happily together.

Sighing, Chris slide the ring under the door before standing to his feet. He placed his hand on the door, hoping to feel some of Phoenix's energy as the tears that were threatening to spill had begun to fall upon his cheek.

"Okay Phoenix, I'll leave you alone." He spoke quietly against the door with a shaky voice. "I love you."

Chris lingered by the door hoping she would say she loved him back but she didn't. Again, he pressed his ear to the door but this time he heard something: the sniffling sound Phoenix made when she cried which made his tears fall even quicker. Hearing her cry literally split his heart in two.

"Please open the door." Chris pleaded. "If you don't, I'll kick it open."

He figured Phoenix would call his bluff and was pleasantly surprised when she opened the door. Although she kept her eyes on the ground, he could see they were red and puffy. She had been crying for a while, which would explain why she hadn't said anything to him.

"Come here." Chris opened his arms, easily catching Phoenix as she fell into them. She hid her head in his chest, the moisture of her wet tears seeping through his shirt. He squeezed his eyes shut, allowing his own tears to fall before wiping them away completely. He didn't need Phoenix to see how hurt he was in that moment because it was clear she was hurting too. He wanted to be the rock for his woman; that's what she needed in that moment. "It's okay, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."