And Then, There Was Fire.

nineteen.

"This is what you brought me out here for? To start this shit again?" Lauren sighed, slouching in the leather couch of the small, familiar living room as she regretted her bad judgement call.

"Don't talk to me like that, please. I've been nothing but respectful so just do the same." Aubrey requested as he leaned forward on the love seat that was beside his couch that Lauren sat on, placing his elbows on his knees with his palms out in a pleading manner.

"I knew I shouldn't have came." She rolled her eyes as she grew upset with herself. "Where's my stuff?" She asked as she sat up, seeming as if she was ready to leave.

After exiting the building that held the campus' pool earlier, Aubrey conveniently ran into her in the rain. He's worked on being cordial with her gradually in passing during the past month, resulting in him being able to greet her earlier long enough for his force to persuade her that he wanted to talk to her, for proper closure.

He worked her, smoothly. The timing was impeccable with the rain, insisting that he'd rather not talk in the rain. The pool being on the complete opposite side of where she parked, he insisted on just driving her to his apartment just down the street since he still had a few of her things at his place from months ago when she would visit him.

It wasn't until she walked inside his living room that his persuasion wore off her, as the beginning of his conversation began with words that didn't seem as if he wanted closure.

He remained quiet as he looked away from her, unable to lie any more than he already has.

"Aubrey," Her voice grew stern. "Where's my stuff that you said I still had over here?"

"Listen, Ren-" He started to begin, hesitating.

"You know what, forget it." She said, looking into her phone as she waited for the spotty signal in his apartment to allow her to use her Uber app. She then breathed harshly, dropping her hands with her phone into her lap as she pressed her head against the back of his couch. "Just take me back to my car."

"Can you just please relax for a second? I tried to just back off of you for awhile, gave you your space thinking you just needed to think."

"I strictly told you I was done with you. After I had my space from you."

"No, you didn't even give yourself time to think about it because you were busy with Trey. I know you were so you can't even lie about it."

"I wasn't going to lie about it." She quickly retorted which caused him to roll his eyes and sigh.

He leaned back into his couch out of frustration. "All I tried to do was show you the right way." He said before she rolled her eyes at his words.

"And what is the right way, Brey? Why do you think that your right way applies to me?"

"There's only ONE right and ONE wrong, Ren." He replied, feeding back into his righteous ways.

"No one and nothing can define what's right for me, but me. Not your God," She then watched him cringe at her words. "Not you. Just me. Soon as we got here you asked what happened between us, this is what; you refuse to acknowledge the fact that I just don't follow what you believe in. I don't feel anything for you. I don't want to be with you."

"I know what's best for you." He simply stated.

She sucked her teeth before an irritated chuckle escaped. "And how do you know that?" She asked as he once again hesitated, causing her to squeeze her eyes tightly as she had enough of the rabbit hole he was taking her into. "Forget it, I'll walk back to my car."