FRIENDS - BWS

41 | Make Up Your Heart

I've been back from work for over an hour, sitting on the couch waiting for Brad to finally come home, and wondering whether or not to call Tris to at least know Brad was with him and was okay, when I hear the front door slam, making me jump from my seat. I don't even have time to get off the sofa that Brad appears in the living room, rushing towards me, looking very angry.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?", he says as I stand up from the couch to face him. The tone of his voice gives me literal chills, and I know this conversation is not going to be fun. I stare at him, my eyebrows furrowed in confusion. That reaction is a little too extreme for him to be referring to what happened the day before.

"What are you talking about?", I ask, my heart racing in my chest already.

"Oh please Emma, spare me the act", he answers, still looking at me with angry eyes. His use of my full name makes me even more nervous, but I still have no clue what's going on. "Why would you do that?", he then asks and I start to think he's actually talking about me going to Jay's last night.

"I'm sorry, okay?", I plead, still standing in front of the couch, scared to even move. "I just wanted to help, and I know it was a bad idea, and I shouldn't have let that happen in the first place. I don't know what I was thinking", I continue before taking a breath in.

"You wanted to help?", he repeats after me, almost mocking me. "Because hitting Ash in the face to get my phone is helping to you?", he adds, making me almost choke on my own saliva. Did I hear that correctly? Did he just accuse me of hitting Ashley?

"Wait, what?", I said, more confused than ever. "What are we talking about here? I was talking about going to Jay's. Did she seriously tell you I hit her??", I ask, stunned. Brad's looking at me silently, and I can tell he's not sure who to believe. My heart breaks thinking he has even the slightest doubt. How can he believe her and not me after everything she's done? She's manipulated him before, how can he let her do it again?

"Do you really think I could hit someone on purpose? And why would I even hit her? To get your phone? That's insane!", I almost yell back. I don't know what I'm feeling, if it's disappointment, anger, or sadness. All I know is that my heart is in pain thinking Brad's once again taking her side.

"I don't know anymore", he answers, crushing my heart a little more. "The bruise on her cheek, that she didn't have yesterday by the way, didn't appear on its own. Fuck Em, I don't recognize you. First you lie to me about being with Jay, and see him behind my back to do God knows what and now you hit Ash? What's going on with you?", he says before pausing for a second. "Are you cheating on me with him?", he then asks, sadness in his eyes, crushing what's left of my heart. I stand in silence as I process what he just said. When I thought that yesterday was bad, today is proving to be worst.

"I thought what we've already been through with them would be enough for you to know I would never do any of these things you're accusing me of. But apparently it's not.", I answer, trying to steady my voice from its shakiness. "You think I'm cheating on you? Wow, I must really suck at showing you how much I love you if you believe I could go back to him", I say, tears starting to blur my vision. "What kind of person do you think I am?", I continue after a brief pause. "The last 17 years mean nothing to you? Have I ever done anything to make you think I'm the kind of person who would hit someone in the face to get a fucking phone? Have I ever cheated on any of my boyfriends? You know I've been on the other side, so you should know I would NEVER do that. And to you? After everything we've been through to finally be in this relationship that you really seem to not even want to be in anymore?". I mark another quick pause, trying to catch my breath. "I know you know me better than that. You know I'm not that person you're trying to make me look like. If you don't want to be with me anymore, just say it instead of finding the most ridiculous reasons to end it", I finally add before swallowing the lump in my throat. Are we breaking up? I mean how could we stay together when he either thought I'm some kind of monster, or is pretending like I am just to get out of our relationship? Brad doesn't answer anything, simply staring at me, and I wonder what's going through his mind. Is he surprised I figured out his coward way of breaking up with me? Is he upset I think he wants out of our relationship? Am I right? "You know what, I deserve better", I say as I walk around the couch and pass by him to reach the front door. I quickly put my coat on and grab my bag and keys before turning around to Brad who's about to say something but I don't let him. "I'm gonna go spend some time at my parents' while you figure out whether or not you want this relationship", I say before making my way to my car. I thought Brad would try to stop me from leaving, or at least say something, but he doesn't, making me nervous as to the outcome of our conversation.