I'm In Love With A Fantasy

XXXIV

I push my food around my plate. I get up and throw the remainder of my meal, which was around half of it, in the garbage.

I sit back down at the island and rest my chin on my hand.

"You okay Em?" Madison asks.

"Yeah, just not hungry I guess."

"That was your favourite."

"I just wasn't hungry!" I snap.

"Oh, okay." I hear the pain in Madison's voice and regret snapping at her.

I get up from my seat and go upstairs, going into the bathroom and only brushing my teeth. I change into a big hoodie and some sweatpants and crawl into bed.

Before I'm able to fall asleep, the lights turn on.

"What the fuck?"

"Baby, it's only seven." Madison says.

"Sorry, I'm tired." She comes over and kisses my forehead.

"You aren't warm." She says.

I roll over and close my eyes. The bed dips on Madison's side and her arms wrap around me. She presses a soft kiss to my forehead. I turn again and scoot away from her.

"Okay, geez."

The bed dips back up and footsteps lead out of the room. I sigh before closing my eyes and drifting off to sleep.

---

"How's the paper going?" Madison asks as I type away.

"I haven't started." I mumble.

"Then what are you doing?" She asks.

"Writing an email to my professor about how it's going to be late."

"Okay. You have the private training today too, right?"

"I cancelled." I say.

"What's going on? Please just tell me." Madison says.

"I'm fine." I tell her.

"No! You aren't! Emily, you're not okay. Please, just tell me what's wrong." Her voice breaks and her eyes gloss over.

"I wish it were that easy."

"Just say it all, I don't care. I just want you back." She puts her hands on my face and softly strokes my cheeks with her thumbs.

"Madison, stop trying. It's not worth it."

Tears go down her face, "You are worth it."